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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.

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Advice from Undergraduate Admissions Officers

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From Dr. Douglas Christiansen, Vice Provost for Enrollment and Dean of Admissions at Vanderbilt University:

The essay is the one opportunity each student has to give a college or university insight into his or her innermost thoughts, aspirations, dreams, and personal realities. It is to the student’s advantage to use this opportunity to let admissions officers see beyond the test scores and grades. Students can explain why there may have been a lapse in grades or other important life events that have changed their high-school careers. More important than the experience is what the student reveals about how the experience has changed his/her life, how (s)he has grown and made different choices as a result of the experience, and how (s)he has improved his or her corner of the world as a result. Through the essay, regardless of the topic, it is possible to enlighten the reader regarding choices that have led to personal growth, involvement, and success or failure as a result. Through the essay, the admissions officers should be able to see more clearly the intangible characteristics of the applicant: honesty, integrity, commitment, ethical choices, perseverance, empathy, and leadership. When the number of applications is in the thousands, and the admit rate is only 10 – 15% of those applications, explaining why one student is different than all the rest is key – the essay is the opportunity to do just that!

From Stacey Kostell, Assistant Provost and Director of Undergraduate Admissions at the University of Illinois:

When writing your application essays, it is vital that you answer the question asked and address any specific criteria noted. I’ve read thousands of essays and have realized that there are the five factors shared by all successful applicants.

Be prepared. Slow down and fully consider the questions and your answers. You should then create an outline, write a first draft, and edit multiple times.

Be personal. Provide specific examples of your experiences and goals. Generalizations do not help the admissions committee get a sense of who you are and why you’ll make the most of your time at the university.

Be direct. Choose your words wisely in order to clearly state your message. Many universities have a word limit on responses, whichmeans there is no room for fluff.

Be focused. There is no need to repeat your transcript. Instead, share how your qualifications will be a benefit to you at the university.

Be professional. Submit the best possible essays, free of spelling and grammatical errors. You should proofread and edit them yourself; however, request critiques from counselors, teachers, and your parents. It’s always helpful to have feedback from readers.

From Courtney McAnuff, Vice President of Enrollment at Rutgers University:

This is the one time it really is all about you; colleges want to know what makes you unique. The essay is a critical component for our holistic review. Express yourself honestly. Review the essay question, and jot down your immediate responses. Don’t Google the question to see what others have written for their essays. If you can’t resist, at least write your outline first, and stay true to yourself in the final version. The requested essay topics reflect each college’s interests in shaping their incoming class. Writing on the requested essay topic should interest you. Be sure you answer the specific topic; don’t just tweak a generic essay. If the topic doesn’t engage you, think about why that college is one of your choices. Do submit the essay exactly how the school requested it. The care you take in following directions can be seen by the school as an indicator of what type of student you are now. Try to do everything at least two weeks before the deadline to cover every computer crash/power outage/school closing possibility.

From James Nondorf, Vice President and Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid at the University of Chicago:

For many colleges and universities, the essays are a crucial element of the application process. They provide you with a chance to let admissions officers get to know you beyond just your transcripts and test scores. The most important part of any college admissions essay, then, is to write something you believe truly represents your unique voice—something that, beyond demonstrating your competencies as a writer, also displays your ability to be a creative and critical thinker and to make unique contributions to an academic community. First and foremost, it’s important to respond directly to the prompt given (admissions officers can tell when you’re fudging and trying to write your way into a different essay topic), but beyond that, creativity is key. Don’t settle for the first idea that comes to mind or the first draft you put to paper. Keep revising until you feel you have an essay that reflects your original perspective. And, really, you should try to have fun with your essays—exercise your sense of humor, write about something you’re passionate about, and write in a way you find inspiring. The more you enjoy writing your essay, the more we’ll enjoy reading it.

From Kasey Urquidez, Dean of Undergraduate Admissions at The University of Arizona:

Your statement gives you the opportunity to show the college or university to which you are applying a chance to learn more about you. While your academic preparation is very important, your statement will help you shine.

Taking time to write your best statement before submitting is important. Here are a few tips as you write your statement:

• Be yourself.
• Focus on one topic and making an impression. What will be remembered?
• Use appropriate, yet colorful, vivid language to express yourself.
• Be descriptive.
• Share new information. Reiterating what you already included in your application is not very helpful.
• Provide a strong opening and closing. You will want your reader to want to know more from your opening and remember you from your closing.
• Know your audience. Admissions representatives from diverse backgrounds of all ages will read your statement.
• Read the instructions carefully and pay attention to word limits.
• Write a rough draft.
• Do not rely on spell check.
• Read your statement aloud to help you “hear” what it will sound like to others.
• Select a few people you trust to proof read your work.
• Submit once you're completely satisfied!

From Jarrid James Whitney, Executive Director of Admissions and Financial Aid at California Institute of Technology:

When applying to colleges, I often remind students that their responses to the essay prompts are, in essence, like a personal interview with the admissions committee. That is, they should open up about what’s important to them and cover topics that are meaningful, and specifically address important items that may not come up in the rest of the application or even stress other parts of the application.

