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College Admissions Hell
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After a brutal week for college applicants, admissions officers dish about the tough decisions, the role money played—and the nasty calls they’re getting from parents.
“The [parent] calls this week seem worse than in the past,” says one admissions officer at a top-tier Midwestern university. “I can’t tell you how many lives I’ve been told I ruined. One dad called me Satan—and his daughter got waitlisted! Another mother offered to volunteer in our office for a full year if we reconsidered her daughter’s rejection letter. Another threatened to slash my tires!” (Jump to the next page for more quotes and stories from admissions officers)
And so it went in the frenzied college admissions season that ended this week.
There’s no doubt that the recession and a record number of applicants were the biggest factors in the remarkable uncertainty that defined this year’s application process. At the most selective schools, admission rates plunged to their lowest points ever—particularly at Ivies like Harvard (7%), Princeton (10%), and Columbia (9%). Private colleges, on the other hand, worried about students’ ability to pay high tuitions, let in more applicants. At the University of Chicago, the admit rate dropped to 27% this year. The biggest winners were state universities—such as Virginia, Georgia and California—which had the pick of the litter amid a flood of applications.
“For the first time in my career, I feel like admissions became fundraising this year. Our dean consulted development all day long. It’s appalling. There were students who got in when they shouldn’t have.”
With even families making up to $300,000 applying for aid this year, students’ final decisions will come down to money. The federal government is trying to help: On April 2, the Education Department issued a public letter to financial-aid officers, asking for colleges and universities for extra generosity in determining grant and loan packages to assist struggling families. “Simply stated, most [families] do not know about their right to request that you adjust one or more components that determine their eligibility for financial aid,” wrote Daniel Madzelan, acting secretary for postsecondary education. “I ask you reach out to your students, particularly those who seem to have hit a rough patch, to make sure that they know there may be ways that you can help.”
How things will shake out remains to be seen. May 1—the day colleges require a deposit for enrollment—will bring some clarity, but most admissions officers predict the game will go on through Independence Day. Nonetheless, The Daily Beast decided to catch up with the experts—admissions officers, guidance counselors and college consultants—to see what most surprised them this spring and what to expect in the weeks ahead.
On dealing with nosy parents
“We always have parents who open the decision letters while their child is still at school. They call and ask, ‘What am I going to tell him when he gets home? He’ll be just devastated.’ We always reply, ‘Well, you might want to start by explaining why you’re opening his mail.’”—Nancy McDuff, admissions director at the University of Georgia
Easy come, easy go
“I love the parents who call and tell me how much I am going to regret rejecting their child…Unless their kid turns out to be Bill Gates, I won’t likely even remember his name next month.”—Ivy League admissions officer
Managing expectations
“With few exceptions, admit rates were generally lower across the board but that was to be expected given the overall size of the national applicant pool. We're waiting to see financial-aid offers, but if the early responses our students have seen are any indication, it is clear most schools have fulfilled their commitment to providing financial access.
“Specifically, [Vanderbilt] and UVA were really tough this year, but those of us paying attention shouldn't have been caught too off guard. University of Chicago was way up for a second straight year—their selectivity appears to have caught up to their academic reputation and those students who considered it an Ivy backup are going to be in for a shock. ”—Gavin Bradley, college counselor at Atlanta’s Pace Academy and former admissions officer at Columbia University.
Money matters
“Students who can pay their own way are increasingly advantaged in this system. The proper process would consist of need-blind admissions on the basis of qualifications. And some of our finest institutions are trying to do that, though there aren’t a lot of institutions that can afford to. It’s not an evil thing, it’s just you have to survive to do the good you intend. Some of those need-blind schools will have to change their policies at a time like this—you can’t lose money on every deal and make it on volume. More-affluent applicants win out.”—Barmak Nassirian, associate executive director of the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers.
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Jokwme
You all missed the opportunities to go to School online.
I have been getting a fantastic education at an online accredited University. After looking at the dorm, travel, food, books costs and time spent in a class room fighting for the attention of the professor, I chose to go online.
I get more involvement with the instructor, my BOOKS were included in tuition, and I can take my class when I want, where I want....... with my lap top.
Wow... what a concept!
QueenCeleste
Oh, how I sympathize with the admissions officers. I have dealt with parents in a different capacity, and it can be murder. You would think that every little Johnny or Sue is an Einstein, Mozart, or Madame Curie, with a pinch of Ghandi and Florence Nightingale on the side. It's often as if the parent feels rejected, as they are usually much keener to go to college than their precious spawn. Best of luck to all admissions workers; no one should be treated so despicably by these boorish thugs, aka parents.
grepya
QueenCeleste,
(I wouldn't do this if you weren't so caustic in your remarks about students and their parents..) you don't know how to spell "Gandhi".
