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Who Reads My College Application?

This article was written based on the information and opinions presented by Monique Hunter in a CollegeVine livestream. You can watch the full livestream for more info.

What’s Covered:

A breakdown of the admissions committee, how the admissions process works.

The Admissions Committee

In order to best optimize your admissions strategy, let’s shed some light on who the admissions committee is. You might be asking yourself, who reads my application? Usually, the people who read your application are part of that university’s admissions committee. They read through all the applications received that year and can go through several applications in just one hour. The process happens very fast. The admissions committee collectively decides who to accept, reject and who to put on the waitlist. If you’ve never heard of the waitlist, it is basically when someone is deferred by the college. They are neither accepting or rejecting that student and want to wait and see what other applicants they have before making their decision. 

The Admissions Officer

Another person you might have heard of is the admissions officer . A school’s admissions officer oversees a specific region in the country, so each school has multiple of them. They are usually a diverse group that represents the graduates of the university. Many of them might be veterans of the school. 

Admissions officers tend to be on the younger side with more liberal views. Even if you notice this in your region’s admissions officer, it is important not to tailor your essays to meet their perceived political preferences. You want to stay away from any political topics in your essay as you never know who is reading your application. 

The actual admissions process varies school by school. Not every school has the same process, but there is usually a similar structure. The process begins with one reader who scans over your academic qualifications and then decides if the rest of your application moves on to the next step. If two readers read the same application and their scores are vastly different, then your application gets forwarded to another committee or subcommittee where it is read over again and a new decision is made. 

After reviewing your academic qualifications, your essays and extracurriculars are looked at by a new batch of readers. At this point they have decided that you meet the university’s academic threshold and now are looking at other areas of your application. 

Very selective schools like Harvard, the IVs and top state schools usually have three or four people reviewing your application and give you a score. The score is usually broken down into four buckets. The first bucket is for applications that are likely to be admitted. The second bucket is for applications that need further reviewing. The third bucket is for applications that are likely to be rejected and the last bucket has applications that will almost certainly be rejected. 

Applications put in the fourth bucket are usually the applicants that did not meet the university’s academic threshold. This is the number one reason why a person is rejected. When it comes time to decide which schools you are applying to, make sure to look up the previous years data. Look into the average GPA and test scores of those admitted students. You want to make sure that you at least meet the academic threshold for that university. 

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Who Is Actually Reading Your College Applications and Essays?

Students pour over their college applications every year, but who actually reads them? You’ve likely heard terms like “college admissions officer,” “college admissions committee,” and “ admissions reader ” thrown around. But what do these terms actually mean? And how does the admissions process work?

In this article, we will discuss the roles of college admissions officers, admissions committees, and admissions readers. We will also examine questions such as: How long does it take admissions to review an application? What do colleges look for in applicants? And how many admissions officers are there?

What is a college admissions officer?

To start, what is a college admissions officer, and what do they do?

A college admissions officer is responsible for reviewing college applications within a specific region. Depending on the school, an admissions reader might review your application before passing it along to your admissions officer. Colleges know that each high school is unique and has different opportunities and standards. Therefore, in an effort to be fair, college admissions officers are assigned a specific region. Eventually, these officers become experts on the high schools within this region.

High schools also submit school profiles along with students’ college applications. These profiles describe the courses and opportunities available to students. College admissions officers, admissions committees, and admissions readers consider each student’s application within the context of their high school’s profile. College admissions officers, however, are often most familiar with the specific high schools in question.

It’s important to realize that the college admissions officer reviewing your application is determined by where you live. If a college representative has visited your high school, it is most likely your college admissions officer. After all, the best way for college admissions officers to familiarize themselves with a high school is by visiting. This is why you should introduce yourself to them if the opportunity arises.

What do admissions officers look for in an applicant?

So, what do admissions officers do, specifically?

In addition to reviewing your transcripts, test scores, activities, strong personal statement , supplemental essays, and recommendations, college admissions officers summarize your application and present their summary and impressions to a larger college admissions committee.

Of course, not every college has an official admissions committee. Generally, though, the more selective the school, the more thorough and formal the admissions process. That said, if you are interested in learning how to get into an Ivy League , you should familiarize yourself with the college admissions committee review process .

It’s also important to keep in mind that college admissions officers look at your social media accounts . After all, admissions officers want to gain a holistic understanding of each applicant, and for better or for worse, students’ internet personas are very telling of their interests and values. So make sure your social media presence is appropriate and presentable!

How long do admissions officers read applications?

You’re probably wondering how much time admissions officers spend on each application. On average, college admissions officers review several applications within an hour. That said, if your application makes it through the first round of consideration, an admissions officer will spend much more time with your application. Suppose an admissions officer or admissions reader is not sure whether or not your application is a good fit for the college. In that case, they will seek out a second, or sometimes even a third, opinion before bringing an application to the admissions committee.