The essays are really a reflection of who an applicant is, and thus the student’s voice is critical. Often times students get others to help them craft their responses, which is fine, but I also remind students not to lose the essence of who they are. The story still has to be their own.

It is also very important that the student make sure they tie the essay back to themselves. Students tend to get caught up in a great story about another person, place, or thing, and forget they need to bring it back to why that person, place or thing is important to them. Also, remember that the short answer responses are just as significant to an admissions committee as the long personal statements.

Finally, students need to take time in preparing their responses. Most essays will probably go through many drafts, which is expected, since writing is truly an art. Ultimately, colleges are looking for the right fit so hopefully those essays can help to confirm if the college, and the student, are a match.

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College Admission Secrets: How Colleges Read Applications

With high school seniors in the thick of the college application process, speculation abounds about how college admissions committees make decisions, what it takes to get in, and whether student A is more qualified than student B. But what really goes on behind closed doors at college admissions offices ?  

Families have a lot of misconceptions about how the admissions process works and how decisions are made. Fortunately, we have insight into how the admissions committee review process works. How colleges read and evaluate applications is about more than looking for students with the best academic performance.

The College Admissions Rubric 

So much goes into college applications: essays , grades, recommendations, activities lists, and more. How do colleges weigh it all? The holistic review process includes weighing factors that sometimes aren’t quantifiable, so colleges use an admissions rubric to help evaluate the strength of an application and whether it meets the school’s admission standards.

When evaluating individual application elements, like grades, test scores, and essays, the readers establish a base benchmark, usually based on the previous year’s standards. Applicants are then given a score for each category based on that benchmark. For example, a student can get a score of “1” if their test scores are below the established benchmark, a “2” if scores meet the benchmark, or a “3” if scores are higher than the benchmark. Different schools use different rubrics and evaluation strategies, but this is the general approach many colleges take.

Institutional Needs  

The college admissions process isn’t as simple as “the smartest students always get in.” There’s a lot that goes into building a class, including considering a school’s goals and institutional needs. Often those needs lead admissions offices to give priority to special groups of applicants, like legacies , development cases, athletes, and more.

This doesn’t mean those types of students are automatically admitted without consideration as to whether they’re qualified to attend, but rather their status can add extra weight to their application in some instances. This can sometimes seem unfair, as other applicants can’t help that they aren’t a legacy or a recruited athlete. It’s important to remember that every school has needs for their incoming class, and it’s necessary to meet those needs to better serve all the students on campus.

Available Spaces in the Incoming Class 

Out of the almost 57,000 students who applied to Harvard’s class of 2027, only 3.45% were admitted . But certainly, more than 3.45% of the students who applied were qualified for admission? In truth, yes. There were likely many more students who fit the admission criteria.

Most top-tier institutions can fill multiple classes with students who are just as qualified — however, that’s just not possible. Colleges can only take a certain number of first-year students each year. While it’s tough to turn away thousands of qualified applicants, it’s necessary. There’s just not enough room for everyone who is qualified to be there.

Sometimes Admissions Decisions Are Arbitrary 

In selective admissions, there comes a point when the highly qualified applicants start to look the same, and admissions officers will look at every little detail to distinguish among them and determine who is the best fit for the class. At this point in the process, anything can come into play as to whether a student gets in or doesn’t. Again, not every qualified student can be admitted, especially at top-tier institutions that receive tens of thousands of applications each year.

Sometimes when making these tough selections, an admissions decision can hinge on something as arbitrary as an officer having a personal preference for one applicant over another. Maybe one applicant’s reader argued more for their admission than another applicant’s reader did. These decisions are tough, and sometimes there’s no clear reason as to why someone did or didn’t get in compared to someone else.

What’s important to remember is that everyone who is admitted is qualified to be there — it’s just impossible to admit everyone who’s qualified. So, what does this mean for you? If you do diligent research and apply to a balanced list of best-fit colleges , you will get into a school where you will be successful and happy.

The college admissions process is a complex machine, with many moving parts that are sometimes out of the control of those vying for a spot at a top college. It can be helpful to seek out an expert who can demystify the process and give you the best chance for admission. IvyWise counselors have worked as Directors and Deans of admissions at some of the most prestigious schools in the U.S., so they understand the process and know what it takes to stand out. Schedule an Initial Consultation to learn how we can help you achieve your academic goals.

Related Topics

Related posts.

• College Planning: All You Need to Know in Advance
• Class of 2028 Admission Rates
• Class of 2028 Regular Decision Notification Dates
• Making Your Own College Rankings
• Test Score Submit Rates for the Class of 2027
• Admission Rates
• Choosing a College
• College Admission Advice
• College Planning
• In the Press
• Just Admit It Podcast
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Home » IvyWise College Admissions Blog » College Admission Advice » College Admissions Trends » College Admission Secrets: How Colleges Read Applications

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?

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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.

