Feb 12, 2020
The celebrity college admissions scandal, increasingly publicized and present in the news, is deeply upsetting to many—especially those who work honestly as educators to help students improve and develop as learners. Last week we got a bit of an update when the federal government filed a 526-page motion that contains heavily redacted emails and transcripts of phone calls which shed light on the “side door” approach enacted by Rick Singer, the mastermind behind the scam.
The motion was filed in response to Lori Loughlin, Mossimo Giannulli, and other “rich and famous” defendants who have pleaded not guilty. Loughlin and Giannulli claim that the government has withheld evidence, that multiple uncharged officials at the University of Southern California were aware of the scam, and that they engaged in a legitimate practice in which universities “regularly solicit donations from the families of prospective students” that can impact the students’ chances of admission.
While the government’s motion provides little new information, it does give us an inside look into how Singer interacted with his “clients” and how college officials interacted with Singer. Some of the emails show how Giannulli and Loughlin worked with Singer to create fake athletic profiles for their two daughters in order to get them into the University of Southern California. There is a call transcript between an official at the younger daughter’s high school and someone at USC admissions, confirming that the younger daughter does not, in fact, row. There are also emails between Giannulli and the USC Alumni and Development office in which Giannulli declined their offer to flag his daughter’s application (which is a standard, ethical practice within legacy admissions— Giannulli went to USC but did not graduate), saying “we’re all squared away.”
The latest court filing also revealed how Singer told potential clients about his “side door approach” to getting their kids into competitive colleges. Singer claims that his approach isn’t wrong or improper—instead he claims that it is “how all schools fund their special programs or needs.”
The college admissions scandal is disappointing, upsetting, and frankly disrespectful to students who work hard to earn a spot at a university. In the competitive admissions environment, it is disheartening to think that qualified students are getting turned down in favor of students from wealthy families who use unethical tactics to secure admission. We are glad this scandal is getting the attention it deserves.
Feb 11, 2020
Getting deferred from your top choice college can be disappointing, but don’t lose hope yet! Here’s everything you need to know about getting deferred and what to do next.
What does a deferral mean?
Deferrals can occur to anyone who applies early (decision or action) to a college; the college defers an early applicant by not making a decision but instead telling the applicant they will be considered again in the early decision pool. Deferrals aren’t necessarily bad news. Essentially, the college recognizes that you are a qualified candidate and is considering admitting you, but it needs more time or more information (either about you or about the applicant pool in general) to make its decision. If, after getting deferred, you’re still sure that a school is your top choice, then there are a few steps you can take to help your chances in the regular decision round.
Contact the admissions office
Write a deferral letter to the admissions office. This letter should show your full commitment to the school and why you think it’s the best fit for you. In addition, you should include any new information such as recent awards or achievements in your letter. Don’t sound frustrated or disappointed in your deferral letter—the tone of the letter should show that you are hopeful and positive about your future with the college.
Give them some more information
In addition to updating the admissions office about recent accomplishments, be sure to send in your grades from 1st semester senior year. Perhaps, a poor grade trend or a few bad grades throughout your high school is making the college uncertain of your current preparedness for college. Sending in good grades from senior year could sway the admissions office and make them more confident that you’d be a great fit for the school.
In fact, the best thing you can do when you get deferred is to make yourself stand out. You were not the only early applicant to be deferred and you won’t be the only one to send a deferral letter, so your deferral letter should be unique. You should think of the deferral letter as your way of making your unique case as to why the school should accept you. It’s really like a second opportunity to write a “Why X” essay. Focus on the recent developments of your life both in and out of school, and how these events have increased your certainty about that school and your future attendance there. Make sure that this letter is polished and well-written, but also make sure that it’s individual— that you are the only person on the planet who could write it. Make sure you do your research and clearly articulate why this school is the ideal fit and how you know you would thrive there. This deferral letter, along with any additional information and your fall grades, can truly make the difference between an acceptance and rejection come spring.
Go on a campus visit
A campus visit is a great opportunity to perhaps interview with an admissions officer or sit down face to face with your representative. Check out this blog for how to succeed in an interview. A campus visit is also a chance for you to make sure this college is still your top choice.
All in all, if you’ve been deferred, don’t lose hope yet. If you follow the previous advice, you’ll maximize your chances of getting into your dream school!
Feb 10, 2020
“I’m a senior now. Do my grades even matter?”
To put it briefly, yes.
So you’re a senior now. Congratulations! But you’re not off the hook quite yet.
Your grades during the first semester of your senior year can make all the difference in terms of getting into your dream school. As college admissions become more competitive, admissions officers are scrupulously looking at all aspects of a student’s application—and they tend to see bad grades during senior year as a red flag.
Here’s why your first semester senior year grades matter.