What is a college admissions committee?

Each college approaches the admissions process differently. That said, there is a lot of overlap, especially when it comes to highly-selective schools, such as Ivy League institutions . Generally speaking, the more selective the school, the more likely it will be to have an official college admissions committee and a formal review. But what actually happens during the college admissions committee review , and what do colleges look for in an applicant?

What colleges look for in applicants, in part, depends on the school’s specific values. Similarly to how a school can be a good fit for your needs, schools have certain criteria they look for in applicants. Generally, the best way for college admissions readers and officers to get to know a student is through their college essays. This is why it’s crucial to put your best foot forward in your essay. Tweet

How do colleges decide who gets in?

In order to be seriously considered for admission, a student has to be a good academic fit. This means that their high school GPA, history of course rigor , and test scores (if submitted) are up to the college’s standards. Even though many colleges adhere to holistic college admissions standards , if a student does not meet the school’s qualifying GPA and test scores, their applications will quickly be sorted out.

If your application makes it past the first round of considerations, your application may be passed on to another reader or be reviewed by a committee. At this stage in the admissions process, your college essays , list of activities, and letters of recommendation will become the focus.

Each college is different, so you probably won’t know for sure who reviewed your application specifically. Rest assured; however, admissions readers, admissions officers, and admissions committees are all professionals who take each application seriously.

There are many factors that admissions officers look for in an applicant . Still, generally, they are looking for academically capable, passionate students who are intent on making a difference and being involved in their communities. This is why preparing thoughtful, personal statements and supplemental essays is essential. College letters of recommendation are another valued aspect of your college application because they convey how others perceive you and what you’re like in the classroom.

Key takeaways and moving forward

How colleges decide who gets in depends on several factors, including extracurricular activities, high school GPA, standardized test scores, volunteer hours , college essays, and letters of recommendation. Colleges look carefully at every aspect of your application. So if you’re wondering, do colleges read letters of recommendation? The answer is yes. Likewise, they also review each of your college essays, in addition to all of the other sections of your application. That said, approach each aspect of your college applications with care. If you need help staying organized during the college application process or developing an application strategy, you may want to consider hiring a college counselor . Here at Prepory, we have the resources and expertise to help you achieve all of your college-related goals. So if you have questions about how colleges decide who to accept or how colleges read applications, reach out to learn more about our services .

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College 101

• Who's Reading Your College Essay

Who's Reading Your College Essay Article Type: Quick and Dirty

Essay writers, meet Stacey. She's an admissions reader at Boston University, and she'd like to tell you a little bit about herself and the work she does during application season.

• Allow Me to Introduce Myself
• A Day in the Life of an Application Reader

Now that you're thoroughly intimidated (or maybe totally pumped about the chance to really show your stuff—it's cool, let the fist pumps roll), let's talk about your audience further. Have you ever wondered who actually reads your application essay? They drink sherry, read Derrida on their lunch breaks, and gleefully thrown your essay out the window if you use "who" instead of "whom," right? Not quite.

Gnomes? Elves? The Jabberwocky?

They come dressed to universities wearing ties and dresses and appear in human form. But they aren’t. They did something very bad in a former life and karma is punishing them by having to read 9,500 bad essays to find the 500 decent ones and the 3 dozen awesome ones that then become part of their Pantheon?

The key fact to know about your audience (and yes, you are writing for a specific audience and it doesn’t include Grandma) is that they are bored. Tired. Jaded.

Think of all your friends applying to the same school who will spend an hour on their essay with trite blurbs about how good it felt to help the needy. These people must read them, every word. Bring the pain.

Who are these admissions gnomes? Imagine that:

• You are locked in your office from approximately November to March every year. 
• You read applications day and night, and we're not exaggerating.
• You work your booty off trying to find the students that will be a good fit for your school, and vice versa. 
• You respect every applicant, and you know how much time it takes to put an application together. 
• You've read hundreds and hundreds of applications this year alone. They really start to blend together. 

Now, imagine that you're that same admission officer and that you've come across one really rad college essay. It's like the smell of fresh-baked cookies, making you sit up in your chair and smile (and reach for milk). The applicant took the time to make sure there were no spelling mistakes. The applicant really thought about what she wanted to say. She wrote from the heart and conveyed a sense of personality. She told a compelling story.

Bliss. You'd want to put this application in your "favorites" pile.

Write for that pile. Get the gnomes excited. Or, at the very least, don’t put them to sleep.

Okay, so you get the idea, right? Admissions readers have a pretty tough (and potentially boring) job.

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How Colleges Read Your Application: A 4 Step Process

How selective colleges read your application.

Bonus Material: Behind-the-Scenes Look at College Admissions

Do you know what happens after you submit your application?