Meet with our college admissions experts

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 .

• March 28, 2023
• 12th Grade , College Admissions

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College essay resources

The #1 college essay myth (and what college admissions officers really look for), brainstorm what to write.

Brad Schiller

College essays are not the place to "just tell your story."

It's not that “tell us your story” is wrong for college essays. It’s just severely misleading. 

Yes, college admission offices give this advice all the time. But if you look at how they actually evaluate essays, you’ll see that what they look for goes well beyond “your story.”

This article will walk you through: 

• why colleges (and sometimes even guidance counselors!) give this misleading advice; 
• what admissions officers actually look for; and 
• how to deliver it for them. 

As college essay coaches who’ve helped thousands of applicants get into great colleges each year, we’ve examined the question of why the “tell your story” advice is so ubiquitous, and you need to know what’s really going on. 

Read the Table of Contents to see what we'll cover in this article:

Colleges say they want applicants to tell their story

Let’s go on a journey of discovery through the internet. What advice do colleges give about writing the essays they require?

We found one striking pattern (emphasis added): 

• [The essay] is an important part of your application because it gives you the chance to tell us your story as an applicant. — BU
• Tell a good story. Most people prefer reading a good story over anything else. So... tell a great story in your essay. — Tulane Apps 101: Ten Tips for an Epic College Essay .
• Your transcript and standardized test scores tell your academic story, your extracurricular activities, recommendations, essay(s) and background, tell your personal story . — William & Mary
• In [successful] essays, students were able to share stories from their everyday lives to reveal something about their character, values, and life that aligned with the culture and values at Hopkins. — Johns Hopkins  
• Tell your story. Some of my most memorable offers of admission have gone to students who like to color outside the lines. — Canisius College
• The college application process is a wonderful opportunity for self-discovery. You will find out things about yourself, what motivates you and what excites you. This is a passage to an exciting new chapter in your life. We want to get to know you and your story. — Muhlenberg College

Here are some videos that popped up as we researched this question:

And here’s an article from the Washington Post that ranked high in our search:

True, not every admissions department used the word “story.” 

We also found (emphasis added) —

• The point of the personal statement is for you to have the chance to share whatever you would like with us . — Harvard
• Be honest, be open, be authentic—this is your opportunity to connect with us . — MIT
• These essays are an opportunity to tell us about yourself in your unique voice . — CalTech
• Essay writing is an excellent opportunity for personal expression and original thought. — Northwestern
• The authenticity of the writing is what makes it effective. — Johns Hopkins - WaPo article
• “Imagine UC was a person. If we met face-to-face, what would you want us to know about you? These personal insight questions allow you to tell us. — University of California — see also their video on the topic:

In this category of advice, while the admissions offices don’t use the term “tell your story,” they’re still suggesting that you simply share something interesting about who you are, and connect with them in the way that you would with a friend.

However, when you look at how colleges actually evaluate essays, it turns out that this advice is wrong at worst and incomplete at best . So let’s do that now.

What college admissions officers really look for

Let’s hop back into the internet for another journey of discovery. This time, let’s search for clues about what college admissions officers do when they’re in the process of actually reading your essays.

As some readers know, at Prompt, we’re pretty excited about a lawsuit that made much of Harvard’s admission process public. 

The lawsuit revealed that “share whatever you would like with us,” as the college claims (see above) isn’t necessarily helpful advice. 

Instead, admissions officers review “ humor, sensitivity, grit, leadership, integrity, helpfulness, courage, kindness and many other qualities” in determining a personal rating for each applicant, according to coverage (emphasis added). 

Yes, this means that Harvard admissions officers give applicants cold, hard numbers based on whether their essays reveal things like grit and courage. So what if, based on their advice, you simply shared an interesting story about your passion for the theater or for playing sports? So that they could get to know you?

You’d be out of luck. Because without specifically focusing on an interesting, authentic story that also reveals something about your character, you’re unlikely to write an essay that they rate highly.

There are also clues that other colleges are looking for more than just a nice story or the “true you.” 

Here are some approaches we found to the process of assessing admission essays:

• Emory University specifically takes into account “ intellectual curiosity and the potential to contribute to community life on campus.” 
• According to the dean of admissions at the University of Pennsylvania, “We expect [applicants] to have high test scores and grades. That’s a given. So another way for us to think about merit for those applicants is, what did they do with that opportunity they were given? How far did they travel in their high school journey?”  ‍
• “It's quick and easy for candidates to share, and for admissions readers to assess a candidate's 'what,’” says the dean of admissions at Lafayette College, “However, the hope is to find the 'how' and the 'why' behind an applicant's 'what'. If a candidate is a chemistry loving, slam poet who pole vaults, cool, that's 'what' they are. But, 'HOW' and 'WHY' have they become a chemistry-loving, slam poet who pole vaults? Too many candidates stop at the 'what' and do not give the 'how' and the 'why.'”
• "As an admissions officer, I analyzed students' personalities ,” says the former admissions head at Dartmouth. “If … the student came off as arrogant, entitled, mean, selfish, or, on the flip side, funny, charming, generous, witty , I wrote that exact trait in my notes. It's not enough just to be smart at top schools. Students must also show that they'll be good classmates and community builders ."
• “We want to enroll students who will contribute to the life of the campus , so we are eager to see how you have contributed to your high-school community or the community in which you live,” says an officer at Dickinson College.
• “Applicants who are able to convey that they have spent their high school years exploring different classes, activities and opportunities immediately grab my attention,” says an officer at Drake. ‍
• According to an officer at DePauw University, “a successful applicant should highlight an ability to overcome obstacles and garner results . It’s about proving you can produce outcomes .” 
• During the pandemic, 315 admission leaders (including all the heavy-hitters, such as the Ivys), signed a “ Care Counts in Crisis ” statement, assuring applicants that they most value 5 attributes: self-care ; academic work; service and contributions to others; family contributions ; and extracurricular and summer activities.

