Our Admissions Data

We aren’t going to provide a full picture of our admissions data, in large part because the numbers often fluctuate widely, and to prevent any of our students being identified. We also aren’t going to include data where there isn’t a statistically significant amount; we had no students apply to Caltech or Cornell (an interesting point on its own); we had just one application to MIT, which was rejected, and two to Northeastern, both accepted.

While we would like to brag about a hundred percent acceptance rate to Northeastern, that doesn’t feel quite honest. With that in mind, here’s the data from the past year in admissions: 

This is a lot of numbers, so for an easier set of comparisons, here’s that same data on a handy graph:

We’re very proud of all our students have accomplished, and our mentors for helping them so much on their journey.

Trends in Applications and Admissions

Along with the successes, we’ve seen some other trends in admissions. These are based on a small slice of data, but do match some of what we’re seeing and hearing from both others in our industry, and admissions officers themselves. We’re going to go through what we’re seeing, and what these mean for the students who are now preparing to apply this fall, and in future admissions cycles. 

An Increase in Public School Applications

łÔąĎąŮÍř has been doing this for a long while, over ten years at this point, and this past year was one of the highest application rates for public universities we have seen. Now, students have always aimed at public colleges, and these are great schools, but this year, far more students applied to flagship state schools alongside, or in place of, top private universities. 

University of Washington is a great school, with many great programs. This year, however, we saw more students interested in applying to UW than Dartmouth, Princeton, and Cornell. Based on what our students say, they are motivated primarily by two factors: a desire for merit scholarships at these schools, and the increasing level of competition at private colleges.

Scholarship Interest

Students have long been interested in scholarships, both generally and those we work with. College costs a lot of money, more so every year. We have, however, seen many more students interested in pursuing honors programs and scholarships at both public and private colleges, putting equal emphasis on these and on more expensive private colleges, which may have a slightly higher ranking, but offer less financial support. 

We had some remarkable successes doing this with students this year, achieving honors scholarships to UT Austin and University of Washington, and merit scholarships to Texas A&M and University of Houston, amongst others. We did receive scholarship offers from private schools, including Yale and NYU, but the increased interest in public schools and their scholarship programs is noteworthy. 

A Fall Off on Lower Tier Private Schools

Certain schools have always attracted less interest; Fordham has always been less popular than NYU, Southern Methodist University has always been less of a draw than Texas A&M. This year, however, we have seen very few applications to these schools compared to previous years. 

Now, there is always some fluctuation in which schools receive interest from our students; we saw far more applicants to Yale than Princeton this year; two years ago it was the reverse. This, however, is a decrease across the board in interest in lower ranked private universities. We did still see some applications, but far fewer than we observed in previous years.

There have been several factors contributing to this, but the largest one we have heard from students is cost. These schools cost a lot of money, far more than their private counterparts. When there is a major prestige advantage, students and parents are willing to accept that. When there isn’t a major advantage in prestige, then there is the question of why they would choose these schools over a more affordable option.

This matches broader trends we are seeing in the application landscape, where lower ranked private schools are seeing significant reductions year over year in the number of applications they receive. Many of them are already alarmed by this, with fears that if these trends continue, some universities may have to shutter, as they often rely heavily on tuition money to keep the lights on.

Implications for Future Applicants

Those are the trends we’ve seen developing, but what does all of this mean for students who are just now thinking about their applications, the current crop of juniors for whom college admissions is looming on the horizon? We can’t predict the future, but like any good captain, we can see how the currents are running, and make predictions on the courses that will follow. 

The first major takeaway is that public colleges, especially flagship state universities, are going to get more competitive. We already saw this happen to schools like UT Austin and UNC Chapel Hill, but we predict it happening to further schools as well; University of Washington, Texas A&M, Purdue, UIUC, all of which already have some very competitive programs, but which are growing more popular quite quickly. 

Schools which may have once been safeties are moving out of that category as this interest increases, driven by economic pragmatism. At the same time, some third tier private universities are seeing their application numbers drop, and may become easier to apply to, though this is harder to predict for any given university or application. 

We also anticipate applications for honors programs and merit scholarships to grow more competitive, as students who once sought out private universities now put far more consideration on these offerings from public institutions. Honors colleges have always been competitive of course, but the trend line is headed upwards, though it’s hard to say how steep it is as yet. 

Finally, we anticipate more scrutiny of student research projects as they become more popular. Research that is well done with heavy involvement by the student is notable, and something universities like to see, but not all research falls into this category. Just as admissions officers became overwhelmed by students creating nonprofits without purpose, so too are admissions officers growing wary of research that isn’t done seriously. Our research program is scrupulous and driven to produce actual serious work, but not all companies are so dedicated. 

Final Thoughts

College admissions changes slightly each year, as students react to shifting economic pressures, and colleges roll out new initiatives and priorities. These changes are often gradual, but accumulate over time; admissions now is very different from five years ago, and will change again in another five years. We hope that this article has helped you understand some of the changes we saw in admissions this year, and how this will impact the college application cycle going forward.

If you are worried about your own upcoming college admissions, and want a guide through this shifting and byzantine landscape, then łÔąĎąŮÍř can help. Our students see great results in the admissions process, regardless of where they’re applying. Schedule a free consultation today to learn more about how we can help you.

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Getting Rejected by Colleges Sucks

There’s really no other way to put it; submitting an application to a college and getting told no is just not a fun experience. This is especially true because of the nature of college applications. Colleges ask you to bare your heart and soul to them in admissions essays, to showcase who you are as a person, your dreams and passions and ambitions. When you get rejected, therefore, it can feel as if a personal judgement has been passed, as if you specifically don’t measure up. 

The most important thing to remember is this: getting rejected from college isn’t personal. It isn’t an indictment of you as a person, your achievements, your passions, your dreams, your character, or any other aspect of you. There are many different reasons students get rejected, but it isn’t because of who you are as a person. 

This doesn’t make your pain any less real, but we do want to emphasize that point. It does suck, and it does hurt, but it doesn’t make you any lesser to get rejected by a college. Tens of thousands of excellent students, prize-winners and valedictorians, are rejected by top colleges every year. That is, unfortunately, just how the system is set up. There are more talented students who want to attend than there are seats at any top college. 

We also want to emphasize that you shouldn’t compare yourself to other students. It can be tempting to wade into the reams of videos online of students reacting to their acceptances to your dream school, to measure yourself against them, to wallow in the pain and resentment, drinking deep to bitter dregs. Another student’s acceptance did not cause your rejection. It feels like that, feels like that’s how it must be, but that’s not how college admissions works, and comparing yourself to those students who did get in will just compound your resentment and negative emotions. 

What then should you do if you’ve been rejected? Every student will follow a slightly unique path, but we’re going to share the steps we follow with our students, to help them make the most of the futures ahead of them. 

Step One: Take Time to Grieve and Process

There’s a good chance that getting rejected from your top college is the biggest rejection and setback you’ve encountered thus far. This is normal; applying to college is a major step for many students, and getting rejected here stings harder than a failed grade or slip-up during high school. While you shouldn’t wallow in it, taking time to process this, to grieve what might have been, is normal and healthy. 

We recommend speaking with counselors or parents about this, or otherwise working through an often complex whirl of emotions in a way that helps you contextualize and deal with them in a healthy manner. This is beneficial in two ways:

1. It helps you deal with what’s going on in the moment, helping you navigate a turbulent time.
2. It gives you skills so that the next time there’s a major disruption (such as rejection from a graduate program or a dream job), you have tools already at hand to help you handle it. 

This step must come first, but can continue in parallel with other steps. Every student will handle things in their own way, and we do recommend speaking with a licensed counselor if you are experiencing significant emotional turmoil from this. 

Step Two: Assess the Damage

It can be crushing to get rejected from your top choice school, but there is a difference between a setback and a disaster, a rout and a retreat. Once you’ve processed the initial shock and pain of rejection, it’s time to assess just how much of a setback you’ve encountered. 

Some setbacks are larger than others, but experiencing less of a disaster than another student doesn’t make your pain any less real. It isn’t a competition. It is important to assess this however, as it directs what next steps you can take. Generally, there are several tiers of things going wrong. We’ll go through each and briefly touch on options, with more on that in the next section.

Rejected from your top-choice school. This is a painful setback, but the student still got into at least one other reach school; perhaps not quite the equivalent of their first choice, but in the same general tier. These students can then turn to attending one of these schools, preparing for college unabated.

