Admissions Part 2: What do schools want to know about me?

More than you might think! 

In the immediacy, colleges and universities review applications wanting to know if you: 

• are a good "fit" for the university and college/school based on its culture?

• will you successfully finish your degree?

• will you be a good citizen?
  

Selective institutions, however, want to know if you are going to be somebody who not only achieves success during the degree but also after it. Will you: 

• Be a civic, community, or organizational leader?

• Be someone who will have the status and financial means to give back to the school ($$$$$)?

• Be that individual who brings scientific, academic, or artistic prestige to the institution later in life

If you are interested in admission to a selective institution, Labyrinth has a unique, innovative, tailored set of tools to help you achieve your goals.

After all, there are two things all institutions love -- highly successful alumni who bring prestige to the school and highly successful alumni who are leaders in their fields who bring benefactor dollars to the institution.

During admissions review, application reviewers and admissions officers at selective schools are making educated guesses on whether applicants will be benefactors or people who bring prestige to the school in the future. 

Now you might be thinking, “how ridiculous! This shouldn't be about the school's expectations about me and how I fit there. It should be about my expectation of the school and how it fits me, as a prospective payer of tuition.”

But let’s face it – the school isn’t applying to you. 

In fact, you are one of many who are applying for a limited number of spots in their program. And while, yes, institutions have a responsibility to help the students they admit be successful and support them through the degree– they still want to make sure their investment in you pays off. 

The reality is you have to present yourself as an excellent option for them in the selection process.

Yikes! What does that mean for me?

Don't be intimidated.

Sure, you have to be good; you don't have to be a demigod.

As I tell all applicants before working with them, "it's time to relax and prepare to go to work!" Stress is an unhealthy and terrible motivator that usually results in bad decisions and missed opportunities. 

In the application process you need to prepare for and meet the challenge of being your genuine self in the application and beyond. That means you have to demonstrate how you fit the school and how the school fits you. 

Lean into the challenge of understanding "fit" 

In a coaching session with Labyrinth, "fit" is emphasized as the most essential factor in a college search. It SHOULD be the #1 factor when you are targeting prospective schools. 

For the undergraduate experience, the institutional "brand" SHOULD NOT be the only factor on the priority list. If you want to go to a selective or highly selective school, great, but you'll likely need to qualify your reason far beyond the following reasons:

• "I want to go there because it is the best" 

• "I want to go there because xxx is kind of awesome" 

• "I want to go there because my father/mother/grandparent went there and I have legacy status” (note. being a benefactor's kid or a legacy are NOT supposed to be singular factors for admissions consideration after the SCOTUS decision on race-based admissions in June 2023)

• "I want to go there because it provides me the best opportunity for the kind of career where I can make lots of money"

• "I want to go there because it gives me the best chance to live the life of an influencer."
  

Admissions reviewers at these institutions want to know how you understand yourself and your desire to be at their school. Therefore, your genuine self is what needs to pop off the page in an admissions essay or in an interview. That way, they can make educated determinations on your fit and ability to be a future contributor. 

This is achieved by deeply examining the materials a school publishes on itself– their mission and philosophy. It’s there (and other places!) where we can find clues to help you in your application. Also, hint: it’s also how you apply for high-level jobs. 

We’ll address this in the next blog post, where will have provide some tips on where to find these clues, how to read for them, and then how to shape your narrative to include them.