Some supplemental essays also show what colleges value. For example, these are all about intellectual curiosity:

• Stanford — The Stanford community is deeply curious and driven to learn in and out of the classroom. Reflect on an idea or experience that makes you genuinely excited about learning.
• University of Washington — [T]ell us about something that really sparks your intellectual interest and curiosity , and compels you to explore more in the program/area of study that you indicated.

Once you start looking more closely at how colleges actually make their decision, you see that colleges really care about a number of specific characteristics .

5 traits admissions officers look for in your college essay

The point of a college essay is to prove you’ll be successful on campus and beyond. As Emory admissions dean John Latting says, “The whole [admissions] process is about finding potential .”

The way you prove your potential is by showing that you have 5 special characteristics. They go by various names, but at Prompt we’ve boiled them down to:

• Drive — going above and beyond what’s expected
• Intellectual Curiosity — manifesting your love of learning
• Initiative — Changing the status quo
• Contribution — Giving back to the community
• Diversity of Experiences — Having a unique background or experiences that give you a new perspective.

Go back to the last section and see how often these words (or similar ones) come up — you’ll see that it’s extremely often. 

To take a specific example, here how these characteristics align with the categories unearthed from the Harvard admissions litigation:

• Grit — that’s Drive
• Leadership — that’s a combo of Drive, Initiative and Contribution
• Helpfulness — that’s Contribution
• Courage — that’s adjacent to Drive and Initiative
• Kindness — well, that’s Contribution again

Now if you’re carefully comparing this list to the quote above, you’ll notice that we’re missing:

• sensitivity, and 
• Integrity. 

That’s because it’s true that they don’t match up to our 5 Traits. Humor is wonderful if you’ve got it, but “your college essay might not be the best place to try on that funny writer voice for the first time,” to quote the dean of admissions at Lawrence. (Diversity of experiences is similar, in a way, in that it’s a wonderful-to-have, but not something you can force if you just don’t have it.)

Integrity is a must-have — but most good essays around the 5 Traits should demonstrate integrity. Needless to say, any essay that implies a lack of it is a bad essay. As to sensitivity, well, if you’ve got it great. Not sure that one’s really make-or-break.

The point is that your essays aren’t a friendly “get to know you” space. They’re a vital component of your application; the colleges are grading your essays. And to score high you need to write about an experience in which you showed one or more of the qualities that they’re looking for — one or more of the 5 Traits. (If the experience also happens to showcase integrity and a sense of humor, all the better!)

Why colleges don't share what they're really looking for

At Prompt, we study the pronouncements of college admissions officials obsessively . We’ve gotten to know them , we read books about them, we follow them on Twitter. 

We don’t think that college officials are “lying” when they present this advice. Rather, there are many reasons why their advice isn’t as helpful as they probably think it is. Here are a few:

First , as we noted above, the advice to “tell your story” or “get to know us” or “be authentic” isn’t wrong. It’s just misleading because it isn’t clear about what actually gets evaluated. Most admissions officers probably think they’re giving helpful advice.

Second , offices are intentionally vague because it gives them more room to maneuver. If they say they’re looking for X in essays, everyone will write X . They want wiggle room for kids who write Y. 

Third , they may be thinking in different modes when they think about “writing an essay” compared to when they settle down to “evaluate” an essay. In Originals , Adam Grant describes how different these two modes can be. His book describes an experiment that randomly assigned some participants to think like managers and others like creatives. Those in the “manager” mode evaluated novel products correctly only 51% of the time; those in “creative” mode were correct far more often, at 77% of the time.

This is kind of the opposite. Admissions officers likely think broadly when giving advice for writing essays — they might be thinking about how they’d like to read essays, or how great essays are original, or focus on small, everyday topics. But that likely goes out the window when it comes to getting through a stack of essays on their desk and using them to assign “personal scores” that can be used to advance or reject applications. 

Bear in mind how overworked admissions readers are. According to an evaluator at Brown, “[W]e keep up a rigorous reading pace with the regular decision applicant pool. We were expected to read five applications per hour, which equates to 12 minutes per application. In those 12 minutes, I reviewed the application, standardized test scores, the transcript, the personal statement, and multiple supplemental essays — all while taking notes and making a decision on the admissibility of the applicant."