Rejected from all reach schools. This is more painful, but these students do have target schools that admitted them. These students may look into transfer options, or may decide that one of their target schools is a good fit for their collegiate journey. How much they like their target schools in comparison to reach options will depend on their long-term goals. 

Rejected from reach and target schools. This is less common, but can still happen. This is why all lists should have safety schools, backup options in case everything goes wrong. Many students will not be satisfied with safety schools long-term, but they can still provide a start to your college journey. 

Rejected from all colleges. This is rare, but some students are either terribly unlucky, or build an unbalanced college list, one without safety schools. There are still options you can take here, which we will explore in a later section.

Based on how bad the damage is, and what admissions results you did get, will greatly shape the next steps you will take. As the pain of rejection fades to a dull ache, it is time to begin thinking seriously about what your college journey will look like. 

Step Three: Your Next Steps, Near and Far Term

Your next step is to decide where you want to attend college from the schools that admitted you. It may be painful to not go to a school you’ve been dreaming of, possibly for years, but college is still a key step in what comes next, and that means assessing what your options are, and choosing one which will bring you the most benefit. For those students who didn’t get into any colleges on their list at all, we will go over your options in the next section. 

None of the schools which admitted you are your top choice, but you must have seen something in them that appealed to you, otherwise why would you have applied at all? We go over the following with our students when comparing their acceptances, and choosing between schools which may not have been the favorite: 

• Program of study. Were you admitted directly into your top choice major, or into a field that isn’t quite aligned? If the second, how easy or hard is it to change to your preferred major?
• Cost. What financial aid have they offered you? This is hard to know when applying (even with financial aid calculators), but now that you have the offers on the table, you can make a better comparison. A school you may not have liked can become far more appealing if they offer you a good scholarship package. 
• Fit. A school’s location, housing options, food, extracurriculars; all can play a role in where you decide to attend. Even if you don’t spend all four years there, you want the college you attend to be somewhere you are comfortable. 

For many students, cost ends up being a deciding factor in these calculations. A state school which paled in comparison to your top choice may seem much more worth it when comparing the relative costs of schools, or a private school you hadn’t considered as highly may offer you more of a scholarship than anticipated. Whichever factors end up moving the needle for you, you should pick somewhere to attend college, and begin making the necessary steps to do so.

Submit your deposit, withdraw from other schools, apply for housing, begin picking out courses, all the little things that need to be done to become a true member of a school’s student body. 

Transfer Planning

In some cases, however, none of the secondary schools will do. You still must choose one to attend, but you can also immediately begin making a transfer plan. Thousands of students transfer between colleges each year, and you can still get into your top choice school (or another you have found and enjoyed), even if things didn’t work out the first time around. 

We have a full guide to transfer applications here, but the long and short of it is that after either your first or second year of college, you can switch to another school to finish out your degree. In many ways, this process is akin to applying to college the first time around, and just as preparing for that early brings good results, so too does preparing for transfers early. 

You do not need to do this, but if no other school will satisfy you, then enrolling and immediately beginning your transfer planning is the best use of your time. You know now what went wrong the first time, and can strive to become a better candidate for your second pass. 

What to Do if You Were Rejected by All Colleges

This is a very rare circumstance, and one we haven’t encountered with any of our students, though it does happen. If this has happened to you, it is time to assess your options. Generally, there are two main paths forward:

1. Taking a gap year and applying again as a freshman.
2. Enrolling in community college and applying as a transfer student. 

Students who were weaker academically in high school will benefit the most from enrolling in a community college. High grades here will overshadow any struggles you had in high school, and make you a far more competitive applicant to your top college. Many community colleges accept applicants and enrollees until well into the summer, meaning this path is still open to you.

Gap years can be valuable, so long as you have a good way to spend one, one which demonstrates your passions and commitments. See our article on gap years for more information. 

Getting rejected everywhere can be devastating, and throw every plan you had into disarray. This doesn’t need to be the end of your college journey however, and it’s still possible to graduate from a great school, even after a setback like this.

Final Thoughts

There’s nothing fun about getting rejected from your top choice college, and there’s no way to soften the blow. It will always sting, but learning to deal with that, to handle disappointment and move on, building anew, is in itself a valuable lesson. Not one you want to learn perhaps, but still valuable for your future. Moreover, getting rejected from your top college isn’t the end of your future dreams, or even the end of your road to higher education.

We hope this article has given you the insight you need to process and deal with the sting of rejection from college, and material steps to get your college planning back on track. If you are looking for help planning out your own transfer pathways, or advice on what to do during a gap year, then łÔąĎąŮÍř can help. Schedule a free consultation today to learn more, we’re always happy to hear from you. 

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In this article, however, we’re going to take a step back, and look at how to plan college visits in sequence, and how to do so strategically. A college visit takes time, planning, and effort, and you can visit everywhere. With some careful prep work, however, you can ensure that you make the best use of your time, and see colleges that interest you. Thus, we’re going to explain how to assemble a tour of college visits; let’s explore how such a thing works. 

What You Want From Your Visits

There are many possible reasons to visit colleges, but these generally fall into two tracks. Either you already have a top choice school (or schools) and want to see them in more detail, or you want to get a better sense of colleges as a whole, and see what traits in a college appeal to you. 

If you have a particular college as your top choice already, then you should structure your entire tour around that school. You will of course visit other campuses, that’s the point of a tour, but scheduling campus visits, guided tours, and other admissions events should be based primarily on what’s available at your top-choice school. 

If you don’t have a top choice school, then you should instead focus on getting the widest variety of experiences possible. If, for example, you visit three small liberal arts colleges, or three large public universities, then you will only have sampled a small portion of what college is and what college can offer. By sampling a broad array of potential college offerings, you can get a better sense of which appeal to you. You may enjoy them all equally, but that too is useful to know for certain. 

The Logistics of College Tours

Over the course of a week, you can generally comfortably visit three or four colleges. Here is how we arrive at that number, and why we don’t recommend doing more than this on a college tour: 

• Each college visit should be given a day for itself. You won’t spend the whole day on campus, but this gives time for an official tour, possibly some admissions events, and visiting parts of campus of particular interest to you (such as specific departments or athletic facilities).
• Unless all the colleges are in the same city, you will need to take time to travel between them, this may be a short drive, or a longer one. These travel days can also be used for non-college related sight-seeing. 
• Most colleges only offer official tours Monday-Friday (though there are exceptions). We always recommend signing up for an official tour, which naturally limits when you can visit these colleges. 

With this in mind, the logistics of a college visits tour unfolds naturally. You travel over the weekend, begin with the first school on Monday, travel and then visit another on Wednesday, and finish with a final school on Friday. In between, you may stop for some local sights, or attractions, or other interesting and fun things to do. Doing nothing but visiting colleges isn’t all that exciting, and risks both burnout, and each college blurring together into an indistinguishable mass. 

The next step then is putting together a reasonable collection of colleges to visit. The primary factor to consider here is geography; Stanford, Northwestern, and MIT are all great schools, but trying to visit all three in a week will leave you jet-lagged and irritable. 

Instead, you want to pick a geographic region to focus on. How large of a region that is depends on your own tolerances for travel; you can easily fill a week with the great colleges in Boston or New York alone, or go as expansive as driving through the midwest or across states like California or Texas. 

If you already have a top choice school, then you naturally look to other schools which are situated near it; students interested in Harvard can also look at MIT and Tufts, for example. If you are more open to where to attend college, then you can perhaps focus on areas near you, or if you prefer to travel, regions where you already have family or which you enjoy.

Example College Tour Plans

This has all been somewhat theoretical thus far, and while theory is good, putting it into practice can be messier. To help with that, we’re going to give you examples of college tour plans, the sort we help students construct all the time. Your own plans won’t look exactly like this of course; our goal instead is to show you what factors we consider during planning, and how these trips actually play out. 

Example: Top Choice Stanford

A student has Stanford as their top choice school, and has a strong desire to attend college on the west coast. They haven’t given much thought to colleges beyond that, but would prefer not to be in LA. 

For this student, we would recommend starting in Stanford on a Monday; tours are seven days a week most weeks, but this allows them to fly into the bay area and rent a car on Sunday, then get started with a school visit bright and early. This also lets them see the campus full of students, which is a very different vibe, and one worth experiencing. They also offer information sessions on Mondays and Fridays this spring, in combination with the tour, letting the student ask any questions they have about the admissions process. 

