Getting in is a personal matter—Harvard Gazette

Education writer Jacques Steinberg spoke about college admissions at the Graduate School of Education (GSE) on September 24, emphasizing that there are no set rules for gaining admission to a prestigious college. According to Steinberg, a New York Times reporter, admissions decisions are “messy, idiosyncratic, sometimes contradictory, occasionally arbitrary, and highly personal to the people who do this work.”

Steinberg spent nearly a year observing the admissions process at Wesleyan University for his new book, “The Gatekeepers: Inside the Admissions Process of a Premier College.” He shared his insights into the surprisingly human and complex nature of college admissions during the GSE’s Askwith Education Forum.

Held at the GSE, the event featured Steinberg’s candid look at the decision-making process of admissions officers. Harvard College Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid William Fitzsimmons introduced Steinberg, noting that the most surprising aspect of the admissions process was its humanity. Fitzsimmons stated, “The most surprising thing to me was really how human it was. These were people who were making these calculations. Your application did not just arrive on campus and get fed into a computer.”

Steinberg chose Wesleyan as a representative example of the nation’s most selective 50 four-year colleges. In the 1999-2000 admissions cycle, Wesleyan received 7,000 applications for 700 spots in the incoming class. Despite the relatively small size of Wesleyan’s admissions staff, each application was read at least twice. About 400 of the most challenging applications were discussed in a “sudden death” format, where the admissions staff deliberated and voted on applicants’ fates within a strict five-minute timeframe over five days.

Steinberg’s research methods were not highly scientific. He selected admissions officer Ralph Figueroa as his primary subject due to his unique lack of pet allergies, which Steinberg is sensitive to. However, this led to unimpeded access to Wesleyan’s staff and their closed-door meetings, as well as to six student applicants representing various profiles.

According to Steinberg, grades are important, but the admissions staff prioritizes the rigor of the curriculum. They ask, “Did the applicant take the hardest courses that the high school offered?” Extracurricular activities are valued, but quality over quantity is preferred. A student who consistently excels in one activity for several years holds an advantage over a dabbler who tries many different clubs. Diversity also plays a significant role, with the goal being a mix of students from various backgrounds that enriches everyone’s experience.

The use of the SAT in admissions decisions is notably flexible. Steinberg explained that the bar for a white student from a solid suburban high school might be an SAT score of 1,400, whereas a minority student from an urban school with non-college-educated parents might gain admission with a score of 1,100. The admissions process aims to build a community, including individuals with diverse interests and backgrounds.

Essays hold considerable weight in the admissions process. Steinberg noted that they can significantly influence a decision. Essays should be authentic and genuine. He warned that admissions officers are adept at recognizing essays that have been polished by professional counselors. Steinberg recounted the story of Becca, who wrote about accidentally accepting a pot brownie and turning herself in to the principal. This candor was appreciated by Wesleyan’s decision-makers, particularly Figueroa. Another applicant, Tiffany, wrote an interesting essay about feng shui but avoided mentioning her passion for opposing the death penalty, fearing it might offend a conservative admissions officer. Figueroa, who read Tiffany’s application, also opposes the death penalty.

Steinberg, a Dartmouth College graduate, wrote “The Gatekeepers” partly out of curiosity about how he himself got into Dartmouth. He grew up in the southeastern Massachusetts town of Somerset and recognized several familiar faces in the audience, including his high school history teacher Bob Crouch and his parents, Barry and Edythe Steinberg. He quipped, “Tonight, they can say that their son talked his way into Harvard.”

News is prepared from public university announcements for general guidance. Policies change frequently; confirm current details with each university admissions office.