Make sure you write your essay to appeal to that “boring, bureaucratic” admissions officer. The one getting through a pile of essays, on a hungry prowl for qualities that will show success. We’ve got some stats to prove it can make up to a 10x difference in your chances of admission. 

Our team of expert writing coaches have helped 50,000+ student write 90,000+ essays that have boosted their chances of admission. Create an account to use free college essay resources , or explore college essay coaching options today .

Related posts:

• The Purpose of College Essays
• The Qualities Admissions Officers Look For
• Great Academics Aren't Enough
• What Harvard Admissions Data Reveals

The above articles and a step-by-step guide to approaching the college essay writing process can be found in our Help Center .

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Is every college essay read? How many admissions officers read them?

Published on November 25, 2013

As part our College Q & A guide, we decided to ask your questions to the experts. Here are their answers.

Karen Ekman-Baur, Director of College Counseling, Leysin American School

It is my understanding that if essays are required by an institution, they are actually read. I hope this is the case! There are many different kinds of schools, however, so it would be impossible to know how each of them handles the essays which are submitted. I do know that some schools have a group of readers, each receiving one set of essays, with each individual essay being read by just one person. In other instances, each essay is distributed to several readers, who will then compare their impressions when the admissions committee meets to decide upon student admissions. In this instance, the essay would be read by several people. Again, the number of readers for each essay would depend upon individual institutional practices. Many large schools don’t require essays at all because they don’t have the personnel resources to process the huge number of admission essays which would be submitted. Schools which require essays, however, use the essay input to form a more complete picture of the applicant, over and above the numbers, grades, lists, and so on, which are entered onto the application form. The essays may form the most deciding part of the application after the student has met basic application criteria – grades, standardized test scores, etc. If I were an applicant, I would consider the essay(s) very seriously, making every effort to create an interesting and well-formulated document, with the assumption that the essay would be read and considered by each institution to which I applied.

Randi Heathman, Independent Educational Consultant, The Equestrian College Advisor LLC

I’m going to be honest here: I didn’t read every essay that came across my desk when I was an admission counselor. (And I would now like to apologize to those students I skipped over.) But here’s the deal: Great essays get read. Admission counselors can’t help themselves. Great essays pull them in like great novels and when a student is really showcasing their talent as a writer and their character as a potential part of the college/university community, that’s always worth a few extra moments of reading time. (I once had a student explain how she single-handedly saved a summer camp. Seriously!) Good essays get read too – though sometimes they get skimmed a bit for content. It isn’t that these essays aren’t valuable – they are and they give admission counselors the same useful insight that great essays do (especially in terms of the student who shows a lot of raw talent but who also needs some polishing – like, for example, at that admission officer’s college), but they just aren’t as entrancing as great essays. Weak essays get skimmed. If a student’s essay isn’t great OR good, the admission officer will probably just skim past the essay and move right on to your transcript and your test scores to evaluate your candidacy for admission. Bad essays don’t get read. Period. A bad essay will prompt an admission officer to assume one of two things: 1) either you don’t care enough about your future at their school to take the time to write a good essay or 2) you aren’t academically up to attending their college or university. Neither of those assumptions will help you get admitted. Every admission office is different – and most times, your essay will have the opportunity to be read by at least two – and sometimes three or four! – people. And in the majority of cases, those people will be using your writing to determine the strength of your candidacy for admission to their institution, so that’s why it’s crucial to take the time to do it right. Trust me, at a time of year when admission officers are faced with piles and piles (and PILES!) of application files (digital or otherwise) and students are clamoring for admission, the best gift they can receive is that of a tremendous essay – so give them a great reason to tune in and read it all the way through!

Bill Pruden, Head of Upper School, College Counselor Ravenscroft School

The role of the essay varies greatly from school to school. Some places just crunch numbers and will likely not even read the essay–and will probably make it an optional piece of the process, as a result–while others give it a much greater role in their considerations, with multiple readers weighing in. A lot of it depends upon the selectivity of the school. If they are trying to decide which of 7 or 8 quaiifed applicants to select, then every piece of the application is that much more important and the essays–products of the applicant’s own (hopefully ) work can be particularly enlightening. It is always worth an applicant’s while to write as strong an essay as possible, but its role in the process is a variable one.

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A Step-By-Step Guide on How College Admissions Officers Read Your Application

September 6, 2018

This winter, after weeks, months, and years (yes, years) of preparation, you are going to submit your college applications. But don’t you want to know what happens next?

As you get ready to apply to colleges, it’s important to understand what actually happens in the admissions office. Armed with this knowledge, you’ll be in a better position to craft a successful application.

When your application process ends, the hard work at admissions offices is just beginning. The weeks and months after application deadlines trigger the busiest time of the year for college admissions officers across the country. Having worked in admissions at Johns Hopkins, Bowdoin, Regis College, and George Washington University, I am going to demystify what happens behind the closed doors of admissions offices...