In our post What College Admissions Officers Look For , we took a high-level look at what colleges look for in students.

In this guide, we’ll take a deep dive into how they actually read and process your application.

We’ll focus mostly on the mechanics and structure of the admissions reading process at selective schools like Princeton, NYU, Stanford, and Vanderbilt.  

Plus, we give our readers free access to our Behind-the-Scenes Look at College Admissions, which examines two actual applications to Columbia College and their admission decisions. Grab this below.

Download Behind-the-Scenes Look

Here’s what we cover:

• Where Did We Get Our Data?
• Step 1: Screen and Sort
• Step 2: Individual Reads
• Step 3: Committee
• Step 4: Final Decision

Major Takeaways

• What About COVID-19 and College Admissions?

How I Got Into Princeton Series

• Bonus: Behind-the-Scenes Look at College Admissions

What Data Did We Use?

Many parents are surprised when we explain that a lot of information about the admissions process is publicly available. Like burger chain In & Out’s “secret” menu, much of the process is not so secretive anymore!

For example:

• Many former Ivy League admissions officers have written books and articles revealing the “secrets” of the college admissions process
• NYU admissions officers share their experiences on an official school blog
• New York Times reporter Jacques Steinberg was given behind-the-scenes access of the admissions process at Wesleyan University and wrote a book about it
• Lawsuits against schools like the University of Texas at Austin and Princeton University claiming discrimination in the admissions process have produced detailed, publicly available information about the admissions process at those schools

For this article, we reviewed the above sources (and many more) to dig into the admissions process at several schools, including:

• Dartmouth College
• Duke University
• Hamilton College
• Harvard University
• New York University
• Princeton University
• Stanford University
• University of Pennsylvania
• University of Texas at Austin
• Vanderbilt University
• Wesleyan University

Note : These sources were published between 2002 to 2017. While certain details might now be different, the overall process should not have changed much.

The College Admissions Reading Process

Each college has its own specific way of judging applicants. The general admissions process of the schools we researched, however, is remarkably similar!

Selective admissions processes typically follow these four steps:

•  Screen & Sort – organizing the apps and sending them to the appropriate admissions officer
•  Individual Reads – one, two, three, or more individual reads to form initial impressions
•  Committee – deliberation of applications among a group
•  Final Decision – the lucky few are selected, financial aid packages are created, and acceptance letters are mailed out

We’ll take a deep dive into each of these steps next.

Step #1: Screen and Sort

Selective schools can receive upwards of tens of thousands of applications! Take a look at this table to see the stats for 2020.

2020 Applications and Admittances

The first part of the admissions process is getting organized! This usually means sorting and sending applications to the appropriate regional team.

Admissions officers are often assigned to a geographic region. In addition to reading applications from their region, they are also responsible for recruiting students and getting to know the local high schools and guidance counselors.

Numerical Scoring

Numerical scores are sometimes calculated for each applicant. This is simply an attempt to incorporate some sort of organization and scientific rigor into a very qualitative process.

• Princeton assigns Academic and Non-Academic ratings  on a 5 point scale (1 is the highest rating, 5 is the lowest). They also have a rating for “Institutional Priority.”
• Stanford gives scores in multiple categories : Tests, High School Records, Letters of Recommendation, Non-Academic, Support (Letters of Recommendation), Non-Academic, Self-Presentation and Intellectual Vitality

How are these scores generated?

Depending on the school, a staff member or regional coordinator may scan the application and apply the initial scores before the first read, initial readers may be responsible for generating this score, or the scores may be computed automatically by a computer system.

The Academic Index for Recruited Athletes

If you are a recruited athlete in the Ivy League (and increasingly in other schools as well), you are also assigned an Academic Index. This is calculated based on standardized test scores and high school GPA . Academic Indexes range from around 170 to 240.

The purpose of the Academic Index, or AI, is to ensure that:

• Every recruited athlete meets a minimum AI of at least 176
• The academic credentials of recruited athletes is no more than 1 standard deviation below that of the rest of the student body

Ivy League institutions have agreed to uphold these standards to keep the athletic playing field competitive while maintaining high academic standards. Just like the other ratings used in college admissions, a high AI is great, but it won’t guarantee admission.

Step #2: Individual Reads

The main job of the first reader is to pass an initial, fair judgment on a new application.

First readers have varying levels of experience. Some are hired part-time to supplement the admissions team. Some are fresh out of college.

Immediately after graduation, my college roommate served as an admissions officer for Princeton University, responsible for first reads in his region. This was his first job, and he was 22 years old when he started.

After the first read, which often takes less than 10 minutes, an initial idea of how competitive the candidate is forms. In some cases, the first reader assigns a written recommendation of Accept, Deny, Likely, or Unlikely (or some other variation).

