Musings on Technology and the College Admissions Process

Technology has transformed the college admissions process, as it has so many other aspects of our lives. Although technology has made the process more accessible, this transformation has also brought about several pitfalls.   

The benefits of technology in the college admissions process are manifold. Research on the thousands of U.S. colleges and overseas universities has been simplified: rather than waiting for a view book in the mail, students can visit a college's website, take a virtual tour, surf College Confidential to raise their blood pressure, and "Facebook" their friends on college campuses to get real-time feedback on college life.  Naviance, BigFuture and other online searchable college databases can ease the search process for a great fit school, as students can sort and search for the characteristics that are most important to them.  Students can more easily apply to a longer list of colleges because of online consortiums such as the Common App, the Universal College Application, and UCAS.  The list of benefits that technology has brought to the admissions process also includes the ability to:

·         prepare online for standardized tests
·         estimate the cost of attendance via financial aid calculators
·         compare costs at a number of colleges
·         create art portfolios or YouTube videos of performances
·         send transcripts and recommendations electronically
·         search for scholarships
·         post athletic statistics online for recruiters
·         create an online searchable academic profile
·         read the student campus newspaper and course evaluations
·         interview via Skype
·         sign up for admissions tests
·         interact with admissions officers and current students via blogs, Twitter, and Facebook

From the perspective of a college admissions officer, the Internet has both complicated and simplified the process.  The sheer number of applications to most colleges has exploded as a result of the relative ease of online applications (except for the nightmare of the Common App this year!), which is a complication, although a "happy" complication if one is interested in driving one's acceptance rate into the ground.  The admissions officer has a simplified way of accessing application information, as it is now digital.  He can also register inquiries at fairs on a tablet or phone and almost instantaneously send prospective students materials. In addition, colleges embrace technology so that they can:

·         communicate with students on a one-to-one basis (events, email blasts and online chat) 
·         inform students of missing material and notify applicants of their decisions online

Despite these benefits, students, families and admissions officers can run into problems as a result of technology.  Occasionally, students can receive bad information from online sources, so it is important to understand from whom the information is coming.  In addition, the ease of applying can also cause students to think that they can wait until the last minute to apply, and the resultant rush can force mistakes and essays of poorer quality.  The sheer volume of information creates issues for some students.  Videos, photos, blogs, podcasts, and seemingly endless text can amount to information overload.

How can we help students and their parents to navigate the use of technology?
We can show you how to use technology to your best advantage in the admissions process, and how to avoid information overload.  The number of new and useful tools is ever expanding, but we are always searching for and evaluating the best online resources so that you don’t have to.

Keep records of your application in Naviance, and learn how to use its self-assessment and research tools.  We can assist with other online research, from scholarship programs to entering recommendations into the Common App, and from working with UCAS to reviewing a student's essay drafts via email.

All of the foregoing, however, cannot substitute for the one-to-one meetings and conversations with students and their families throughout a student's high school years.  Students can rely on our counselors to complement the use of technology in the admissions process with wisdom, experience, and good, old-fashioned listening skills.