For Parents: How Do Colleges Decide Who Gets in and Who Doesn’t?

ADMISSIONS BLOGChoosing the right college is one of the biggest decisions families make. As you guide and support your daughter in deciding where to apply, you may have a lot of questions — particularly about how colleges decide who gets in and who doesn’t.Is There a Formula for Admissions?Some common questions I hear from parents and families are: Is there a formula? Does a single reader review my daughter’s application or will multiple people review an application? Or is the decision made by a committee?The truth: All of these options are within the realm of possibility. Offers of admission are based on each school’s enrollment objectives. Making admissions decisions is not a one-size-fits-all approach.Large state schools may use a test score and GPA formula. Highly selective schools may have multiple reviewers with many voices weighing in on a decision. At other schools, the relationship your daughter has formed with an admission counselor may weigh heavily into a decision offered b...