The first reader is sometimes responsible for creating an application summary card and creating detailed notes for each application.

Application Summary & Notes

The application summary card lists key details about the applicant. Admissions officers are responsible for reading thousands of applications over the course of several months and will often review an application file at various times, so summary cards are essential for allowing a quick scan of an application and refreshing their memories.

Note-taking is also essential. Admissions officers often take important notes on a card that follows the application from officer to officer and ultimately to committee. Nowadays, physical reader cards might be replaced with digitized versions, but the idea is the same.

If the application goes to committee, the first reader may be responsible for presenting/summarizing the application to the committee group and advocating for the applicant.

Second and Third Reads

Some schools (e.g. NYU) will go to committee after the first read. Many other selective schools have two or more reads before the next stage of the process.

Admissions readers and officers go through intensive training to provide standardized and objective judgements. However, they have varying levels of admissions experience and their assessments and opinions might be shaped by their individual backgrounds and preferences.

Or, perhaps the first reader was having a bad day and missed something. Maybe he has more knowledge about science achievements and extracurriculars, while a colleague has broader knowledge about music and athletic achievements.

The second and third read can be thought of as a validation or second opinion for the first read.

This additional perspective is especially helpful for more subjective and difficult to judge scenarios, like these:

• How do you rate an underrepresented minority at an under-resourced school with a great essay, okay grades, and few extracurriculars because he was working after school?
• How much do you value the impact of certain “hooks,” like alumni legacies, 1st generation students, exceptional talent, or departmental needs?
• How do you make subjective judgments about character and personal qualities to determine “fit” for the class?

According to a Dartmouth admissions officer who kept her identity a secret,

“You expect it to be more numbers driven than it is, but the message we always got was to make sure we consider everything else in the application…There’s a high degree of subjectivity, at least in the first read, but that’s what the second and third read are for. The probability that you get two people in a bad mood is … lower than the probability that you get one person in a bad mood.”

Many schools make sure most applications receive at least two full reads before going to committee.

The second reader will add additional input and notes to the applicant’s file. The second reader often agrees with the comments and recommendations of the first reader but sometimes they will disagree.

The first and second reads (and third reads, etc.) are usually done individually and at home on the admissions officer’s own time.

Faced with an increasing number of applications, admissions teams from schools like the University of Pennsylvania and Swarthmore are implementing a team-based method of reading applications to further streamline the process.

According to the Daily Pennsylvanian :

“Under Penn’s new regimen, admissions officers split into teams of two and read one application at the same time in the office. Then they discuss the application together and come to a consensus before passing it along.

After the team of two screens the application, it is given to admission officers responsible for the geographic region where the applicant lives. An exceptional applicant may skip this step and be handed immediately to a selection committee that includes school-based representatives. This committee will make the final decision on a potential acceptance.”

Not Everybody Goes to Committee After Individual (or Team) Reads

Some schools can make a decision after the initial reading process without sending the application to committee.

• Schools with very quantitative admissions processes (e.g. large state schools) can make decisions without significant group deliberation
• A senior admissions officer may have ultimate discretion to make the final decision after reading the notes and scores from the initial reading process

In The Gatekeepers , which takes an in-depth, behind the scenes view of Wesleyan’s admissions process, New York Times journalist Jacques Steinberg shares his observations and research about the reading process at different schools.

He talks about Stanford’s committee process, or lack of it:

“At Stanford, for example, the officers rarely met as a committee, which meant that the odds of someone sympathetic being able to advocate to the group…are low.”

At Wesleyan, when readers arrived at a consensus on an application, the director of admissions would often endorse the choice, forgoing the need for committee deliberation.

“In the main round, in which there would be nearly six thousand applicants, each application would be read by two officers and then sent on to Greg Pyke, the interim director of admissions. If the two readers were in consensus on a decision, Greg would likely endorse the choice. But if there was a split recommendation, he would probably send that application to the committee for consideration during a series of meetings in early March.”

For many schools, however, final decisions are made in Committee, where a group of individuals discuss student applications and pass final judgment.

3. Committee

Every school has a slightly different committee process, but the overall idea behind committee judgement is similar.

A group of individuals gets together to discuss and decide the fate of your application. The group considers the notes, scores, and recommendations of the initial readers. A discussion ensues and each officer can share their opinion on the fit of the candidate for the school.

Hamilton’s Committee Process: Senior Officer Has Final Say

In Creating A Class , Mitchell L. Stevens describes the Committee process at Hamilton, a selective liberal arts school:

“The primary form for evaluative storytelling in the office was committee, the weeks-long series of meetings during which officers consider and collectively determine the fate of applications. In contrast to the quiet solitude of reading and rating, storytelling was collaborative and often highly theatrical.”

