Urban Legends and Old Wives' Tales
The Dean Dispels the Myths
The blogosphere is filled with viral rumors about college admissions, about what “counts” and what doesn’t and why. These ideas fester in high school cafeterias and cyber spots like “College Confidential” and Facebook, among others, so let me use my own corner of the Internet to clear the air. Where do I start? There are so many possibilities I feel dizzy. In random order, I’ll offer a few gems and just let it rip:
Myth#1: "Optional" really means "Required"
Truth: The “optional” sections of an application are not covert opportunities to trip you up. I kid you not. If an essay or a standardized test or an interview is labeled “optional,” there is truth to that blessed adjective. The college has given you a choice. Use it or dispose of it as you see fit. Don’t over-analyze it. It’s not a trick question, and you won’t be “penalized” if you skip it. That’s why it’s “optional.” (It really is a lovely word.) If it says something is “recommended,” well, that’s a different conversation…
Myth#2: “Too many people are applying from my high school and we will knock each other out because the college has a quota from my school.”
Truth: While there are usually some limits to the number of acceptances a selective college can extend to seniors at a specific high school, we do not pre-determine a quota for each school and stick to it. If a school’s pool is deep and compelling then multiple candidates will be invited into the class. If it’s not, then the number of acceptances will be low. It’s possible that no one will be accepted and, in some cases, everyone will be. It would be silly to pass on a terrific applicant just because he’d be the eighth admit out of eight applicants. Similarly, there are no quotas for international students, or people of color, or legacies, or kids from New Jersey.
Myth #3: “Colleges check the Facebook pages of applicants.”
Truth: No, we don’t. Seriously, we don’t look at Facebook and we don’t want to look at it. If this type of inspection would be useful to our decision-making, we would ask you to send us a link to your Facebook page so we could evaluate its content; maybe it would be “optional.” But there are enough things in your application for us to study and, frankly, there are some things we should not see. Facebook is one of them. (That’s why it’s called “creeping,” isn’t it?) But, having said that, let me add that Facebook is a public space and, well, sometimes a reflective pause before you post is prudent, especially if it’s on a college’s admissions page.
Myth #4: “The college said it will use my highest test scores but they asked for all of my scores so those will secretly be used against me.”
Truth: Everybody wins when we use your highest scores. Our computer is programmed to “super score.” It picks the best individual score on the critical reading, math and writing sections of the SAT, or the respective sections on the ACT, or the top two subject tests on the SAT2, and those become the scores we see when we read your file. End of story.
Myth #5: “A coach called me so that means I am a recruited athlete.”
Truth: The coach called you. That means you are someone he or she wants to get to know and you might become a “recruited athlete.” Proceed carefully and don’t get your hopes up too quickly. A phone call, e-mail or letter of interest from a coach does not mean you are “being recruited,” no more than the avalanche of post-PSAT mail meant you were being offered admission by all of those colleges.
Myth #6: “I have to fill in all the lines on the extracurricular section of the Common Application.”
Truth: Fill in as many lines on the extracurricular grid as necessary to illustrate your involvement outside the classroom. “More” is not “better” if your participation is light. If you attended a single meeting of the Quidditch Club in 10th grade, you don’t really need to tell us about it. Highlight the good stuff; show us where your passion lies. But don’t feel the need to add random things to the list or embellish a minor club just to fill the space.
Myth #7: “I need financial aid so I can’t (or shouldn’t) apply ED.”
Truth: If a financial aid applicant applies early, he/she does surrender the chance to compare packages in the spring, and that is an important element to consider. However, at least at Tufts, applying ED does not compromise your eligibility for need-based aid or the amount of the award we will offer you. In other words, the financial aid award from Tufts will be the same no matter when you apply. In the (highly) unlikely event that our award does not meet your definition of “need,” you can ask for a reconsideration of the award and we will release you from the binding enrollment agreement if we cannot agree on an aid package.
Myth #8: “All of the pieces of my application must arrive by the deadline.”
Truth: Your parts of the application—the Tufts supplement and the first half of the Common Application—must be received by the deadline. The Secondary School Report, the teacher recommendations, the alumni interview and standardized testing can—and do—arrive after that date.
Myth #9: “If I check my application status on-line and something is ‘missing’ that means I should call the Admissions Office to see if it’s there.”
Truth: Filing an application is not like texting. It’s not received and filed as soon as your thumbs hit “send.” Especially around the deadline, when application submissions are heaviest, it takes several days for the credentials staff to open and log everything. Be patient. We’ll let you know if something is missing.
Myth #10: “Grades and SAT scores count the most.”
Truth: Academic data is very important but it’s not the defining aspect of your file. Why? In most admission cycles, close to three-quarters of Tufts applicants are “qualified” for admission. In other words, if admitted they could successfully navigate the first-year curriculum. Since we cannot offer admission to that many students we assess a combination data (grades, testing) and voice (the narrative you share with us). Colleges have personalities; the “voice” of its entering students embody that vibe.