College Acceptance Requirements

The Application Process

WITH LIZ ESHELMAN

College Acceptance Requirements

For the Class of 2021 (54 seniors), the top five most popular schools were:

5) DREXEL UNIVERSITY - 14 applications 4) ST. JOSEPH’S UNIVERSITY - 15 applications 3) UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH - 19 applications 2) VILLANOVA - 20 applications 1) PENN STATE - 23 applications

How does a Devon Prep student actually make his way into a college or university? It’s simple. And complicated. Start with the courses he’s taken, and the grades

he’s received. “The most important factor in the student’s application is his high school transcript - the rigor of his coursework and the grade he earns in the class,” says Eshleman. “A high GPA is wonderful but it’s not the only consideration. The Admissions Committee will look at his rigor as well. Is he taking advantage of all that Devon has to offer? The Committee would much rather see a “B” in an AP course than a student with an “A” in a college preparatory course. The fact that he has challenged himself in the more demanding course (AP) carries more weight. Many of the institutions that our students are attracted to are expecting successful applicants to show rigor in their schedule.”

So, overload your schedule with AP courses, get into college? Not quite. “A student should

only take what he can handle. It does a student no good to take 4 or 5 AP courses to only earn C’s or lower in them. A “C” in an AP course tells the Committee that this student probably should not have been in the class. If a student thinks he can get a “B” or better in an AP course (in conjunction with everything else he has on his plate), he should go for it. Colleges prefer to see students who have challenged themselves in high school.”

Then come the test scores. Even in a world where schools are waiving the requirement to take the SAT or ACT, they’re still an important part of a student’s application. “It’s the

one piece of the application process that every student, domestic and international, have in common. Students can opt to take the SAT or the ACT. Both tests are used equally in the process and colleges do not favor one test over the other.

When the pandemic hit in March 2020, standardized testing became increasingly difficult to schedule and take. All spring 2020 testing was cancelled globally… the summer dates were also cancelled, leaving students without the opportunity to take the tests. The majority of colleges across the US responded by going “Test Optional” for the fall 2021 cycle, some even extending their test optional policies to 2022 and 2023 applicants. Test Optional means that if a student was not able to take the test, his scores not a good reflection of his true abilities or their score was not in the admitted student profile, the applicant could choose to have his application reviewed without scores. About 95% of the colleges across the county were test optional for 2021. They wanted to reduce the stress for the seniors who did not have the opportunity to take the tests. But this did not mean that a student shouldn’t send scores, if he had them. About 40% of the Class of 2021 had test scores prior to the pandemic but the majority did not.”

The Application Process

WITH LIZ ESHELMAN

Devon Prep students were encouraged to prepare for, take, and do as best as they

could on the tests. “For our students who had strong test scores, they were encouraged to review the admitted profile of their schools and to submit them if they would enhance their application. If the student was not able to test or his scores were in the lower range or below the colleges’ admitted profile, they could choose to not submit. It varied from student to student, as well as institution to institution.”

But the application isn’t just test scores and AP courses. Colleges are looking at the whole student - what did they spend their time on in high school? “The transcript is the most

important part of the review process. Past performance is the best predictor of future performance. But colleges are also looking to build a well rounded community. They want to admit students who will be engaged citizens both on and off campus. To this they look to his activities resume to see what he’s been involved in the past, as a predictor of his future involvement. Clubs, sports, community service, work experience - all are very important as they try to determine which students will make contributions to their community.” How schools view an applicant’s transcript is likely the aspect of applying to college that Devon graduates of any age can relate to. Schools still want to know who you are beyond an SAT score. In any era, Devon Prep can be proud of what its students bring to the table.

Devon’s small class sizes help students develop relationships with their teachers, which comes in handy when asking for personalized letters of recommendation. “Most schools will

require a letter of recommendation from one or more teachers and a counselor. I write [one] for every senior. [They] are an opportunity for the Committee to get to know the applicant through someone else’s eyes, and help make an applicant more multi-dimensional.”

Lastly, every Devon student’s favorite part: essays! “All seniors will have to write at least one essay (the Common Application essay), and many will write several more. The essay is the student’s opportunity to share something about himself to the Admissions Committee that has not already been shared. His voice needs to sing through the essay and that’s not the easiest task. Students find the essay to be the most challenging part of the application process.” Of course, Devon Prep’s teachers and staff are there to provide assistance with the essay portion, another aspect of the process that has remained the same throughout the years here.

Critically, the students know they have an ally in Mrs. Eshleman, someone who will keep

them on track throughout the process. “With all parts of the application, I offer guidance and assistance. I will provide feedback on anything they want to share with me. Having been on an Admissions Committee previously, I know what they are looking for and I try to guide the student so he can shine above the other applicants!”

The Application Process

WITH LIZ ESHELMAN

If there’s one constant with the college admission process, it’s that the process is always changing. Throughout her tenure at Devon, Eshleman has seen it all. “When I first arrived at

Devon back in 2007, the majority of seniors were interested in pursuing a major in a STEM related field. The past three to four years, business is the hot major. I give credit to the administration and Devon Prep for the revitalized curriculum - in 2019, I had my first nursing applicant. I had another in 2020 and this year, we have 3 seniors applying to direct entry BSN programs!” Popular locations and majors can change, too. “More recently, students are attracted to bigger institutions with spirited student bodies that like to attend sporting events. There has been a draw to the southeast part of the US and warmer weather locations.”

External factors can impact the popularity of a school, too. “A college earning its way into the Final

Four may see an explosion in applications the following year. Universities listed on a “best” list may also see a dramatic increase in applicants.”

Of course, there are some parts of the process that have remained the same over the

last decade. Says Eshleman, “Every student has expressed interest in two consistent characteristics about his future college experience: something bigger than Devon (and EVERYTHING is bigger than Devon) and girls.”

Moving forward, Eshleman predicts a number of changes with the process, particularly

in light of the impact of COVID and the state of the world. “I think testing will be less and less

important than it has been in the past. I would not be surprised that more schools take on permanent Test Optional policies or even go Test Blind. As it is, the College Board is retiring Subject Tests (SATIIs) as of June 2021. Testing may go by the wayside.” In fact, the Test Optional policies that have been rolled out could have major impacts on application volume, and therefore competition for spots, for future applicants. “With the majority of schools going Test Optional in 2021, their applicant pools have EXPLODED. Institutions are recording record breaking years, up double digits in their applicant pool [while] first year class sizes remain the same. As we move into later March and April, I believe we will see record-low admit rates from the schools that are students are most attracted to.”

The Application Process

WITH LIZ ESHELMAN

What misconceptions exist about the college process? How much does the name of the school truly impact the quality of education?

Many families in the DP community will not apply for financial assistance. They think they will not qualify for aid. In some instances, that is true. But you won’t know until you apply.

Also, DP students think that our college preparatory classes are on par with “Honors” classes at other schools. It’s not quite that black and white. Our rigor and faculty expectations are higher than other high schools. Students will always be reviewed in the context of their school.

Some students and families feel they need to have a “name” brand school. It needs to be recognizable or on a “best list”. I ask all students and parents to be open-minded through this process. Just because he hasn’t heard of the school before, doesn’t mean it’s a “bad” or “unworthy” school.

I believe that it’s WHAT he does while in college is far more important than the NAME of the school. While I don’t have concrete evidence of this, I would prefer to hire a student with a 3.95 GPA, research opportunities, student leader from a Tier 2 school over the 3.0 from an Ivy. But some employers just want to brag that “we have XX graduates from Harvard, Yale etc...)”