Admissions officers from the initial reading process use their “pink sheet” (application summary form) and read off key details from the application (grades, test scores, extracurricular activities, essay comments, recommendation letter summaries, family information, initial recommendations for Admit/Defer/Wait List/Deny) to a committee of at least three officers. The Dean or Assistant Dean is present.

After the presentation and a discussion (sometimes debate) between committee members, the most senior officer has final authority over each decision.

At Hamilton, committee evaluations for easier decisions can take 5 minutes, but some cases can take 30 minutes or more.

Wesleyan’s Committee Process: Quick Discussion & Majority Vote

In The Gatekeepers , Jacques Steinberg describes the very fast committee process at Wesleyan:

“It was those committee hearings, coming just days before final decisions were due, that provided the most visible drama of the admissions process. In a form of sudden death, each applicant would be discussed by the committee for no more than five minutes, after which a vote would be called…the majority, again, would carry the day.”

NYU’s Committee Process: All Applications Debated in Committee

NYU admissions officer Rebecca Larson describes the committee and final judgment process in the official school admissions blog :

“Our team re-reviews the notes the first reader took on your application. The first reader will discuss your grades, the rigor of your curriculum, extra-curricular involvement, fit for NYU, quality of your essays, and what your teachers/counselor had to say about you. Once we read those notes, the committee discusses what to do with your application. We may vote to admit, deny, wait list, or refer a student to a different program at NYU–there are lots of different outcomes for each application.”

Sometimes committee goes smoothly and other times the group is split between a particular decision. While we all get along well, we will get into arguments over some students. The benefit of committee comes from the diverse perspective each admissions counselor brings to the group–one counselor may see something in an application that another counselor doesn’t, and that dialogue is really important as we build the class.

We do this 63,000 times! Then we go back and look at our admissions decisions one last time to make sure all students received an individualized and holistic review. Once our decisions are finalized, applications are sent over to the Office of Financial Aid where students are packaged with scholarships, loans, grants and work study opportunities.”

Harvard’s Committee Process: 2 Step-Process Involving Faculty

Harvard uses a two-step committee process that involves the faculty. A subcommittee discusses and votes on an applicant, and then they present their recommendations to the larger full committee. Harvard’s Dean Fitzsimmons describes the process in an interview with the New York Times :

“Each subcommittee normally includes four to five members, a senior admissions officer, and faculty readers.

Once all applications have been read and the subcommittee process begins, the area representative acts as an advocate, and summarizes to the subcommittee the strengths of each candidate. Subcommittee members discuss the application, and then vote to recommend an action to the full Committee. Majorities rule, but the degree of support expressed for applicants is always noted to allow for comparisons with other subcommittees.

Subcommittees then present and defend their recommendations to the full committee. While reading or hearing the summary of any case, any committee member may raise questions about the proposed decision and request a full review of the case.

Many candidates are re-presented in full committee. Discussions in subcommittee or in full committee on a single applicant can last up to an hour. The full Committee compares all candidates across all subcommittees, and therefore across geographic lines.”

4. Final Decision

By the end of committee, colleges will be close to the finish line.

Colleges must consider the size and selectivity of the various schools within their College (e.g. Engineering vs. Arts and Sciences). They also must consider their institutional priorities, like strong athletics and diversity, as they make their final decisions.

Typically, after the final decision, admitted applications get sent for consideration of scholarships, loans, grants, and work study opportunities before final decisions letters are mailed out.

To recap, in this post, we took a comprehensive look at the mechanics of the application reading process.

Here are some big takeaways:

1. The admissions reading process of selective schools is remarkably similar

The process will most likely resemble some version of these four steps:

• Individual reads
• Final decision

Larger, less selective schools will have a less “holistic” approach that make quicker decisions based mostly on academics.

There’s no need for you to spend an inordinate amount of time researching the reading process of all the schools on your list. Understand the general reading process (which you’ve already done if you’ve made it this far) and you’ll be set!

2. Your application is read quickly

Admissions officers will often average less than 15 minutes to assess your entire application. How long exactly? It varies by school. Check out former UVA Associate Dean of Admission Parke Muth’s interesting post about “fast and slow reads .”

What should you do with this information? Make a strong first impression! Quickly and effectively communicate your strengths in your application.

3. Admissions officers are real people!

For example, NYU admissions officers look like this:

Rebecca Larson (the admissions officer in the middle) really likes One Direction, looks forward to the the snacks her colleagues bring in for their committee meetings, and genuinely seems like she’s having fun at work.

What should you do with this information? Put a face on the process to make things less intimidating and help you create a more personal application.

4. Quantitative scoring is often used, but the process is very qualitative and subjective

Numbers and guidelines are used to create a standardized, efficient sorting process. However, at the end of the day, your application is being judged by real people with emotions and feelings. What’s more, colleges have something very specific they’re looking for.