From there, they would drive north, heading to Reed College in Portland (and possibly stopping to do some sight-seeing along the way). They offer Monday to Friday, with some Saturday availability as well. Current seniors are also able to register to sit in on a class at Reed, to experience what the academic atmosphere is really like. 

After this, they drive north again, and finally tour University of Washington in Seattle. Campus are available Monday through Friday, and are often accompanied by information sessions. This student is interested in business, and arriving on Friday also allows them to take part in a departmental business tour; these aren’t offered every Friday, but do occur several times each month on a Friday. Not all colleges offer separate departmental tours, but they are worth taking advantage of where possible. 

The goal of this tour is twofold: first, it seeks to let the student experience Stanford, and confirm it really is their top choice. Second, it seeks to let them experience two widely different sorts of colleges, to see what aspects appeal to them, and what they might not like. They may not actually like either of these schools, but it can give them an idea of what aspects they do enjoy, and which they may not want in a college. 

Example: Texas Sampler

Many students in Texas want to remain in Texas for their college education (though this is far from universal). Others simply want to confine their school visits to schools in Texas, because this is just a lot easier to manage. Texas is big, but you can drive everywhere. For these students we put together a sampler of colleges, one which will help them assess a range of potential options. 

First is Rice, based in Houston, where they could start on a Monday. They frequently offer seven days a week, but starting on Monday is a good way to see the campus in action, with classes in full swing. Rice isn’t exactly like Harvard or Yale, but is the same kind of small elite liberal arts university, and will give you a good sense of what these schools offer.

From here, students proceed to Texas A&M on Tuesday. Based in College Station, a relatively short drive from Houston, this is an easy second stop. They offer five days a week, along with optional academic department sessions, which can be scheduled separately. These give you a sense of what a department is like at such a large school, and how it can differ from its smaller compatriots. 

After this is UT Austin; while Austin isn’t exactly close to Houston or A&M, it’s not terribly far either, and you can tour this on either Wednesday or Thursday. are offered five days a week; note that they can fill up, and you should try to register ahead of time. UT Austin is another large public school like A&M, but is in a more urban environment, and the campus has a very different feel from A&M; often students will prefer one to the other. 

The final leg of your trip sends you north to Southern Methodist University in Dallas. This is the longest drive, but still manageable, especially by Texas standards. In spite of this, we recommend having this visit be on Friday, take some extra time in either Austin or Dallas to enjoy what the city has to offer. are offered twice-daily, Monday through Friday. Academic offer you a chance to experience a class at SMU or meet with faculty in a particular department. These are, unfortunately, offered on an irregular basis, and are hard to plan around.

Final Thoughts

Your own campus tour is going to depend on when and where you’re going, and what you want to see. We work with students to make sure they get the most out of these visits, from faculty they might want to connect with to organizations and associations on campus they are interested in. What this looks like differs for each student, from contact information for coaches to seeing what acapella groups exist on campus. 

College visits are a way to test drive a school, to see if what they offer is right for you, or to see what kinds of features in a college appeal to you. Being able to compare multiple kinds of universities lets you make the most informed choice, and pick the school that will best support your own needs and wants. 

We hope that this article has given you the tools you need to plan out your own tours of college campuses, and to do so in a way that won’t leave you burnt out and exhausted. If you are looking for help setting up a more personalized tour, or want advice on the best way to connect with universities before you apply, then łÔąĎąŮÍř can help. Our mentors are well versed in all the many minutiae of college admissions, and we’re always happy to hear from curious students. Schedule a free consultation today to learn how we can make your life easier. 

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This leads many students to ask whether or not BS/MD programs are still worth it; what value they really provide when compared to a standard pre-med experience in undergrad. In this article, we’re going to investigate these questions. We’re going to look at how BS/MD programs have changed over time, what benefits they provide (and which they don’t), whether they’re still worth it, and what alternatives are available to you. Many students are interested in medicine, so let’s take a look at the best ways for them to get there.

How BS/MD Programs Have Changed Over Time

There have been two major trends in BS/MD programs over time. The first is that many programs which were once mainstays have closed. Northwestern, Rice, Boston University; all of these schools previously had BS/MD programs, but have since shuttered them. There are still plenty of BS/MD programs available, but many top universities which once offered them no longer do. Brown is now an exception, even more so than it once was.

The other major trend is the requirement of MCAT scores for students in BS/MD programs. One of the major appeals of these programs in the past was that students got to skip the hassle and stress of the medical school application process, including the MCAT. There were always requirements and acceptance wasn’t guaranteed of course, but students who performed well in their classes and who fulfilled the program’s obligations wouldn’t need to worry about this additional test. 

Now, however, more and more BS/MD programs require students take the MCAT, and score above a certain threshold, in order to matriculate into the medical school. Of course, needing to do well on the MCAT is part of medical school applications for all students, but the whole point of these programs is to avoid the standard medical school application process. If you then have to take part in this anyway, what really are you gaining from the program? 

A third, though lesser trend, has been in the timing of these programs. Many of these programs originated as seven years, cutting off one of the normal eight needed for you to earn both your bachelor’s and an MD. Currently, however, the trend is for all of these programs to require eight full years of study, the same as any other med student. This is one more advantage these programs used to have that they have simply abandoned. 

The Pros and Cons of BS/MD Programs

There is no one-size-fits-all for college admissions, and what one student likes another hates. For that reason, we;re going to run down a list of general pros and cons for BS/MD programs, elaborating on each, so you can get a better sense if one of these programs will serve you well. 

Pro: Guaranteed Pathway

The largest pro of BS/MD programs is they give you a guaranteed path to medical school. You do need to meet certain grade and extracurricular requirements, and increasingly hit MCAT score targets, but you get to skip the entire med school application process. Given how stressful this process is, this remains one of the biggest draws for these programs: the surety they offer. 

Con: Structured Pathway

In most BS/MD programs, your choice of major is set, or at least limited. Brown is an outlier here; most programs require that you major in Biology or Chemistry. Now, most pre-meds want to do this anyway, but some wish to explore other topics in undergrad, ones that complement their medical ambitions or which allow them to explore other areas of interest. BS/MD programs largely do not allow for this flexibility. 

Pro: Solid Cohort

Part of joining a BS/MD program means joining a small and select group of passionate and dedicated students, all of whom have a common interest in medicine. At many schools, the BS/MD program is a subset of an honors college, or located within it, giving you access to a small and supportive community within the broader college, often with their own housing options and specialty classes. Even at larger colleges, this can make for a good experience. 

Con: Lack of Undergrad Options

There are some BS/MD programs at elite colleges, but many are instead hosted by regional or state universities, schools which many students wouldn’t consider applying to if it weren’t for the BS/MD program. This doesn’t make these schools bad; you can still get a great education at them, but they simply do not offer the same atmosphere or opportunities as some other institutions. Indiana University is a great school, but they aren’t Harvard. 

Hit and Miss: Price

BS/MD programs, in most cases, cost the same as four full years of undergraduate tuition and four years of medical school. There are some exceptions, such as Baylor2Baylor, which offer dedicated scholarships, but most have no or limited financial aid. 

Now, medical school itself is known for limited financial aid, so this is nothing new. Many undergrad opportunities, however, may have greatly expanded aid options compared to what BS/MD programs offer. This is especially true for top tier undergraduate institutions, which often have generous financial aid packages, even for middle and upper middle class students. 

A BS/MD program at an in-state public university may still end up being cheaper for undergrad, but that is a somewhat specific scenario. It is impossible to say that the cost of one or another is a pro or con, but the total price you end up paying should be factored in, especially with how expensive medical school is.

To review, here’s the pros and cons of BS/MD programs in a handy table: 

Are There Alternatives to BS/MD Programs?

Based on the factors above you, like many students, may be reevaluating whether or not a BS/MD program is really the right choice for you. This leads inevitably to what the other options are, since the appeal of the BS/MD program is still strong. To that end, we’re going to go through them, and see how they stack up to the BS/MD program.

Undergraduate Pre-Med

This is the baseline program for students who are interested in medicine. Pre-med programs take a hundred forms at myriad colleges, but all boil down to the same preparatory coursework, and the same medical school application process. These programs are the most varied, as they depend entirely on the college you are attending; while the core curriculum and requirements stay the same, all else can change.

Generally, if you are interested in a BS/MD program, it is because you think it offers something that the standard premedical track does not. This is true, and there are certainly factors that advantage BS/MD programs, but we still encourage all students to consider the standard pre-med track, to see how it may suit them and their needs. 

