College Admissions Consulting Regular Decision College List Tips and Listener Questions Written by Lauren Randleon December 7th, 2017 I learned firsthand about the world of highly selective admissions as a former assistant director of admissions at Georgetown University. I traveled the United States, in and out of high schools and auditoriums, to eagerly educate students and their families about the application process, and then painstakingly reviewed thousands upon thousands of applications to fill our class. I reviewed applications for all four of Georgetown’s colleges (Georgetown College, McDonough School of Business, Walsh School of Foreign Service, and School of Nursing & Health Studies), and chaired the admissions committee for the School of Foreign Service. I experienced the nuances of the recruitment process as the admissions liaison to the Georgetown women’s soccer team, and also understood the significance of the admissions interview as the co-coordinator for Georgetown’s alumni interviewing process. I left admissions to pursue a master of education degree at the University of Virginia to broaden my knowledge of student development theories and current trends in higher education. There I decided that it was time to work more directly with students and families at the high school level, where my support and encouragement would have a more personal impact. That desire led me across the globe to Hong Kong, where I worked at a competitive international high school helping students with their college applications to the world's best universities. My international experience offered me the opportunity to work with extraordinary students and see extraordinary places. Learn More About Lauren college admissions advice, college lists, getting in, regular decision, On the last episode of Getting In: A College Coach Conversation, host Sally Ganga spent the majority of the show responding to listeners’ questions. Sally also had a timely conversation regarding Regular Decision application lists. Regular Decision College List Tips In the first segment, former Reed College admissions officer Abigail Anderson joined Sally to focus on what a Regular Decision college list should look like. With many students still waiting for early round results to be returned, the instinct may be to take a deep breath and take a break for a few weeks from application writing. But with many colleges having January 1st Regular Decision deadlines, now is really not the time to take a breather! Abigail and Sally discussed how a student’s Early Round list might influence the Regular Decision list and whether you need to adjust it based on results from the Early Round. You might not have considered this before, but should you ever take some colleges off your list after you receive the results (good or bad) from the Early Round? Tune in to the full segment to make sure your Regular Decision list is on track (*spoiler alert*: you should have at least two “no problem” schools ready to go!). Answering Listener Questions For the remainder of the show, finance expert Shannon Vasconcelos joined Sally for a lightning Q&A round. Recently on the College Coach Facebook page, our colleagues ran a “Fact or Fiction” contest to confirm or dispute all of those rumors you’ve heard about the college admissions and financing processes. The amount of submissions we received were overwhelming, so, in an effort to address them all, Shannon and Sally took on a number rumors in this week’s listeners’ questions segment. You’ll have to listen to the full segment to hear whether the following statements (and more!) are fact or fiction: If you are a legacy, you should contact the admissions office to talk to their alumni liaison. There’s no reason to apply for other scholarships because it will only decrease the value of the scholarship you’ve already been awarded. When interviewing for a highly selective university, you should not show your competitive academic drive. For colleges that are need-aware, don’t even bother applying if you are planning on submitting the FAFSA. Asking about disability support lowers your chances of being accepted. On the next episode of Getting In: A College Coach Conversation, Beth Heaton will be joined by a special guest to discuss “Colleges That Change Lives.” She’ll also cover what you should expect as you receive your Early Round results, as well as provide an insider’s look at St. Olaf College’s financial aid office. Don’t miss it! Related Resources Read | Posted on April 16th, 2024 Understanding Direct Admission: A Pathway to Success Read | Posted on April 10th, 2024 Acceptance by Emi Nietfeld; Why You Should Fill out the FAFSA Read | Posted on April 9th, 2024 Community Colleges with Campus Housing