What does this mean you should do? Tell a story through your application that is personal and emotionally engaging and you might be able to convince an admissions officer to go to bat for you during committee!

It can be discouraging to hear that your application is read fairly quickly.

However, please do not confuse “quickly” with “not carefully.” Admissions officers are experts in digesting a lot of information in a short amount of time. They understand the impact their decisions have and are extremely deliberate in their decisions. Most admissions officers genuinely care about your prospects and are looking for ways to accept, not reject you.

COVID-19 and College Admissions

The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly influenced the way that colleges look at applications.

It’s revealed a lot about equity and access, for one thing. It’s also made it difficult for students to zero in on certain aspects of applications, like extracurricular activities and standardized test scores.

COVID has definitely impacted what colleges look for in applications, especially from a judgment perspective. You can learn more about this in our post COVID and College Admissions .

Has it changed the structure of admissions? Likely not. Officers might be changing how they look at aspects of applications, but the process probably remains the same.

Interested in how other successful applicants have navigated the college admissions process?

We’ve created an entire series that takes a deep dive into the journeys of current and past Princeton students.

Check out Erica’s story , the first in this series.

“People telling me that I was worthless only drove me to study more, to work harder, to prove them wrong.”

You can find a summary of all of these stories here: How I Got Into Princeton Series .

So, now what? If you’re in 9th, 10th, or 11th grade, you’ll want to focus on the Golden Rule of Admissions and developing your Three Pillars .

As you put pen to paper and start working on your application and college essays (ideally in the summer before senior year), keep in mind how your application will be read to keep things in perspective.

We’d also like to give you access to our Behind-the-Scenes Look at College Admissions, which debriefs two real applications to Columbia College and their admission decisions.

Greg Wong and Kevin Wong

Greg and Kevin are brothers and the co-founders of PrepMaven and Princeton Tutoring. They were engineering majors at Princeton and had successful careers in strategy consulting and finance. They now apply their data and research-backed problem solving skills to the college preparation process. Their unique approach places a heavy emphasis on personal development, character, and service as key components of college admissions success.

CHECK OUT THESE RELATED POSTS

How I Got Into Princeton – Erica (Story #1)

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In our "How I got Into" series, we share the stories of successful applicants to Princeton and other great schools. In this article, we share Erica's story.

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College Essay FAQ: Ask An Admissions Officer

In the following article, an admissions officer answers frequently asked questions about the college essay (also known as the CommonApp Essay, or the Personal Statement)! For more guidance on your college essay and the college application process in general,  sign up for a monthly plan to work with an admissions coach 1-on-1.

What is a college essay?

A college essay is a writing sample that is submitted with your application. It is a personal statement that shares more information about you with the admission committee. The other pieces of the application – the transcript, the activities, the letters of recommendation – will all look very similar when compared with other applicants to highly selective colleges. The essay is your opportunity to humanize your application by sharing a personal anecdote about yourself as well as to demonstrate a high level of thinking through your writing abilities. The essay distinguishes you and your application from all other candidates.

What is the CommonApp essay?

The CommonApp essay is the response to one of seven essay prompts in the Common Application. Students respond to one of the questions which is then sent to all of the schools to which they apply. The benefit is that the student only needs to write one essay total as opposed to one essay for each school.

What are the college application essay prompts?

Essay prompts vary, so it is important to review the topics for each application. Students should be strategic and select a topic that allows them to share something about themselves that may not already be included in the application. Admission committees do not expect 18-year-olds to write about unique life experiences, but they do expect students to write unique essays about common experiences.

The seven first-year CommonApp essay prompts are as follows:

1. Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, please share your story.

2. The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?

3. Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?

4. Describe a problem you’ve solved or a problem you’d like to solve. It can be an intellectual challenge, a research query, an ethical dilemma — anything of personal importance, no matter the scale. Explain its significance to you and what steps you took or could be taken to identify a solution.

5. Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.

6. Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?

7. Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you’ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

How long is a college essay?

Essay length requirements will vary between schools, but they’re generally not long. The Common App essay requires at least 250 but no more than 650 words, but the University of California essays are limited to 350 words each. Students should plan to write an essay with a word count close to, but not exceeding, the limit. Many applications, including the CommonApp, will not allow students to submit more than the maximum word count.

How important is a college essay?

The role of the essay will vary by school. At highly selective colleges, the essay is arguably just as important as the transcript. There is very little to distinguish between the top students academically, so the essay provides an opportunity to shine. This is where you talk about yourself as a person, not just a student. Academics are the priority in the admission process, but admission officers are also looking for students who will contribute positively to their community.

For other schools, the essay may play a very minor role in the admission decision. This can happen at larger universities where admission offices do not have the time or resources to heavily evaluate your writing. It can also occur for program-specific applications where the admission office places more emphasis on course progressions and test scores.

