Looking Back at High School: Undergrad Admissions
Was wondering what other people thought on this:
I went to a top magnet high school where Ivy and Ivy+ adcom came to give information sessions to interested students every year. Out of a graduating class of 250 or so, the top 20% of us all went to top 20 colleges, with multiple Ivy, Duke, Stanford, etc admissions.
These info sessions were usually less than 10 students, and we got significant time with the head admissions officer(s) for our region. Now, I was a lazy fuck in high school so I never really went to these info sessions, but I just thought about the potential implications of networking with these admissions officers and leaving a good impression on them. Essentially what numerous monkeys on this site are doing by contacting alumni, trying to break into banking.
I was wondering what other people thought? Is this too far reaching, or do you think this could have actually had a significant impact on undergrad admissions?
Hopefully this insight will help some of the younger monkeys on this site?
I got a 1930 SAT and really slacked with a bunch of classes in HS. I finished with a GPA of 3.5-3.6 and in hindsight I could've done a lot better but if would not have mattered cause I didn't have enough $ for a great college.
The top colleges give great financial aid.
Excuses, excuses. The best schools in the United States usually have incredibly generous financial aid (read: need-based) scholarships.
well there's a big chance the admissions officer that comes to your school won't be the one who necessarily reads your application.
plus a lot of top schools are receiving +30,000 applications, so you'd have to make one hell of an impression.
I don't think you can network for advantages in undergrad the same way you can for a job. There are just so many people applying, especially compared to admissions officers, that without a prior relationship, you are unlikely to be able to develop one that gives you any real advantage. I think Harvard has like 30k people apply; imagine having thousands of people trying to network with admissions officers. Simply wouldn't happen.
You might be able to get a coach or a conductor or someone to push for you, but I've never heard of professors really doing that (unless you have a prior relationship).
Undergrad admissions are (fairly) meritocratic, although they do a lot to try to get "balanced" classes. Prior relationships with staff might do something, but usually it's having a parent work there or a hook (being a top athlete/musician, legacy, or big family donations) that have large effects in admission.
I'm an alumni recruiter/interviewer for my alma mater (top 10 liberal arts college), and in my experience virtu333 is right on. I've never seen "networking" have any tangible impact on admissions. The only place it might matter would be later on in the process for waitlisters.
Just asking because I applied to UChicago early action, and I interviewed with an alum. She later told my friend that she interviewed for regular decision that I was one of the brightest kids she'd ever interviewed for UChicago, but I got rejected right off the bat.
Interviews have almost no impact on undergrad admissions unless it's REALLY bad. Not surprised at all that this happened to you.
Alumni interviews don't hold any weight (unless it's negative, then you're screwed). They're mostly there to make sure alums stay linked to their university, and thus donate when the school wants money.
Newsflash! You mean, students at elite magnet and private high schools that are heavily recruited by the ivies, might have an advantage over someone who went to a no-name public? HOLY FUCK!
In all seriousness though, yes, it gives one an edge, and certain schools are feeders for the elite colleges. The disadvantage of going to a no-name high school is actually not lack of information on the admissions process, since with technology, it's gotten very easy for a student in a small town to learn about various colleges. The disadvantage is that because your high school does not have a history with the top colleges, you have to do A LOT more in terms of test scores, extracurriculars, etc., to have a shot at admission. Even if you're valedictorian, your grades would not be as taken as seriously since the school is not a great one. Thus you have to outperform on the standardized exams and other metrics.
B-school admissions is somewhat similar with feeder firms. A guy i volunteered with works at a big PE shop, and the pre-MBA associates were treated to intimate info sessions by adcom from HBS, Stanford, and Wharton. They basically told them that they will get into their schools, so it's more of a "formality" meeting. I actually think getting into HSW MBA from a no-name firm is more difficult than getting into HYPS undergrad from a no-name high school. The latter is actually quite common; most of the undergrads at these colleges excelled at little-known public high schools, found a way to stand out, and got lucky in the process.
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