Ok. Ok. Ok. Each year, when colleges start releasing the numbers of applications received, I hear from parents and Seniors worried about their chances for admissions. The numbers of applications can spark speculation and fears about one’s chances of being accepted. Looking closer at the University of California’s (UC) application numbers can help gain some perspective and may calm some nerves. The UC received 174,767 applications for Fall 2013 admissions. Breathe. 139,758 of the total are for Freshman admissions. 35,009 are for Transfer admissions. Two totally separate admissions processes; each pool of applications will be evaluated by separate criteria. Furthermore, the 175,000 or so applications are single applications to the UC system (i.e all 9 undergraduate campuses), before accounting if the applicant applied to multiple UC campuses. In addition, there is no one formula for who is or is not accepted to each UC campus (nor any college). The admissions statistics-admit rates, average GPA’s, average ACT and SAT scores-are guidelines for applicants, not hard and fast cutoffs for admissions. Plus, each applicant is read individually at each UC campus where the senior applied, then the individual campus makes a determination of the applicant’s admissions to their school, not the UC system as a whole. While the admit rates may be decreasing each year, that may not necessarily mean greater qualifications for admissions amongst the current pool of applicants. The decreasing rates may be statistical, in that colleges can be more choosey because they have greater numbers of applicants from which to choose.
Final admissions decisions will be released in mid to late March for most UC campuses. (Although, UC Riverside has already begun releasing admissions decisions in February. Even if you applied to UCR and have not received a decision, don’t take that as a good or bad sign. You just haven’t received a decision yet.) Ok. All these facts being said, there is no way to fully cushion the disappointment of a denied admissions. If one lands in your email box, you’ll work through the frustration the best you know how. I can say that worrying about a denied admissions now, won’t help. (That doesn’t mean you will automatically stop worrying now.) The back and forth, will I get in or won’t I be accepted thinking is inherent to the college admissions process. And, one of those “growing pains” experiences that people say, “If it doesn’t kill you, it will make you stronger” adages. Learning to work with the uncertainty will help in the long run, just doesn’t seem like it right now. Keeping perspective on what you’re hearing about application numbers and admit rates can help tame the worries; also, continuing to acknowledge the worries can take the punch out of them. And, that’s the best advice I can offer right now, that and chocolate helps.