When should I start planning my college essay? When should I write my college essay?

Students should use the summer before their senior year to reflect on their experiences and determine what they would like to share with the admission committee. Ideally, you should complete the first draft of your essay by the start of school in September, which will allow you to focus on your senior year.

How do I pick a topic for my college essay?

Select the topic that interests you most. When you choose to write about something you’re excited about, you will automatically write a stronger essay. There is a common misconception that students need to write a unique essay. Instead, the focus should be on writing an authentic essay. The admission committee reads hundreds or even thousands of essays each year. They are not judging your experiences. Instead, they are evaluating your ability to effectively communicate those experiences. The best way to do that is by choosing a topic that is meaningful to you.

When is my college essay due?

The essay is due when the application and supporting documents are submitted. If you apply using the CommonApp or the Coalition Application, the essay is submitted with the application.

How should a college essay be formatted?

The application essay is a formal piece of writing and this should be reflected in the formatting.

Choose a standard 12-point font, double space between lines, and make sure to either indent paragraphs or have extra spaces. If you drafted your essay in Word or Google Docs and then pasted it into the application, you will need to proofread carefully. This process often erases your formatting and can translate it into to block text or out-of-place characters.

What happens to my college essay after submission?

Once the application is submitted, the essay is converted into a PDF and sent directly to the colleges connected with this particular application. The college will receive the file as a PDF and import it directly into the student’s record. The admission committee will review it in this format. Once you click the submit button, you can no longer make any changes to the document.

Who reads my college essay?

Your essay will be read by the admission committee, which will include admission counselors and in some cases professors. Typically, the counselor that either works with students from your area or evaluates applications for the major to which you have applied will be the first person to read your application. At large universities, this may be the only person to see your application. At smaller schools, it will likely undergo a more rigorous process including a second review and a committee discussion.

What are college essay readers looking for?

Essay readers are first looking to make sure that the student has an understanding of the basic mechanics of writing. A great essay will show a powerful command of the English language where each word supports the storyline. Students don’t need to use sophisticated language (avoid the thesaurus trap!) but instead should think about using their vocabulary in a sophisticated way. The admission committee wants to hear the student’s voice throughout the entire essay.

Next, they want to see that the student answered the question. Are they telling a story from start to finish, or are they reflecting on an experience and sharing what they learned about themselves? The best essays show a deeper level of thinking and reflection when addressing the topic.

What college essay topics should I avoid?

The general rule is to not share something with the admission committee that you would not share with your family over dinner. Remember, the application readers are looking for a good academic fit, but they are also trying to determine if you are a good social fit for their community. You want to avoid topics that are too personal that may lead the committee to question your ability to be successful. The essay is your opportunity to shine amongst thousands of other applicants, and writing about a negative or questionable experience is a missed opportunity.

Can a college essay be funny?

Yes, but be careful. When done well, writing a funny essay can be an effective way to share your sense of humor with the committee. However, like sarcasm, humor doesn’t always translate through the computer screen. Plan to have several other people read your essay and see if they understand the tone. A good rule to follow is to simply allow your natural voice to come through. If you’re funny in person, then there is a good chance that the humor will shine through.

Can a college essay be too personal?

Yes. Again, if you’re writing about something that you would not discuss at the dinner table, then the topic is likely too personal. Your essay will be evaluated by people whose job is to find students who will be a good fit for their institution both academically and socially. You should choose a topic that allows the admission committee to see that you are a good fit. If you think your essay might be too personal, re-read it and then ask yourself what the reader learns about you. Are you highlighting your strengths? If not, pick another topic.

Can a college essay be about anything?

Students can write about any topic they choose as long as it directly relates to the question in the prompt.

Can a college essay be informal?

No. Students should think of the essay as a tool to help differentiate themselves from the other candidates. It is a formal piece of writing that is meant to highlight their thinking, writing and communication skills, so admission officers expect to see polished pieces of writing. Using an informal tone can impact your application negatively.

Are there any college applications without an essay?

There are some colleges that do not require an essay with the application. These could be large universities that receive a high number of applications but have limited resources to evaluate them. Other schools may choose to not require an essay as a way to attract more applicants to their institution.

Can I use quotations in my college essay?

You may include quotes in your essay, though you should use them minimally. Using quotes introduces a different voice when the applicant should be highlighting their own voice. Most applications have a maximum word count that students may find restrictive, and using quotations limits your voice even further.

What should I do if my college essay is too long?

Most applications will not allow you to submit essays that exceed the word limit, so it is important to watch the word count closely. If it is too long, read it out loud to identify phrasing that doesn’t directly support your topic or areas with awkward phrasing. Are you over-explaining? Did it take you five sentences to say something that could have been done in two? If you make these changes and you’re still over the word limit, put it aside for a week or two and come back to it. Viewing it through a fresh lens can help you see exactly what changes need to be made.