Early Assurance Programs

Located somewhere between a BS/MD and a standard pre-med track, early assurance programs are in some ways the best of both worlds. These programs allow students who are currently undergrads at an institution to apply to that university’s medical school early, and begin classes early as well. This does often have all of the same components of a standard medical school application, but lets you begin (and finish) your time in medical school a year earlier. 

These programs are somewhat rarer than BS/MD programs, but are offered by a number of elite institutions: UChicago, Dartmouth, Georgetown, Northwestern, and others. You get the full undergrad experience at these schools, and full access to their often more generous financial aid packages, even if you do still end up on the hook for the cost of medical school.

These programs do lack some of the surety of BS/MD programs; there is no guarantee that undergrads in a school will qualify or be admitted through the early assurance program. Even those that don’t, however, get to benefit from the full pre-med experience at these universities, which does a good job of preparing students for medical school anyway (though you do still have to go through the whole application process in that case). 

Is a BS/MD Program the Right Choice for You?

This is the heart of the matter, and there is no single simple answer. We’ve gone through the various pros and cons of these programs in this article, with an aim of highlighting that while BS/MD programs are still excellent opportunities, they do not offer the same advantages they once did, and that many students are equally served by more common pre-med programs. 

Here, we’re going to look at a final question: application risk and chances of acceptance. While BS/MD programs are not as advantageous as they once were, they remain as popular as ever, with many having lower acceptance rates than any of the Ivy League schools. This doesn’t make getting in impossible, but does mean that you can never count on a BS/MD acceptance. 

All BS/MD programs are reach schools, though their attached universities are safeties for most students who are applying. This can lead to a somewhat unbalanced college list, and reduce the number of target schools, or non-BS/MD reach schools, you apply to. The Common App only allows for 20 applications through it; you can apply to more schools directly, but this is a major increase in the time required to apply (mostly because you need to enter the same information over and over). 

If attending one of these programs is your goal, then you should go for it. Many students, however, would not attend any of the attached universities if it weren’t for the BS/MD program they offer. These aren’t bad schools, but nor are they common first choices. You should earnestly consider this when building your list of schools. Would you be willing to attend any of these if they don’t admit you to the BS/MD program?

The answer can be no, and it can still be worth applying, but it’s worth considering the undergrad experience you’re signing up for, and what it entails. Your own situation, your own needs and desires, are your own. We’ve found, however, that the more thought students put into examining their options for where to attend university, the happier they tend to be, wherever they end up. 

Final Thoughts

BS/MD programs remain a remarkable pathway to get into medical school, even if they have lost some of their advantages and luster over time. With how many high school students dream of being doctors, however, it’s no surprise that these programs are as popular as ever. We hope that this article has given you insight into what they can and cannot offer you, and whether attending one of these programs is the right choice for you to pursue your dreams.

Whether applying to a BS/MD program or just the pre-med track at a top university, college applications are difficult and competitive, with many moving parts to keep track of. If you are looking for help with your applications, or personalized advice on what kinds of programs can best serve you, then łÔąĎąŮÍř can help. Our mentors have a long experience guiding students to the right programs to meet their needs. Schedule a free consultation today to learn more, we’re always happy to hear from you.

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This is part of a broader and ongoing debate, especially as states advance their own bills with similar aims, notably . In this article, we’re going to look at what these bills do, and whether worthless degrees are something you need to take into consideration when you plan out your own college journey. Let’s jump right in!

Accountability for “Worthless” Degrees

While this debate has been ongoing for quite some time, it has entered the spotlight again due to a regulatory update from the Department of Education. This proposal, scheduled to take effect in July of 2026, will end federal funding (both directly and in the form of student loans and financial aid) for college programs where graduates earn less than those with only a high school diploma. 

If a program must fail this test for two consecutive years to lose funding. Separately, if more than half of a college’s programs fail this test, then it too will lose all access to federal funding. This would need to happen for two consecutive years as well, meaning that actual funding shutoffs are still over the horizon, though they are now an option that schools must consider.

Based on these standards, roughly 650,000 students are currently enrolled in a program that would fail these criteria. Approximately half of these students are enrolled in for-profit institutions. These regulations cover certificates, two year, and four year degree programs, at both traditional and for-profit institutions.

While these regulations are yet to come into effect, some states are moving to introduce their own enhanced standards. Indiana, in particular, has proposed which would allow the state to simply end these programs at state universities and community colleges, if graduates of them do not earn more, on average, than those with only a high school diploma. 

While Indiana’s bill is the most developed, other states are considering pursuing action of this kind as well, including both Nebraska and New Hampshire. There are differences in how states are pursuing these, but it is increasingly seen as an option to regulate what degrees are offered. 

The degrees impacted by this in Indiana are highly varied. Based on Inside Higher Ed’s reporting, they include programs including (but not limited to): 

• Ball State University’s bachelor’s degree in dance
• Purdue Northwest’s bachelor’s in computer software and media
• University of Southern Indiana’s master’s in mental and social health services

This then gets to the meat of the problem: what actually makes a college degree (or certificate program) worthless?

What Makes a College Degree Worthless?

This is the question underlying this whole discussion, and one which is somewhat difficult to give a straight answer to. There are certainly some degrees which everyone agrees are worthless; certificates that don’t qualify you to do anything, or programs which do not give you the skills they purport to. Other programs, however, often fall into a grey area.

The main trouble stems from using income as the sole barometer, especially as certain fields are traditionally quite underpaid. Dance (to use an example of a degree from above) is often quite a low paying field, yet increasingly requires a degree to enter professionally. Does this make the degree itself worthless? Many dancers would disagree. 

This is further complicated because there are multiple different definitions of a worthless degree. The one used federally is a degree that has you earning less than or equivalent to peers without one, but some use the term to mean any degree earning less than certain benchmarks, or even earning less relative to their peers. 

This is often used in reference to degrees like English or art history, subjects which often have an unclear career path, and do not offer a simple road to a future career as is promised in a business degree. You can still get jobs with these degrees, everything from teaching to academia to fields entirely unrelated, but the stigma remains. 

Our Definition of a Worthless Degree

We’re going to solve this problem of conflicting definitions that nobody agrees on by adding our own definition to the pile. We realize this may not help generally, but this is how we define a worthless degree when advising our own students on what opportunities they should pursue:

• A worthless degree is one which does not return the value you invest in it. 

This is perhaps overly simplistic, but what we emphasize to students is that the value of a degree is what you learn from it, the opportunities it gives you, and the future it sets you up for. I have friends from undergrad who majored in English and who went on to medical school, or who majored in chemistry and now work in human resources. As has been pointed out many times, while your college degree can inform your future career, many times it doesn’t. 

The most valuable college degrees are the ones which give you valuable skills; how to synthesize information, how to learn new skills quickly, how to adapt to novel situations and come up with solutions to problems you haven’t encountered before. This is the value of a traditional education, even for degrees which aren’t directly related to a career. 

So what degrees do we find valueless? Often those offered by for profit institutions, ones which have major promises and deliver little. Many masters degrees fall into this category as well, unless they are directly necessary for a particular career or qualification. It is often hard to blanket declare certain degrees or programs worthless; many of these are going to come down to value judgements, and depend on what a particular student is looking for.

How This Impacts You

When you are planning for your own degree, and own future, there is often a pressure to major in specific fields. Computer science, engineering, business, based on the thought that other fields will not lead to lucrative careers, or even careers at all. Now, some degrees do have more direct paths to employment than others, and some students want this certainty. Others may genuinely desire a career in engineering or computer science.

Our point in all of this is that you should not feel pushed to major in a field which doesn’t interest you at all because you think it is necessary for a future career. Studying a subject that interests you and picking up skills, combined with internships and networking, can lead to great career outcomes as well. 

The worth of a degree is determined by what you get out of it, and for top colleges, none of the degrees they offer are worthless. This does not mean they are all going to lead to equivalent starting salaries, but consultants are simply paid more than physicists or paleontologists. 

Some degrees will take more work to connect with a career, and you do need certain degrees for certain careers, though this is mostly the case for fields like engineering, where a professional certification is required. You can enter the field of business from many different starting points, and see great success in doing so. 

That said, we do find that for profit institutions tend to offer truly worthless degrees, and commend this legislative initiative for cutting these off from federal funding. Students attending accredited and well-vetted institutions, however, are well positioned regardless of the degree they pursue.