1) Grade trends
These days, most colleges use a holistic approach in evaluating applicants—that means they look at everything from extracurriculars to grades to teacher recommendations. One thing many schools like to see is an upward trend in grades.
Obviously, if you’re getting A’s across the board, you’re in great shape. But, if you’ve made a few bad grades along the way, then excellent grades during the first semester of your senior year can show colleges that you’ve learned from your mistakes and are ready to go into college focused, prepared, and ready to do your best.
Alternatively, if you’ve made perfect or nearly perfect grades throughout high school, but your grades tank your senior year, it will be received poorly by admissions officers. A downward grade trend may give them the impression that you’ve stopped taking school seriously or have lost your work ethic. The horror stories are true: colleges can and will revoke your admission if your grades dip drastically your senior year.
Ultimately, in today’s competitive college admissions environment, 1st semester senior grades could be the difference between an acceptance or a rejection.
You might think that applying ED or EA means that what we’ve mentioned previously doesn’t apply to you. The unfortunate reality is that it could!
Many colleges will request first-quarter grades from your high school counselor, especially if your grades were less than stellar during junior year. Not to mention that if you end up getting deferred, it may mean that colleges are waiting for your first semester senior year grades to make their decision.
Either way, excellent first semester senior grades can show colleges that you’re a great applicant and ready to thrive. Don’t let senioritis get in the way of your success. Continue to stay focused and keep up the hard work so that you keep as many options for college on the table!
Jan 26, 2020
“Am I smart, or not?” Most middle and high school aged kids ask themselves this question every day. Whether they’re sitting in a classroom taking a test, at home working on a problem set, or catching up with their friends after school, the question comes up again and again. “I got a bad grade on this test, does that mean I’m bad at x or y?” or, “I had good grades in middle school, but things have started to go downhill. What does that say about me?”
This mindset is one of the biggest roadblocks inhibiting student growth at every age level. We can’t divide the human population into “bad at math” and “good at math,” “readers” and “nonreaders,” or “smart” and “not smart.” Earning good grades requires a complex set of skills and attitudes that lead to both content mastery and performance ability. Sorting ourselves into one of these black-and-white categories washes away the nuances of our strengths and weaknesses. In addition, we risk settling into an identity that limits our potential as learners.
Our academic coaches at Streamline Tutors work to dispel the myths our students have absorbed into their self-consciousness. We don’t let our students settle with what they’ve decided about themselves and their abilities. We work with them to establish the strategies and study habits they need to tackle their coursework head-on. We deliver a catered blend of content-driven and practice-oriented coaching aimed towards meaningful, tangible goals.
Maybe your son isn’t meant to be an engineer — but his bad grade on his last precalculus test could be because he hasn’t memorized the unit circle. Let us take the guesswork out of your child’s performance, and help discover where their strengths and weaknesses really lie. Before they decide who they want to be, let’s show them everything they can do.Ready to get started? Give us a call at 410-366-0479 or visit our website to find out more.
Jan 20, 2020
What schools require SAT Subject tests?
We’ve compiled a list of colleges that either require or recommend SAT subject tests. In recent years, the importance of SAT subject tests has decreased quite a bit. However, some schools still like to see them.
What are SAT subject tests?
The multiple-choice SAT Subject Tests — available in 20 different subjects spanning the liberal arts, STEM, and language — have been traditionally used by colleges as additional criteria for admission, course placement, and student advising. Although college admissions offices are tending to de-emphasize the importance of Subject Tests in an evaluation, there are still reasons to take the exam. If you’d like to learn more about subject tests and how they can help you in college admissions, read this blog.
If you are planning on applying to any of the schools listed below, you must take the subject tests and send your scores for your application to be considered complete. If a school listed below says they are “recommended,” not required, it might be a good idea to take them to show admissions officers your talent in one specific area.
| Brown University |
Recommended |
| California Institute of Technology |
Required |
| Carnegie Mellon University |
Recommended |
| Cooper Union |
Required (Engineering program) |
| Cornell University |
Required |
| Dartmouth College |
Recommended |
| Emory University |
Recommended |
| Georgetown University |
Strongly Recommended |
| Harvard College |
Required |
| Harvey Mudd College |
Required |
| Lafayette College |
Recommended |
| Lehigh University |
Recommended |
| Massachussetts Institute of Technology |
Required (2) |
| McGill University |
Required |
| Princeton University |
Recommended |
| Rice University |
Required |
| Tufts University |
Required |
| University of California, Berkeley |
Recommended |
| University of California, Irving |
Recommended |
| University of Georgia |
Recommended |
| Webb Institute |
Required |
| Yale University |
Recommended |
While we just provided you with a rough outline of what schools require or recommend subject tests, it’s always a good idea to check out the university’s website to confirm what tests to take for college admissions.