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n--Y--PortmanteauKarenF444
Article suggestion for Kathleen: Whats in the future for American colleges and universities? What do people in government see as the future of higher education? Will lots of small colleges go out of business and if so, how does that happen? What happens to the endowments and the physical plant? Small colleges are big employers in lots of small towns; will there be political pressure to help them survive?
Will the federal government reconsider the way loans to students and parents subsidize college costs? Obviously, the costs couldn't have risen the way they have without a willingness to borrow. And for what? $75,000 of debt at age 22 to get a sociology degree? Degrees from prestige, selective schools don't guarantee a job; its probably a negative as often as it is a positive or more. I have a relative who is a department head at a large company and he automatically discards resumes from applicants with MBA's and Ivy league/elite college degrees because they will expect to advance too quickly. In other words, they are likely to be unhappy employees.
A lot of parents borrowed college money against the puffed up equity in their homes and now the equity is gone but the loan remains. The parents have taken a big scary hit on retirement funds, too.
The events of the last 6 months are so huge but a long time coming. Too much borrowing.
flyoverland
After reading this series on college admissions clerks, they are now lower than investment bankers on my scale of who cares. Those who can do. Those who can't teach. Those who can't teach, teach gym. Those who can't even do that are admissions clerks. Or, as my college President told me when I gave the commencement address a few years ago, The A students end up working for the C students and the B students become admissions clerks. What kind of clerk do we think you are? We've already established that, we are just arguing about the price. I don't even have a kid in this hunt, but these people ought to consider getting real jobs.
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n--Y--Portmanteauflyoverland
Teaching, yes. Being a clerk who enjoys lording power over people, no.
Jen821
"Students who can pay their own way are increasingly advantaged in this system. The proper process would consist of need-blind admissions on the basis of qualifications. And some of our finest institutions are trying to do that, though there aren't a lot of institutions that can afford to. It's not an evil thing, it's just you have to survive to do the good you intend. Some of those need-blind schools will have to change their policies at a time like this-you can't lose money on every deal and make it on volume. More-affluent applicants win out."-Barmak Nassirian, associate executive director of the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers.
Um
That should be illegal
Somehow.
So the American Dream really is Bullshit. So when you're telling kids in Harlem that if they work hard and do well in H.S., they can get into a good college with scholarships, loans, and grants, you really mean "Stay in your ghetto, poor child." When I first started college, I had scholarships that paid my tuition, while my father paid for everything else. He owns a real estate company and was doing very well in 2005. I needn't say more than that he's not doing so well these days, and I now pay for college with grants and loans. With my mother out of the job now and my father making, literally, no money while having to feed my two younger brothers, college is my only way out. I understand that colleges are businesses, but just as a college should be blind to race, religion, ethnicity, gender, etc. (though they're not, Hi affirmative action) they should be blind to social class. If my brother, who will be 18 next year can't get into a college even though he has perfect grades and high SATs, because he has no money (not his fault) I'll be absolutely pissed. Thankfully, not all colleges support the lengthening of distance between the upper and lower classes. From what you're saying, poor kids should just give up now. Start selling drugs and guns on the street to make some real money. Cuz McDonalds doesn't pay the bills.
Jen821
economic class*
flyoverland
Schools don't want to be fair. They want to be social engineers. They want all their liberal friends to think they are just as liberal (liberal = enlightened}. At my daughter's snooty private prep school the code word is "kids we'd love to have" = minority kids who we want to get before some other snooty school gets them and then can act more liberal than us. Colleges are loaded, notwithstanding the losses their Ivy League managers suffered this year and they ought to spend it, not just on "kids we'd love to have", but kids like Jen821 (even though she says Cuz}. Keep your chin up, Jen. You are only a student for four years. You will be an alumnae for the rest of your life and then its your turn to dish it back in the snobby faces at your school who will beg you for money. Just tell them they are dollars "you'd love to have--in your wallet."
sosuede
"I love the parents who call and tell me how much I am going to regret rejecting their child...Unless their kid turns out to be Bill Gates, I won't likely even remember his name next month."
Good to hear your thoughts, jackass.
readergf
I would like to remind the admissions officer who will forget the rejects names that as soon as he or she sends out acceptances they will be begging the accepted students to attend their school. If too many opt to go elsewhere, the school's yield declines and the admissions officer will be out of their job. I am sure that the students who opt to go elsewhere will not remember the name of the arrogant admissions officer one month later either.
At some point that admissions officer will be out of that job. Most likely he or she will become a placement officer at a high school or an admissions counselor. At that point he or she will be begging for admission on behalf of students and probably the admissions offices around the country will not remember his or her name, unless it is for arrogance.
Thank you.
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