1. Your application is added to the digital “stack” with thousands of other applications.

You click submit, and the waiting game begins. Paper applications used to be placed in a massive stack, but colleges now move thousands of data points through an online process, built for their specific parameters. In many cases, an application and its supporting components may never be printed. But have no fear, the software is very precise. Every school will have their own methods to streamline the wave of application materials coming their way. Computerized systems will flag any missing components and mark completed applications as ready to read.

2. Your application is sorted into a pile (usually by region), which means you are evaluated against students from your geographic area.

At the places that I have worked, we followed a “geographic territory” model. Simply put, each member of the admission office managed a geographic section of the world. Larger states or areas with big application numbers were split among several  college admissions officers . Schools use past admissions data to gauge their most popular areas. Southern California, for example, could be broken into multiple territories for some schools based on the number of applications they receive.

3. Your regional admissions officer receives the pile and reviews your school profile.

I have been fortunate enough to read applications from around the world. This experience showed me the importance of context. There are too many high schools for college admission officers to be familiar with each of them. Even in a single territory, there will be too many schools to intimately know every single one. This is why the information from your high school’s report is crucial. It sets the stage for the application review.

“School profiles” and information from your guidance counselors give college admissions officers the averages, course information, and knowledge to understand what your specific academic experience actually means. Without context, what does your 4.2 GPA really indicate? Without understanding the course rigor available to you, what is the significance of 2, 4, or 6 AP classes? Colleges will not make decisions on any application without examining all such information available to them.

4. Your application is read for the first time...in 11 minutes.  

After an admissions officer has learned all that they can about your school, it’s time to read your application! All  college admissions officers  have their style, so I will walk you through mine: typically, I spent about 11 minutes reading an application, and read well over 1,000 student files each year. While 11 minutes was my average, there were memorable students that drew me in, and I spent more time learning their stories. Weaker or more typical applications might take less time to go through. After reading the school profile, I started with the factual information inside of the application, taking notes about the content.

5. College admissions officers take shorthand notes on your application.

Every admissions office has agreed upon shorthand for our rapid notetaking. This includes abbreviations for common activities and honors, as well as commentary shortcuts like DNS (does not stand out) and LMO (like many others), used to quickly describe unremarkable candidates. Every section of the Common Application helped me learn more about the applicants. I became familiar with their families (what did their parents do?), activities outside of school (how did they spend their time?), and their character (what kind of person were they?). After this, I moved onto my school’s supplemental essays, high school transcript, and usually finished with the letters of recommendation.

Throughout the process, I continually asked myself the same questions: Could I picture this student succeeding on campus? What communities would the applicant likely join? Would the student be a good fit for my school? How did the application stand out against others that I had read? What was exciting about the stories being told? The answers to these questions led naturally to my next set of decisions.

6. Your application receives a recommendation and might even get a second read.

Traditionally, college admissions officers can recommend to admit, deny, or waitlist an applicant (options like defer might also be in the mix). In my experience, an application can go on a few different paths after this first read. It may be sent on for a second read, meaning another admissions officer will voice an opinion. Because admissions spaces are so competitive, sending an application directly to the acceptance folder was rare. Senior level admissions staff or the dean of admissions monitored the admit, deny, and waitlist piles to ensure nothing was missed and that institutional priorities were considered. Of course, each institution is unique and will emphasize different values year-to-year—for example, Johns Hopkins might need a bassoon player one admissions cycle, while Northwestern might be looking for more Slavic Studies majors instead. It’s not really as simple as that, but this is part of the reason why you may be accepted at one school and face rejection at another.

Thousands of applicants don’t make the cut in these first few reads. If your application makes it to committee, that’s an accomplishment in itself! But the competition is only going to intensify…

7. If selected, your application is presented at committee and voted on.

Committee is the place where the class is shaped. This is where decisions are made. This is the time when individual admissions officers pitch the most memorable students that they hope to convince the rest of the committee to admit. In my experience, committee is usually a smaller subset of the admissions office, led by senior admissions officers or the dean.

One by one, college admissions officers present the applicants that they feel deserve acceptance . I presented some cases that lasted just a few minutes and some that lasted half an hour. I only brought cases to committee that I was excited about, that stood out, and that I thought would make my institution better. I didn’t always get the decision I wanted for my chosen students, but together we worked towards the greater goal of creating the strongest possible incoming class. Ultimately, decisions were made by vote, consensus, or a feeling in the room. After weeks and weeks of committee, we came to many conclusions, but our work wasn’t done yet.