Final Thoughts

With college being as expensive as it is, it makes sense to worry about the investment you are making, and whether the degree you are paying for is worth it. As with any investment you can and should research your options carefully, to understand what you are paying for, and what you get out of it. We hope this article has given you insight into what makes a degree worthwhile, and why some are not. 

If you are looking for help evaluating colleges and the degrees they offer, and how each may work for you, then łÔąĎąŮÍř can help. Just as you’d speak with a broker about investing, so too can łÔąĎąŮÍř help you understand what you’re getting into when investing in a college education, and how you can get the best returns on this particular investment. Schedule a free consultation today to learn more, we’re always happy to hear from you.

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We see this happen each admissions cycle, students hearing back from their top choice school with this odd middle option. This simultaneously dashes and reignites hopes, but always raises the same question: why? It’s a reasonable thing to ask, as it doesn’t make much sense on the surface; surely colleges know whether or not they want you to attend, so what’s the point of a waitlist? In this article, we’re going to explore the multifaceted realities that shape college’s decisions, and what you can do if you find yourself in this situation. Let’s jump right in!

The Reason Colleges Waitlist Students

This question really has two parts; both why colleges waitlist students generally, and why they waitlisted you specifically. It is impossible to answer that second question; none of us are in the room where it happens, none of us can say for sure why admissions officers make a particular choice. In this section then, we’ll go through the various reasons why colleges waitlist students generally. 

Note that these reasons often act in combination; and more than one may impact why a particular choice was reached in your case. 

The Problem of Yield

Not every student a college admits will decide to attend. Some are bound to, sure, that’s how Early Decision agreements work, but those admitted in the regular decision round may choose where they wish to attend. Sure, most of the students admitted by Harvard will decide to attend, but there’s a world of difference between most and all. 

Thus, all colleges admit slightly more students than they have seats, though they fiddle with these numbers each year; admit too many and classes are overenrolled. So they aim low, and put some extra students on the waitlist, to give them some cushioning. That way, when the numbers inevitably don’t line up perfectly, they have a pool of students to make up the gap. This, more than anything, is why any given student ends up on the waitlist. There are other particular reasons for who gets on the waitlist versus admitted however.

Too Much Quality

There are always more qualified students than there are spots at a school; there are simply lots of bright, motivated, hard-working high school students, and a finite number of seats at Harvard or Yale or Stanford. Not every student is going to be right for a particular school, and this is what admissions officers try to determine through their process; not just if you are qualified (which you likely are), but how well you fit with the perceived ethos of the school.

This still leaves them with too many students, but it is those students who are both fully qualified and who meet the ethos of the school who end up on the waitlist. Being waitlisted generally means you fall into this category; the real trick admissions officers face then is deciding who to admit and who to waitlist from this smaller subgroup.

Building a Cohort

Colleges aim to build an entire class when admitting students; each adding to part of a great whole. A school like Harvard, for instance, doesn’t just want to admit students interested in finance, even if they do get enough bright and talented applicants interested in finance to build an entire cohort. 

Thus students who apply to more competitive majors often face more competition, and are slightly more likely to end up on the waitlist (though applying to a less competitive major doesn’t mean you’ll get in; see our article on strategic major selection). Colleges build a well rounded class, and then use the waitlist to fill in the gaps; too many students interested in finance choose to attend MIT instead? Head to the waitlist to make up the lost numbers. 

What to do if You’re Waitlisted

The one thing that stands out through all of these reasons and reasonings is that the entire process seems to be in the hands of colleges. Once your application has been submitted, it is entirely their choice how they handle it, and whether or not you’re waitlisted. This is unsurprising in some ways; colleges are always going to hold gate-keeping power in college admissions, but it doesn’t make dealing with that any more fun. 

In this section, therefore, we’re going to discuss what you can do. First how you can minimize your chances of getting waitlisted, and then what to do if it happens. 

Avoiding Getting Waitlisted

There is no secret trick to avoiding getting waitlisted really, just submitting the best possible application. Now that we know what makes colleges waitlist students, however, we can give some specific advice: 

• Choose your major strategically. Make sure it is one you are suited for based on your academic background, and one you have prepared for extracurricularly. It should be clear to anyone reading your application how you’re a perfect fit for this major.
• Apply to colleges specifically. Each essay should be edited and tailored to appeal to each specific college’s values, even if the core of it is the same. Show why you and the college are meant for each other.

There are no guarantees of course, but by applying deliberately and mindfully, you can make your chances as good as possible. 

If You Have Been Waitlisted

Of course, sometimes you try your best, make no mistakes, and still come up short. This isn’t your fault, but simply a result of how the system is built. There are still things you can do in this circumstance however. Note that if you’re looking for advice on specific schools’ waitlist policies, we have many articles on that; here, we’re going to cover the general case. 

The first thing to do is decide whether you still want to attend the school, though if you’re reading this article we assume you do. That done, you need to accept your palace on their waitlist. This is usually quite simple, and can be done in most cases through the student portal you received access to when they processed your application. Colleges will only consider students who have confirmed their place on the waitlist. 

Once that’s done, you should consider writing a letter of continued interest. Some schools actively encourage these and have forms to fill out; others will accept them only if you have something truly meaningful to say. You should always check the policies of the school you’re applying to, but we recommend a letter in most cases. 

A letter of continued interest serves several purposes: 

1. To confirm to a college that they remain your top choice, and that you will attend if they admit you. You don’t need to praise them excessively (they already know the school is great, they work there), but should instead show genuine interest and appreciation.
2. To fill them in on what you’ve been up to since you applied. This should focus on major extracurricular updates: research publications, major competitions one, and the like. You want to share things that may move the needle on your candidacy.
3. To make any needed corrections. If you somehow left off an activity or award when you initially applied, you should rectify that in your letter.

These letters don’t need to be extensive, around a page in length is generally enough to cover all needed information. Note that you can include new standardized test scores, but shouldn’t go over things like updates to your grades. If you got on the waitlist, your grades were generally good enough, and keeping them there is what they expect of you. 

A small number of colleges also accept additional letters of recommendation. You should only send one of these in if they accept it, and if the letter will say something that wasn’t present in your original application. In most cases, it isn’t worth sending an additional letter of recommendation.

Sending a letter of continued interest does not guarantee you acceptance off the waitlist, nothing can do that. What it does is make sure admissions officers have all the information they need to make a proper judgement of you. We have found that it does increase a student’s odds of acceptance if they submit one of these letters.

Finally, if you are waitlisted, make sure you accept your place at another school which admitted you before April 1. Waitlist decisions don’t start coming out until after this, and you don’t want to get stuck with nowhere to go at all next year. You can always withdraw later if your top choice school admits you off the waitlist.

Final Thoughts

Getting waitlisted is never fun, especially after all the stress of waiting for admissions decisions to come out. The news that more waiting is in store is unwelcome, but there’s sadly no remedy for it. We hope this article has helped you understand why colleges do this, and why the admissions system works this way. It’s not ideal of course, but it’s the only game in town.

If you are looking for advice on your own applications, or want help writing a letter of continued interest for yourself, then łÔąĎąŮÍř can help. Our mentors are skilled at advising students on every step of college admissions, whether you’re just starting out, or need help with that final push. If you want to learn more, and see how we can help you with your college journey, schedule a free consultation today, we’re always happy to hear from you. 

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What Dorm Living Is

In order to describe how to prepare to live in dorms, first we need to explain what dorm life is like. Note that this can vary significantly between colleges, with some having their own unique twists. In general, however, you will find the following. First, there are several different styles of dorms. Most colleges have multiple different styles, with different buildings having different kinds of units. You may prefer one style to another, based on your own preferences.

Note also that most colleges have taken to calling these buildings “residence halls” or some other similar term. These are still dormitories, or dorms; the difference in term does not change their form or function.

Single vs Double (or Triple)

In general, dorm rooms hold more than one person. This is usually limited to two, but schools with more students than space sometimes have three students per room. Many schools often have singles available as well. Dorm rooms are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis however, and current students get the first pick of rooms. This means that upper classmen tend to get all of the singles which are available, while entering freshmen always end up with a roommate (or sometimes two).

Your college roommate may be one of the best friends you ever make, or drive you up the wall, or simply be someone you cohabit with for a year. In any case, communication is key; if there is an issue, talk to them about it directly, and if it persists, be willing to escalate to your RA or housing. Most issues can be resolved by talking, but your roommate may not realize that something is an issue until you tell them.

