Summary: College Application Q&A Session - Key Takeaways

Main Topics Covered

Summer Program Rejections - What They Mean

• Don't use summer program results as college admission predictors
• Summer programs have different criteria than college admissions
• Some focus heavily on academics, others don't
• Students who got rejected from summer programs have gotten into top colleges, and vice versa
• Take a step back and review what happened
• Analyze what went well vs. what didn't
• Remember that each program looks at different criteria (academics, activities, essay types vary)

College Application Preparation Strategy

• Start early - don't wait until August 1st when apps open
• Applications don't change significantly year to year
• Review current year's applications and prepare content in advance

• Copy and paste prepared content when new applications open

• Essays take the longest time - prioritize them

• Start essay writing as early as possible
• The speaker's program had 90 students 80% completed with essays through workshops

• Essays are the most time-intensive part of applications

• Work with the end in mind

• Know which schools you're applying to
• Understand different requirements for each application
• Break down preparation into monthly/weekly goals

Waitlist Process Explained

• How waitlists work mathematically
• Example: 12,000 accepted, 8,000 enroll = 2,000 waitlist spots available

• Schools want full capacity for maximum tuition revenue

• Waitlist timeline is unpredictable

• April: Some immediate movement when students decline offers
• May 1st: Biggest movement after deposit deadline
• June and beyond: Continued trickling, some notifications through summer

• No typical timeline exists

• Managing waitlist decisions

• Must commit to one school by May 1st with deposit
• If waitlisted school offers admission later, you have two options:
  • Forfeit original deposit and switch schools
  • Decline waitlist offer and stay with original choice
• Some students are willing to lose deposits for their dream schools

Key Action Steps

• Start application preparation immediately, don't wait for August
• Focus heavily on essay preparation as it's the most time-consuming
• Research specific requirements for each target school
• Prepare for potential waitlist scenarios and decision-making

Important Reminders

• Summer program results ≠ college admission predictions
• Applications remain largely consistent year to year
• Schools actively manage waitlists to reach full enrollment capacity
• The process can extend well into summer months

Note: The speaker mentioned this was part of a weekly Q&A series that will transition to monthly sessions due to high season demands.