8. You get in... or you don’t (depending on pull-backs).

One of the hardest parts of working in admissions is a process that I learned as “pull-backs.” Inevitably, each college has only a certain number of admissions slots. College admissions is also a statistics game. Data is analyzed over and over until the incoming class comes together. As this process happens, “pulling-back” potential admits ensures that institutions do not “over admit” their class. Pull-backs can happen in a multitude of ways, but in my experience, I was given the opportunity to look back at my territory and select students for reconsideration by the dean. This did not trigger an automatic rejection or waitlist, but the process did make applicants vulnerable. The dean’s goal of a well-rounded class took into account a myriad of variables, situations, goals, and institutional interests. Once the data returned clean, everything would be frozen until decision day. On that day, we stayed late after work and watched the decisions go out, eagerly thinking about our favorite students receiving their acceptances.

This is a very hard job! I absolutely loved my time in admissions and it was an honor to shape the institutions where I worked. Now that I work with students on the other side of the process at InGenius Prep, here is my advice: you cannot control this process, but you can be smart and deliberate about your path. Find a set of schools that really fit you. Create a solid foundation and a theme that helps the admission officer get to know you well. Make yourself memorable and easy to present in committee. If you can do that, you’ll find success.

Tags : college admissions , Admissions Committee , Admissions Officers , college admissions advice , officers , former admissions officers

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10 Guidelines for Highly Readable College Essays

You’ve probably had this happen to you — after reading for a long time, the lines start to blur together, and you look at the words on the page, but they don’t register in your brain. 

Admissions officers deal with this daily, as they have to scan through thousands of applications each cycle. The volume of applications makes it all the more important to write an essay that’s highly readable, both in terms of physical readability, and how engaging your story is. 

In this post, we’ll share our top 10 tips for writing a college essay that will make admissions officers pay attention.

How to Write a Readable College Essay

1. start your essay with an engaging introduction..

Do you sometimes close out of a video or article because the introduction was boring? With so many things vying for our attention in the modern world, it’s important for introductions to grab our attention right away. This is equally true for college essays.

You want the first lines of your essay to make us want to read more. Some ways to do that are using dialogue, or starting your essay in media res , in the middle of action. 

Here’s an example of an essay introduction that uses dialogue and the technique of in media res .

“1…2…3…4 pirouettes! New record!” My friends cheered as I landed my turns. Pleased with my progress, I gazed down at my worn-out pointe shoes. The sweltering blisters, numbing ice-baths, and draining late-night practices did not seem so bad after all. Next goal: five turns.

And here’s an example of an essay that begins in media res :

Was I no longer the beloved daughter of nature, whisperer of trees? Knee-high rubber boots, camouflage, bug spray—I wore the garb and perfume of a proud wild woman, yet there I was, hunched over the pathetic pile of stubborn sticks, utterly stumped, on the verge of tears. As a child, I had considered myself a kind of rustic princess, a cradler of spiders and centipedes, who was serenaded by mourning doves and chickadees, who could glide through tick-infested meadows and emerge Lyme-free. I knew the cracks of the earth like the scars on my own rough palms. Yet here I was, ten years later, incapable of performing the most fundamental outdoor task: I could not, for the life of me, start a fire. 

You’ll see that with these introductions, we’re plunged into the writer’s world, and we get to observe the moment as it’s happening. This makes it easier to relate to the writer, and also makes us wonder what happens next in the story.

2. Break up long paragraphs.

No one wants to read a huge block of text, and this can be another deterrent from paying attention to your essay. The ideal paragraph length is 3-5 sentences, or 50-100 words. This allows you to separate your ideas and to include natural breaks in your writing. 

For example, let’s take a look again at the previous excerpt from a student’s essay on starting a fire. The introduction would’ve been easier to read with a new paragraph beginning with the “As a child” line. This line is a fitting place to separate paragraphs, as it goes from the present moment to a description of the writer’s childhood.

Was I no longer the beloved daughter of nature, whisperer of trees? Knee-high rubber boots, camouflage, bug spray—I wore the garb and perfume of a proud wild woman, yet there I was, hunched over the pathetic pile of stubborn sticks, utterly stumped, on the verge of tears.

As a child, I had considered myself a kind of rustic princess, a cradler of spiders and centipedes, who was serenaded by mourning doves and chickadees, who could glide through tick-infested meadows and emerge Lyme-free. I knew the cracks of the earth like the scars on my own rough palms. Yet here I was, ten years later, incapable of performing the most fundamental outdoor task: I could not, for the life of me, start a fire.

As you read your draft, go through and see if there are any places you could naturally begin a new paragraph, especially if your paragraphs are long. On the flip side, do make sure that not every paragraph is super short. While having one or two standalone lines is fine for dramatic effect, it can look gimmicky to have too many, and it will also diminish their impact.

3. Include dialogue in your anecdotes to bring readers into the moment. 

Dialogue is a powerful tool not only at the beginning of your essay, but also throughout. You can and should use it any time you want to draw attention to what specifically was said, or to bring your essay to a specific moment. 

Using dialogue tends to be much more engaging than summarizing what was said in your own words. Take this excerpt as an example:

No dialogue: My brother told me that I ruined his life. After months of quiet anger, my brother finally confronted me. To my shame, I had been appallingly ignorant of his pain.

With dialogue: “You ruined my life!” After months of quiet anger, my brother finally confronted me. To my shame, I had been appallingly ignorant of his pain.

