A Brief Missive to the Class of '25 Parent

The high school class of 2025 will be the largest and most ethnically diverse class we’ve ever seen, according to the Pew Research Center.  Unless schools start to open franchise satellite campuses in wide open spaces like Montana, the college applicant pool will continue to be a storm surge of applicants. What is a good approach to manage the uncertainties of college admissions?

As Georgia Tech’s Rick Clark and the author of The Truth About College Admissions has shared, parents should be talking to current or recent graduates of schools their student is interested in applying to and not relying on what current high school parents who are in the same position are saying.

I believe that colleges aren't looking for students who stockpile AP classes at the equivalent pace of a Shein factory production line where t-shirts and jumpsuits are mass produced before being unceremoniously dumped in a landfill. Instead, students should show that they are passionate about and dedicated to something larger than themselves and their individual scholastic accomplishments. Having a high GPA alone is about as useful as a boat without an engine, especially when a Dean of Admissions waltzes in and announces that she needs candidates who play the oboe and are skilled in tabular programing.  

When I speak with parents, I often share that if their son becomes more upset if something happens to a friend or someone in his family than over a disappointing grade, you’re in good shape. If there is something that genuinely excites or motivates your daughter, be it biodegradable hula hoops, carving bonsai trees, or playing Bocce with veterans, students should express this as colleges will have a more compelling reason to be interested in the applicant.

I try to keep in mind that not all students hit their stride in high school, and certainly potential and character are not captured in a glowing transcript. I’ve met plenty of students who thrive in their job or in their communities and who realize that the classroom is not the only venue for success and are still figuring out themselves and their interests. Sometimes the race to specialize can feel like the race to nowhere for many students.

I remind the students I'm lucky enough to work with that please don’t throw your stats into Reddit, College Confidentiality, or TikTok so that total strangers can comment and assess the likelihood of their admission to certain schools. The best data out there is the Common Data Set where colleges share their admissions, financial aid process, graduation rates and student demographics.

I also ask students to please remember that during application season, your admissions reader could be living off stale pretzels and be sleep-deprived with limited access to fresh air. Express yourself clearly and simply. If you spent your summer installing tiki huts, don’t describe yourself as an “artificial thatch specialist.”

 And lastly, take heart that your son or daughter is so much more than their stats and scores. Their moral compass, character, work ethic, and ability to be a reliable friend and engaged community member will carry them much farther in life than any acceptance notification or standardized test score.