How do I find a college essay tutor or someone to help me with my essay?

The admission committee expects to read a highly polished piece of writing demonstrating that the student has given it considerable time and thought. While school counselors and English teachers can fine-tune the writing mechanics, CollegeAdvisor.com Admissions Experts can help strategize ways to create an attention catching essay. In addition, students using the Platinum and Ivy Plus packages have the option to work with a former admission officer to learn exactly how an admission committee would evaluate their writing. The CollegeAdvisor.com method elevates a student’s writing without compromising their voice.

Didn’t see your question on the list? To get help writing your college essay from CollegeAdvisor.com Admissions Experts , register with CollegeAdvisor.com today.

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Who reads your college applications anyway?

Put your best foot forward in your application and show your personality.

You’ve spent a long time applying to colleges. Like, “Where did this last six months go?” long.

Between figuring out which schools to which you want to apply, taking (and maybe retaking) standardized tests, writing (and rewriting) your application essays and (probably) fighting with your parents (a lot), you’ve devoted your life to this cause -- a cause that will ultimately determine your life.

So after all those long nights/lost weekends/tears/nightmares/research/hours in front of a computer not Facebooking, who is going to read your application at the end of the line?

RELATED: Application advice from college admissions officials

Who sees your test scores and your grades and your essays? Who is holding your fate in their hands?

Stony men and women with no feelings? Grad students looking to earn a little cash on the side? Robots? Tina Fey?

No ... Well, not exactly. Here’s the deal:

Usually between one and three professional admissions committee members will read your application. These "adcom" members might be recent alums of the school or veterans to the applicant selection process.

They often have a background or perspective that makes them unique on the adcom and probably specialize in a certain region of the country or the world. For instance, maybe they have a background in the arts and are responsible for the first read-through of applications from the Southwestern U.S.

Yup, they’re pretty normal, run-of-the-mill humans, which means there’s no special formula to know what each one wants to read and what each looks for in an applicant. And while it would be nice, it’s not like you can make requests for certain admissions committee members to read your application.

“Please have this reviewed by someone who considers himself a dog person and tends to respect and admit people who volunteer at animal shelters. Thanks!”

So, seeing as they could have almost any background and could be almost any age -- and it’s almost impossible to know what they personally might want to read -- what’s the most important thing to keep in mind?

That admissions committee members are people.

At the end of this whole process, a person will sit down at his or her desk or couch or in bed or on the floor to read your essay. And whoever and wherever they are, that person will be on your side, hoping for a thoughtful applicant, an interesting story and a reason to accept you. Yes, admissions committee members want to accept you.

What does this all mean for you? It means you put your best foot forward. Show them your personality, your thoughtfulness, your humor.

Show them the experience you’re most passionate about, that you feel most represents who you are and what you stand for.

Show them that you know their school intimately, that you’re excited for specific professors and programs and organizations, that you spoke with alums or even visited. (Because all of those things are very important. You need to woo them, flatter them, charm them -- make them see how this is your No. 1 choice and why you should be theirs.)

Show them that you’re a careful communicator by making sure you’re answering all parts of the question, everything is spelled correctly and your message is clear.

Doing all this will show your reader exactly what they want to see -- you . They’ll see your passion, your dedication, your courage. And then, hopefully, they’ll want you on campus.

Miranda Forman is a graduate of Brown University, with an Sc.B. in Cognitive Neuroscience and honors in Literary Arts. Out in the real world, she spends her days mentoring aspiring college students with the team of consultants at Admissionado , a boutique admissions consulting company that specializes in helping aspiring students navigate the undergraduate and graduate admissions process. You need advice on college apps? College life? Scholarships? Miranda’s your gal.

This story originally appeared on the USA TODAY College blog, a news source produced for college students by student journalists. The blog closed in September of 2017.

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Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, do admissions officers actually read all the essays.

Hi guys, just out of pure curiosity, do colleges have the time to read every single essay they receive? With thousands of applicants, are they really going through all that content in depth? Or do they skim through them? Kind of stressing about how much effort I should put in if it's only going to get a glance!

Hello there! I absolutely understand your concern – writing college essays can be a major source of stress. But rest assured, admissions officers do indeed read each essay they receive. While it might seem overwhelming given the number of applications they go through, reading your essay is an important part of understanding who you are beyond your grades and test scores. It's your chance to speak directly to the admissions committee and share your voice, experiences, and perspective. At some particularly selective schools, multiple readers may review your application and its components. It’s definitely worth investing time and effort into your essays to make them as strong as they can be. Think about it as an opportunity to make a personal connection with the admissions team and stand out from the crowd. Good luck with your writing!

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