Communal vs Suite vs Apartment Style

Beyond just sharing a bedroom, you will also end up sharing a bathroom; with how many people depends on the style of dorm. In standard dorms, bathrooms are for a whole floor. These are usually segregated by gender, but some colleges with coed dorms also have coed bathrooms. For these, you will need to take all needed supplies to and from the bathroom each time you use it, from toothbrushes to shampoo. Soap and toilet paper are provided.

Suite style dorms have a few students sharing bathrooms, usually four across two rooms sharing two bathrooms, one with a shower and one with a toilet. This means shorter lines and the ability to store your stuff there, but you are responsible for supplying your own toilet paper, and for cleaning the bathroom yourself. Suites are always single-sex for freshmen, but schools that allow coed dorms usually (but don’t always) allow for mixed gender suites for returning students, when you pick your own roommates (or suitemates).

Apartment style dorms are set up like apartments (as the name implies). This means students have their own bedrooms, a small common area, and usually a kitchenette. Dorm buildings generally have communal areas and kitchens, but only apartment style dorms have these within a private space. These generally have their own bathrooms as well. Apartment style dorms are generally set aside for upperclassmen and graduate students; freshmen rarely get to take advantage of them.

On or Off Campus

Dorms are usually located near campus, but where they are, and how near they are, can vary a lot. Some dorms are right on or adjacent to the main quad, letting students roll right out of bed and stroll into class if they so choose. Others are further afield, requiring a walk or bike ride to reach campus. Apartment style dorms are more likely to be off campus, but this is not definite. The size of a college’s campus overall can also impact this. Some schools put all of their student housing in a single area, while others spread it out, with different dorms close to different areas of the broader campus.

Coed vs Single Sex

Some dorms are coed, while others are single sex. Some colleges only offer single sex housing, while others have a single dorm (or a few floors in a dorm) set aside for single sex housing. Communal bathrooms are generally single sex, but not always. Suites and roommates are generally single-sex for freshmen, but upperclassmen can have coed dorms, depending on an individual college’s policies.

A Note on RAs

Letting a bunch of college students live completely unsupervised is perhaps not the greatest idea. Realizing this, colleges have various levels of supervision. Most commonly are Resident Assistants (or Advisors), which is then shortened to RAs. These are either upperclassmen or grad students who live in housing for free, and in return take on a mild supervisory role. 

Their job is not to be your parents, but to make sure nobody sets the building on fire, that rules are obeyed (or at least not outrageously flaunted), and that quiet hours are respected. They will also help mediate between roommates, and can be your first call if something is going wrong, but it’s not a full emergency (or you just aren’t sure who exactly to call).

Some colleges also have another level of adults, usually faculty, who live in housing. They have a slight supervisory role, but also organize activities for the dorm, from dinners to group outings. How active these are, and how much colleges focus on creating a community within dorms, varies a lot by school.

Visitors and Visiting Hours

A dorm is like an apartment, but different in some ways. Most notably, the building is still owned by the university, who control access. Thai means visitors will need to sign in and out, and there may be limits on who can visit, and how long they can stay. This is especially true for single sex dorms, which often have a ban on overnight visits from the opposite sex.

Choosing a Dorm Room

Once you accept your space at a university, there are many different forms to fill out. One of these is your housing form, where you indicate your preferences for housing on campus. How this works varies slightly by school, but generally you fill out your top choices for dorm, and indicate if there is a roommate you would prefer.

In some cases, such as honors colleges, you have a special dorm assigned to you. Other colleges have specific dorms set aside for freshmen, while some schools allow different classes to commingle. Unless you are in an honors dorm or similar, you are not guaranteed a space in any specific dorm. Rooms are generally allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. This does mean that students who apply early tend to get the first pick of available rooms, so long as they fill out the paperwork on time. 

You should research the dorms on campus carefully, to see which best suits your needs. Colleges often offer a mix of room styles and living conditions, and things like proximity to the quad, dining halls, or having your own bathroom can impact where you want to live. You are not guaranteed a spot in your top choice dorm, but you should at least know what your options are.

In terms of picking a roommate, some students choose a friend from high school, but we generally advise against this. What makes somebody a good friend does not necessarily make them good to live with. Generally, luck of the draw is your best bet. An exception is student athletes, many of whom will have met each other on recruitment trips to the college. While they do not need to live together, having a roommate who also needs to get up before dawn for morning practice can be more convenient for everyone involved.

What to Bring to Live in a Dorm Room

There are myriad guides for what to bring with you when you move into a dorm room, so we’ll just cover the basics. First, dorm rooms do generally come with furniture; bed, desk, chair, dresser; so you won’t need to supply this yourself. Everything else, however, is up to you. 

This does vary by college, as do policies on what you can have in a room, and what counts as a fire hazard. Check first with your own school’s policies and suggestions; they know best what they provide, and what students will need. Generally, these fall into two categories; personal items, and room items. 

Personal items are the things you need for you. Your clothes, computer, books, shoes; all of the things you need to function. In addition, there are things you need to supply personally, such as sheets, pillows, towels; all of the sundry supplies needed to live in a space. A dorm is not a hotel room; you need to bring your own towel and toiletries. 

In addition, there are things you will need to bring for the room as a whole, especially if you are living in a room with its own bathroom. Soap, toilet paper, cleaning supplies; if you have a communal bathroom these are provided, but you will want a shower caddy; you won’t be able to leave your shampoo or toothbrush in a communal bathroom. 

Finally, there are items you can bring that will be shared communally in the room. It is best to connect with future roommates on this; you don’t want three TVs and three minifridges. Figure out who can and wants to bring what, and be cognizant of how limited space is in these rooms. You can’t bring everything, and you will have to share this space. 

Skills for Living in Dorms

Living on your own for the first time is something of a right of passage for young people. As with all rights of passage, it can be fraught with missteps; if you lack certain needed skills or are unaware of what awaits you, it can be far more difficult than is necessary. These skills are not magic, nor are they terribly hard to learn. Like all skills, however, they are not innate. They must be taught and learned, and the time to do so is before you need them. 

To help you out, we have compiled a list of the skills all high school students should have before moving into housing and living on their own for the first time. Here are those skills, and notes on why they are necessary: 

Cooking. You don’t need to be a gourmand, nor a trained chef, but you should understand the basics of nutrition, and be able to move around a kitchen without getting stabbed or burned. Being able to boil water for pasta or cook an egg will take you a long way. Don’t be like the guy I met who we all thought would get scurvy; he tried to live off mac and cheese and instant ramen for a month. Yes, you will be able to take advantage of the dining halls, but if you want to move off campus (as many students do), there is cooking in your future. 

Laundry. Clothes are worn, then they are washed. This is not a terribly complex process, but you still need to learn how to do it. How often you need to do it depends on how many clothes you brought to college. Sure you can rewear that shirt again, but people will know. Just wash it. 

Cleaning. There is nothing that will teach you the concept of the tragedy of the commons faster than sharing a kitchen. Being able to clean up after yourself, from washing the dishes to cleaning a toilet, will prevent you from living in filth. How much cleaning happens varies room to room; I knew one suite with a chart for each week of who did what, and another which never cleaned throughout the entire year save for emergencies. It is up to you and your roommates to create a workable and livable framework for your room, but you need to do your part by having an understanding of how to wash a dish or turn a vacuum cleaner on. 

Scheduling. When you are living on your own, there is nobody to wake you up, or make sure you go to class, or to remind you to do your homework. Depending on your high school experience, this may be something you are broadly familiar with, or a monumental shift. The amount of personal responsibility needed to succeed in college is high. Your professors often won’t even take attendance; if you miss class, or a test, that’s your choice, and your responsibility to deal with. Learning to manage your own time, and set your own schedule, is key. 

Final Thoughts

Living on your own for the first time is exciting and new, and perhaps a bit nerve-wracking. This is an experience students have been going through for generations, and will continue to do for the foreseeable future. There will be unforeseen hiccups, and issues you did not think to prepare for, but knowing what you are expected to do, and having a plan to do it, will go a long way to making sure you have a smooth experience in college. 

We hope that this article has given you a good understanding of what living in a dorm will entail, and what you should do to make sure you’re ready for it, whether you’re headed off to college or preparing for your first summer program on a college campus. Of course, the first and hardest step is getting into college in the first place. For advice on that, or any aspect of the admissions process, schedule a free consultation today. We have a long experience helping students get into the best college for them, and we’re always happy to hear from you.

