College 101

When I began my career in college admission in the early 90s, competition among peer colleges was palpable, but it pales in comparison to the competitive and ruthless approaches deployed today. Admission decisions are increasingly driven by metric data and analysis, and top admission officials are beholden to presidents and governing boards with little patience and big expectations. Fascination with college admission has reached a fever pitch, providing me an opportunity to step back, reflect, and assess the work we do at Tabor as we help students transition to college. Why are we so consumed by the names on a college list as a measure of success and validation of our worth as an educational enterprise? Perhaps it’s an inescapable reality? Maybe it doesn’t have to be? Regardless, as adults, it is essential that we are mindful of the impact the obsession with highly selective colleges has on the students in our care.

Tabor students are amazing, representing a broad spectrum of backgrounds and interests. Each year they go on to become future scientists, writers, artists, humanitarians, environmentalists, and business leaders. Our mission in the college office remains unchanged: to help each student find the best college match—academic, social, and extracurricular—possible. That said, the college search, sometimes the mere mention of it, has been known to twist students and families into knots. I see the pressure manifest itself in my office with regularity. Seemingly ordinary things can be a stressor for teens in the college search. That’s the reality—the most selective colleges are flooded with far more qualified applicants than they can possibly consider admitting, and students feel that anything short of perfection won’t be good enough. I’m not always convinced the best school for a student is the most selective school, quite often it’s not. Much of our work in the college office is channeled into informing our students of the breadth and depth of options that are available to them.

College counselors at Tabor help each student identify a group of colleges that meet the student’s needs academically and will provide an appropriate environment for a student’s continued personal and intellectual growth. We realize there are many colleges and universities where Tabor students could flourish, and we also recognize how essential it is to have skilled college counselors to help students and families appropriately filter through the layers of information that can often be overwhelming. We encourage reflection and the development of self-awareness, foster independence as much as we can, and offer informed advice at every stage in the search. We strive to educate each student about the changing landscape in college admission, and help them discover appropriate and diverse options while showcasing their many talents to the colleges to which they apply.

Reflecting on the role of college counseling and the challenges facing our industry, it is important to underscore a few key points:  

• We must be mindful of the negative and harmful impact of our obsession with the most highly selective colleges and the messages adults send, sometimes unintentionally, about a students’ self-worth as a result. (There are hundreds, even thousands of terrific college options in the U.S. alone).  

• All students are unique, and they view information through a custom lens that we, as counselors, should encourage, not stifle.  

• Cost and affordability can have significant influence on the colleges to which a student may apply or enroll.  

• We should all be more curious than certain, allowing space for ideas and fresh thinking to germinate.  

• Students define success, not institutions. To believe that one’s success path is so singularly tethered to the college they attend is shortsighted and furthers a narrative that undermines the value of learning and being a student.

As we prepare for another admission cycle it is imperative to maintain focus on what truly matters. Authenticity and integrity are essential, not just when applying to college, but in life.