8 College Application Myths Debunked
As the college admissions season is in full swing, with many Early Action and Early Decision applications due in mid-October and early November, students should have already started working on creating a polished application.
With forum sites like Reddit and College Confidential, misinformation often runs rampant. Conflicting information about the most effective activities on a resume, or the “right” GPA, or standardized score a student needs to increase their chances of acceptance can often confuse students and parents preparing for college applications.
Here are the top eight myths about college applications and the real truth behind them.
Myth 1: Colleges Only Want Students With Straight “A’s”
While it is important to get good grades, it’s not an application killer if you have a B in a rigorous course; admissions officers look at the bigger picture. In the 2023-24 application cycle, 10% of students accepted into the University of Pennsylvania graduated high school with a GPA between 3.25 and 3.74. A further 31% had a high school GPA between 3.75 and 3.99.
While the student’s GPA is considered a “very important” factor in UPenn’s admission decision, it’s not the only thing. The student’s rigor of their secondary school record was also a significant factor, meaning that the schools also want to see students challenging themselves, even if it doesn’t always result in an “A” in the class. Ultimately, students want to show admissions they can succeed in a college-level course. Students who only take on-level courses but maintain a 4.0 GPA will be looked upon less favorably than students who took a rigorous course load but got a few “B’s.”
Myth 2: A High SAT/ACT Guarantees Acceptance Into A Dream College
Even as more schools go test-optional, this myth has persisted. Many students believe that 1600 on the SAT or a 36 on the ACT means they will be accepted into their dream school, regardless of their resume or GPA. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case because admissions officers consider many academic and nonacademic factors.
The University of Chicago, in the 2023-24 application cycle, didn’t consider the student’s SAT or ACT as one of the top factors in its admission decisions. In fact, the rigor of the secondary school record, the application essay, extracurricular activities, talent/ability, character/personal qualities and recommendations were all given more weight in the admission decisions. SAT and ACT scores are just one piece of the admissions puzzle.
So, while a high SAT/ACT score can help with the process, it will only help if the student has a competitive GPA, a rigorous academic schedule, well-thought-out essays and strong letters of recommendation.
Myth 3: Students Can Never Have Too Many Things On Their Resumes
We’ve worked with students who believe that more items on their resumes will only help display their passion in more fields and help make them competitive candidates. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case.
When working with students, we encourage them to follow their passions and explore different activities to confirm they are not interested in that area. For example, a rising freshman who has never been exposed to coding might want to try Robotics. And if they discover after a few months that it isn’t for them, they can focus on consistently doing activities they enjoy more. Students don’t want to pack their resumes with activities that they only do half-heartedly.
Consider these four tiers of activities:
- Tier 1: Activities that demonstrate rare and exceptional achievement/leadership.
- Tier 2: Activities that demonstrate a high level of achievement- but are more common.
- Tier 3: Activities that demonstrate participation in pursuits outside the classroom, including minor leadership positions.
- Tier 4: Common activities, club membership only.
While not every tier of activities doesn’t necessarily have to be on a resume for a student to succeed in the college application process, students should have some mixture. Because of the time commitment, students likely won’t be able to be leaders in the majority of their activities, but they also don’t want to have surface-level involvement in all of their activities.
Many students will pursue passion projects to showcase their interests in various subjects or do an intensive summer research project. Ultimately, it doesn’t matter what type of activities they do, as long as it is something that they are interested in.
Myth 4: Picking An Untraditional Major Will Increase Chances Of Acceptance
As students begin to think about their college list, one of the things that they should consider is what major they will select in college. One common misconception is that picking a bizarre or untraditional major will increase the chances of acceptance. However, this is not the case, and students should select a major that interests them and aligns with their career aspirations.
Additionally, when colleges evaluate applicants, they look to see how they have demonstrated interest in that particular field through their activities or academic classes. Suppose a student picks a random major that doesn’t connect to their profile without a compelling reason to select that major. In that case, they might reduce their chances of getting accepted because the college might not think they are a good fit.
Many schools, like Brown University, do not admit students based on academic interests or majors. Instead, they are evaluating students in a more holistic process. Other schools like the University of Pennsylvania and Duke University will consider the major or academic interest of the student but will admit them to an individual school, like the University of Pennsylvania’s College of Arts & Sciences, rather than a specific major.
Myth 5: Attending A Summer Program At A University Increases The Chances Of Getting Accepted For Undergrad
If a student attends a Harvard summer program, it does not mean Harvard will be more inclined to accept them. However, that doesn’t mean students should automatically be discouraged from attending summer programs at particular universities they are interested in. Universities will host camps allowing students to build additional skills that can be highlighted in the application in the activity list or the essays. Additionally, students can often network with industry professionals, professors or their peers who are interested in joining a similar field.
Myth 6: BS/MD Programs Aren’t That Competitive
At Moon Prep, we often hear parents or students say one BS/MD program or another is their “target” or “safety” option, meaning they think they have a fairly good chance of getting accepted. However, this is not the case; all BS/MD programs are highly competitive. Direct medical programs at Brown University, Penn State and the University of Pittsburgh will all have an acceptance rate of 2% or less. While some programs will have slightly better acceptance rates, they are still challenging to get accepted into.
Myth 7: Students Should Visit Every College On Their List
While visiting every school on the list isn’t necessary—or often even practical—it is still a good idea to do some college visits. If students are still confirming what they want and don’t want in their higher education journey, they should visit various schools. For example, they might want to visit a few public or private schools, a liberal arts college or a research university. Visiting schools can also help students demonstrate an interest in a university and could help them get the content needed for the “Why This School” essays. Students can also consider doing final college visits once they hear their admission decisions to help them make their final choice.
Myth 8: If A Student Is Rejected From Their Early Decision School, It Means They Will Be Rejected From All Equal Caliber Schools
Each school evaluates applicants based on their individual standards, and a school like Harvard University might be looking for a different type of student than Brown University.
Schools are looking for students who will be the best fit for them, which might mean they could get rejected from a school with a higher acceptance rate and get rejected from a school with a low acceptance rate.
Conclusion
There are no absolutes in college admissions, and things change yearly. When reading about college applications online, consider the source carefully to ensure students get the most accurate information possible.