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Are Teachers Using AI for Rec Letters?

Probably not yet for the most part.

That’s not a very satisfying answer at all, so let’s unpack what we mean by it. First, generative AI, especially text based, is a relatively recent phenomenon. Only in the past year or so have these tools become powerful enough to even have the use of AI to write a rec letter for you seem like a viable option. Thus, it is unlikely any teachers were availing themselves of this previously; if this is a problem, it is going to be a new one.

Next, most teachers choose to do the job because they are passionate about helping students. This isn’t universally true, and the field does have a problem with burnout, but most teachers are there because they want to be. In general, this does lessen (but not eliminate) the chance they will cut corners with AI, especially if they know it will hurt a student’s chances of admission.

That said, teachers are not a monolith. Each has their own goals and desires, and each has their own view on this emerging technology. Many are annoyed by it, especially the prevalence of its use amongst students, but others are early adopters, trying to use it in their own work flows. That doesn’t mean they will necessarily use AI to write recommendation letters, but not all teachers will reject the idea out of hand, especially as the use of AI becomes more common.

Does AI Make Worse Rec Letters?

So some teachers may start looking into AI to write letters of recommendation. The question then is, will that make for worse rec letters? Yes, kind of.

You see, as we explained in a previous article on letters of recommendation, there is already a significant distinction between good and bad rec letters. To sum up here, a good rec letter is highly personal, and shows how well the teacher knows the student, vouching for their character and intellectual caliber. A poor rec letter is brief, generic, and could be written about anyone, with little specific to the student to speak to how they will be in college. 

With this in mind, the problem with AI generated letters of recommendation becomes obvious. They may have more words and more flowery turns of phrase than the average form letter, but will have the same lack of punch, the same failure to say anything meaningful about who a student is and what they’ve done. After all, the AI doesn’t really know you, and so anything it writes will either be vague, or invented from whole cloth.

AI is also generally worse as a writer than most teachers, but this is a secondary problem. Nobody reads a letter of recommendation for its literary merits. The point of the letters is to give colleges insights they desperately need about who you are in the classroom, your ability and potential as a student. A letter written by AI is simply incapable of doing that.

Should You Worry łÔąĎąŮÍř AI Rec Letters?

So these are a problem if they show up, but how worried should you really be about teachers using AI to write rec letters? Probably not too much, at least not yet. 

As we stated previously, most teachers don’t like AI very much, and it is still a relatively new technology. While some teachers are currently experimenting with it, most are sticking to tried and true methods, for curriculums, grading, and writing letters of recommendation. Schools are slow to change in a lot of things, and so while there may be a slight uptick in the use of AI by teachers, we do not expect it to become anything near endemic anytime soon.

The caliber of writing of these letters is bad, but nothing worse than you would already find in a form letter. Thus AI rec letters are simply a new iteration of an already common problem students face: getting a good rec letter from their teachers. While this is a challenge, it is far from an insurmountable one. 

Finally, this may be a problem which increases in the future, especially as the use of AI becomes more engrained. Ask yourself: if you were asked by someone to write a rec letter, would you use AI to help you in doing so? And we do mean at all, from outlining the points to cleaning up the grammar afterwards. There’s no shame in doing so, but this is an important thing to consider; if you reach for these tools so quickly yourself, should you be surprised when others do the same?

Making Sure You Don’t Get AI Rec Letters

Now, there is no way to know or check whether or not a teacher or anyone else uses AI when writing your letters of recommendation. As we explain in a previous article, these letters are confidential, and teachers expect you to waive your right to read them when you ask them for letters. Thus whether or not a letter is good or bad, penned from the heart or prompted without care, you have no way of checking or verifying. 

That said, there are a significant number of things you can do to decrease the chances of your teachers using AI to write your letters of recommendation, and instead supply you with great ones, the kind top colleges love to see. Here are our top tips for doing so.

Ask for Letters of Recommendation Early

One of the big selling points of AI is speed, and the convenience that comes from that. Instead of spending hours planning and writing something, you can instead put a few lines into a box and get something out that’s good enough, even if it isn’t great. This is part of why it’s so popular for students cramming to finish essays, and something that might draw teachers to it as well.

After all, if thirty students ask for rec letters a week before the deadline arrives, how do you expect teachers to handle it? Teachers are people too, with lives and responsibilities and hundreds of students to worry about. Previously, they might just turn down students who asked for a letter too close to the deadline, but now they might turn instead to AI.

Thus, when you go to request your own letters, do so as early as you can. Ideally, you want to be asking teachers in your first week of senior year, giving them plenty of notice and time. This way they won’t have to rush and hurry, and won’t already have dozens of other requests to deal with. The more you respect your teacher’s time and effort, the more they will respect you in turn. 

Get to Know Your Teachers

A major reason for form letters in the first place is that teachers don’t really have anything to say about their students. Teachers have hundreds of students each year, and while they will know all their names and something about them, if you never talk in class, or speak to your teacher outside it, what do you expect them to say about you in a rec letter?

This lack of familiarity leads to form letters, but may increasingly lead to AI use, where teachers put in the scant details they do have and hope for the best. If instead you get to know your teachers, and build a relationship with them naturally, not only will they have more to say, they will be much more willing to put out the effort needed to say it. 

Limit Your Own AI Usage

Many students are using AI in doing their work, and teachers know this. There are many discussions and complaints about how to handle this, but even if you think your teachers don’t notice, they most likely do. They may be letting it slide, but it will still change their perception and evaluation of you.

This is important in two ways. First, it will decrease your chances of getting a great letter overall; for how can your teacher talk about your work if what you are giving to them isn’t really yours? Teachers will never say bad things about a student in a rec letter, but this may greatly limit how they praise you, and to what extent they discuss your strengths as a student. 

Second, if you turn in AI work to them, they may feel like it’s fair to turn in AI work on your behalf. Whether or not this is fair, you can see the logic behind it. You can hardly reasonably fault someone for doing something you yourself have done. You may not appreciate this, and it is indeed a different situation, but the train of logic is clear. If you want a teacher to show full effort where you are concerned, you should show them the same courtesy. 

Final Thoughts

AI is an increasingly powerful tool, one which is infiltrating ever more facets of education and daily life more broadly. Where it will end is uncertain, as the future always is, but we can make predictions based on what we have seen so far. We hope that this article has given you a good sense of where the landscape currently sits in terms of the use of AI in recommendation letters, and what you can do about it. 

While recommendation letters are a key part of a college application, they are just one part amongst many. If you are looking for advice on securing the best possible rec letters for you, or on any other aspect of your college application, then łÔąĎąŮÍř can help. Our mentors have a deep experience with every aspect of the admissions process. Schedule a free consultation today to learn more about how we can help you; we’re always happy to hear from you.

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In this article, we’re going to go through the most popular majors for łÔąĎąŮÍř students, and trends we’ve observed for them. These aren’t going to be full application guides, but things we often advise students on or see tripping them up, a starting place for students who may be thinking about these majors themselves. Let’s jump right in!

Engineering Majors

Engineering is a staple, and we see many students each year who want to study it; this makes sense, as these fields often promise secure career opportunities. That, however, leads to these fields being among the most competitive for college admission. Here’s our top tips for applying to one of these programs, and getting accepted. 

Preparation is everything. All majors want you to have shown interest, but for engineering especially, there are a lot of ways to get involved in high school, many STEM and tech programs you can avail yourself of. The most successful students are the ones who push themselves to take advantage of these opportunities. Note that these do not need to be in your specific engineering subfield (especially for nicher fields; nobody is going to let a high school student do nuclear engineering). Any experience in the field, however, is a major positive.

The other place you need to prepare is math. Many engineering programs mandate you have math through calculus in order to apply and be admitted. Taking challenging math classes and doing well in them is integral to succeeding as an engineer. If you have a chance to take calculus, do it.

Direct admissions programs. Most engineering programs, especially those in subsidiary colleges in a university, practice direct admissions. This means you apply to the program directly, along with the university as a whole. These are competitive for admissions, and often very difficult to internally transfer into these programs once you are admitted. Thus you should always apply as an engineering major if you intend to study engineering and pursue it as a career. 

3+2 Programs: Students who lack engineering experience in high school can benefit from 3+2 programs. In these, a liberal arts college without an engineering program partners with a major university with one; students start at the liberal arts college, then transfer to the university, earning degrees from both. This is ideal for students who want to study engineering, but who might not have sufficient preparation in high school to be competitive for one of these programs.

Biology Majors and Pre Meds

Biology majors and premeds are not the same thing, but the perception that they are is a common misconception we encounter amongst students. For that reason, we’ll group the two together here, though this will be aimed primarily at students interested in pursuing the premed track. 

College isn’t med school. You want to be a doctor; that’s a good thing, admirable even. But you don’t apply to undergrad programs to become a doctor (with the rare exception of BS/MD programs). If you spend your entire application talking about how much you want to be a doctor, then admissions officers are going to think you see college as just a stepping stone. You need to slow down, and focus on what the college itself will give you.

Preparation is key. There are many ways for high school students to get involved with biology; due to premeds, most of these do involve medicine, but this isn’t universally true. Since these opportunities exist and are widely available, colleges expect you to have taken advantage of them. This can take any number of forms, from science fairs to olympiads to volunteering in a local clinic, but you need to have done something to show off your burgeoning interest. 

You also need a very strong grounding in math and science coursework. Colleges expect you to have taken a significant number of math and sciences courses if you intend on studying science, and the most challenging ones possible. You should take calculus if it is available to you.

Other majors. Biology is often an overcrowded major, in large part due to premeds. You do not, however, need to major in biology as a premed; see our article here for more details. This can not only lead to an easier admissions path for you, but can make the major itself more accessible to students who do not wish to study medicine. 

Computer Science Majors

Computer science is one of the most popular, and most competitive, majors in the US, driven by an increasingly digital world and the surge of tech companies. Majoring in CS doesn’t guarantee a job, but there are plenty of things you can do with knowledge of coding. The competition for this major, however, makes for a lot of stress for applicants; but we have some advice that can ease this significantly. 

Parallel majors. You do not need to apply as a CS major to study CS. Some schools do have direct admit programs, but others are more flexible, especially liberal arts colleges. Preparing for CS also prepares you for plenty of other majors, many of which are less competitive, and which still allow you to learn programming, or switch into CS at a later time. You should be sure switching majors is feasible, but this can greatly reduce admissions stress. Learn more about these majors in our article here.

High school preparation. With competition so fierce, colleges expect students to be well prepared coming in. The minimum is high school coursework, both in math and programming. Not all high schools have a lot of coding classes, but you should take those that are available, and pursue further study on your own; there are plenty of free resources to learn coding online. You should take math through calculus if possible. 

Coursework is the minimum, colleges also want to see that you have actively pursued CS outside the classroom through your extracurriculars. Tech is versatile, and there are many ways to do this; participating in hackathons, doing research, coding for a nonprofit, launching your own app; the possibilities are near endless. What you do matters far less than the act of doing something, showing colleges just how much you care about this topic and want to explore it on your own. 

Liberal Arts and Engineering. Some CS majors are offered through a college of liberal arts, some through a college of engineering; and some schools offer both. These degrees are generally equally useful when it comes to finding a job in the field of CS, but have different requirements, and can grant access to different subfields. Which is right for you depends entirely on your own needs and desires as a CS major; we recommend investigating choice thoroughly. 

Business Majors (and Economics)

The last (but certainly not least) of the popular majors we regularly see is business (and economics, but more on that in a second). There are many subfields within this, but they all tend to operate the same from an admissions standpoint, being incredibly competitive for admissions. 

Business or economics. Some colleges do not have an actual business major, but still send many students off to grand business careers (like Harvard and UChicago) through their economics programs. You do not need to major in business to have a career in business; indeed majors like math, statistics, and economics are sometimes prized by firms. That said, a strong business program, like Wharton at Penn, offers dedicated coursework in specific fields of business that one of these other majors won’t offer. 

These non-business majors can sometimes be much less competitive for admissions, though this depends a lot on the college. The majors themselves can also sometimes be more demanding (especially for math majors); whether or not they offer what you are looking for depends on your own strengths. 

Direct admissions. Like economics, many universities have a separate college for business, and admissions to that school are handled directly. This college is generally hard to transfer into internally, meaning you need to decide when you apply whether you want to major in business itself, or a related major. 

Preparing for business. Unlike many other popular majors, it can be somewhat difficult for high school students to get involved with business. Internships are one of the most popular, and most viable, ways of doing so. Other common options include part-time jobs, investigating business coursework outside of school, and even launching your own business ventures, though this is of course often resource dependent. 

In terms of coursework, some high schools do offer business courses, but these are often not honors or AP. In many cases, students are better served taking advanced non-business courses than business coursework, or limiting business courses to electives. Anyone interested in business, especially if they intend to major in economics, should take calculus. Even students who wish to major in statistics are better served taking calculus than statistics in high school. 

Final Thoughts

These four majors are certainly not all we see; we help students interested in everything from astrophysics to art to acting to chemistry. These four fields of study are, however, some of the most popular across top colleges, and see some of the highest numbers of applicants. We hope that this article has given you a good introduction to each, and what little quirks each has. This is not an in-depth look, but a primer, a guide on what to be aware of, and what may trip you up.

If you are looking for a more in-depth exploration of these fields, or help with your own unique collegiate goals, then łÔąĎąŮÍř can help. From assisting you in finding opportunities in high school that suit your interests to connecting you with the perfect collegiate program for your needs, łÔąĎąŮÍř has a long experience helping students find exactly what they need to succeed. Schedule a free consultation today to learn how we can make your life easier; we’re always happy to hear from you.

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The Ivy League

It’s no surprise these are going to have to be the first schools mentioned. The Ivy League was founded as an athletic conference after all, and they are all well known for the quality of their academic programs. In addition to this, Ivy League schools sponsor . Not just the classics of football and basketball, but over a score of different sports teams apiece, all competing for glory. 

The Ivy League is also occasionally competitive athletically, sending athletes to the olympics, or occasionally into the professional leagues. That said, because they have their own conference, they rarely play any of the powerhouse teams, instead focusing on each other. 

While admissions to the Ivy League is very competitive, it is well known to be much easier if you are recruited as an athlete. That said, you do still need to meet their high academic standards; it’s just that being recruited as an athlete maxes out your score on your extracurricular rating, which makes admission much easier overall.

Other DI Schools

Of course, there are other great schools outside of the Ivy League, some of which are quite competitive academically. We’ll provide a brief each, including any notable academic standards for recruits. Note that these do vary between sports on occasion. We’re presenting these schools in alphabetical order, for your convenience. We are not including any Ivy League Schools on this table, as they were discussed above.

Division III Schools

A large number of academically strong schools are in DIII, because they have chosen specifically to focus on academics over athletics. The time UChicago disbanded football was the ultimate example of this (even if they brought it back later). These schools do take athletics seriously, but provide less of an admissions boost to athletes, and give far more consideration to your academic preparation.

Being a Recruited Athlete at a Top Academic School

So what does all of this information mean? In general, at DI and DIII schools, athletes receive an advantage in the admissions process. While there are some exceptions, a top athletic talent is at minimum regarded as the highest grade possible in extracurricular achievement, one of the core areas universities focus on. 

The biggest difference is how lax universities can be with academic performance for recruited athletes. Some schools show no leeway at all, while others are more flexible. This is a gradient, not a clear divide, but here are how it works generally:

• Some schools just require top athletes to meet the requirements for admission. These are often lower than expected. While Cs might not get you in, Bs and a 1200 SAT can.
• Some schools require athletes to be academically on level. They need good grades and test scores overall, but don’t need to be the valedictorian, or have any of the other major activities they look for in applicants.
• Some schools require athletes to be academically competitive, holding them to the same standards as all other applicants.

For more information about how the recruiting process works, and on your chances of getting recruited, see our guide to recruiting. 

Final Thoughts

The idea of a renaissance man was a scholar equally talented in all the fields of study, academic and physical. This was incredibly popular at the beginning of the 20th century as well, when many modern collegiate traditions were solidified. While the portrait of a student athlete has changed over the years, many colleges still aspire to this model, challenging students to succeed on the field and in the classroom.

We hope this article has given you a solid overview of some academically strong schools with strong sports programs as well. Of course, these are hardly the only schools which allow you to partake in both, but they do have significant opportunities. If you want more personalized advice, as a student, an athlete, or both, schedule a free consultation today. From advising on essays to guiding you through the recruiting process, we understand every aspect of college admissions, and are always happy to hear from you.

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