Between the two excerpts, the first feels more like a summary of events than a real glimpse into the writer’s life. Adding dialogue takes the reader to the specific moment that the brother actually uttered those words. 

Of course, dialogue should also be used judiciously, as dialogue can’t always reveal important details like your thoughts during a conversation, what the setting was like, or how you felt. Too much of anything is never a good thing, even if it’s a useful writing technique. (Of course, you could make your essay primarily dialogue if you write it in the form of a script for a movie, but that’s a whole other story).

4. Show, don’t tell. 

You may also know this technique as “indirect characterization” from your English class. If you want to describe a personality trait or event, highlight it through your actions, thoughts, and feelings instead of explicitly stating it. Otherwise, your essay will just read like a report of your experiences, which is boring. 

Here’s an example: say you want to say that someone is arrogant. 

If you were “telling” or “directly characterizing” them, you’d write: Bill is arrogant.

If you were “showing” or “indirectly characterizing,” you’d write: Bill swaggered into the meeting late, with his perpetual sly grin. He shooed the presenter away and shut off the projector. “Hey my dudes, I have a killer idea you just won’t believe. It’s my greatest idea yet, and it’s gonna change the world.” Accustomed to Bill’s exaggerated claims, those in attendance gave each other knowing looks.

While the second version is longer, it gives us a better understanding of Bill’s personality, and it’s much easier to relate to the situation. Simply stating that someone is X or Y trait, or summarizing how something happened, is much less illustrative. As you’re writing, think about ways you can use anecdotes to convey what you want, as these are more engaging.

5. Use impeccable grammar and spelling.

This should go without saying, especially since college admissions officers also use your essay to gauge your writing skills. If your essay has several misspelled words or uses improper grammar, it could make an otherwise engaging essay unreadable.

Use spell check, take the time to proofread carefully, and ask others to give you feedback. And before you submit, print your essay out and read it aloud with a pen in your hand. You’d be surprised at the typos you catch. After you read a document over and over, you start to fill in the words that should be there, and can easily miss a mistake.

6. Vary the length of your sentences.

The best essays flow almost rhythmically. If you use too many short sentences, your essay will feel choppy. If all your sentences are long, readers may get lost or bored. 

You don’t have to alternate short or long sentences in a robotic pattern, but try to naturally incorporate varied sentence length. Similar to the tip about paragraph length, break up any sections with many long sentences by creating new, shorter sentences out of the originals. To do this effectively, choose points where the writing shifts, whether that’s in terms of ideas, time periods, or the subject.

7. Make sure that your essay is logically consistent throughout.

It’s important that different parts of your essay don’t contradict each other. For example, if you describe yourself as shy in one section, don’t paint yourself as outgoing later on, unless it’s clear there was a period of change or personal growth. 

This point is especially important if you’re writing a more academic essay, like the fourth Common App prompt . This prompt asks you to describe a problem you’d like to solve, its personal significance, and potential solutions. Say you want to write your essay on food waste, and your argument is that most of the waste is happening at the production/corporate level, and is due to improper distribution. In this case, don’t write your entire essay on ways individuals can reduce their food waste.

8. Be consistent with your use of slang, acronyms, etc.

Similarly, your language should be as consistent as possible. For example if you use an acronym to describe an organization, you might spell it out the first time with the acronym in parentheses, i.e. “National Honor Society (NHS),” but use the acronym the rest of the time. 

Or, if you use slang like “gonna” in your dialogue, keep using it in the rest of the dialogue, unless the person speaking actually has a more formal tone (which you should make clear). Of course, keep in mind that you probably shouldn’t be using slang like “gonna” in parts of your essay that aren’t dialogue. 

You can, however, use contractions, and they can be a great way to not only lower your character count, but also make your essay feel more conversational. Just be sure to stay consistent with them as well.

9. Avoid excessive repetition of words and phrases.

If you find yourself using the same word over and over again in your essay, consider using synonyms, or rephrasing the sentence. An exception, of course, would be repetition for emphasis. In that case, it should be clear that the repetition is intentional. Otherwise, using the same words and phrases can come off as lazy, and your writing can seem unpolished.

10. Make sure that your verb tenses are consistent. 

Use the same tense throughout your essay, or make sure that there are clear lines of demarcation where you shift tenses. There are few reasons to need to shift tenses, but the most common one is incorporating flashbacks into your essay, or changing time periods. In that case, it would make sense to use present tense for the most recent time period, and past tense for the less recent one.

Here’s an example of an essay that does a good job shifting tenses:

Night had robbed the academy of its daytime colors, yet there was comfort in the dim lights that cast shadows of our advances against the bare studio walls. Silhouettes of roundhouse kicks, spin crescent kicks, uppercuts and the occasional butterfly kick danced while we sparred. She approached me, eyes narrowed with the trace of a smirk challenging me. “Ready spar!” Her arm began an upward trajectory targeting my shoulder, a common first move. I sidestepped — only to almost collide with another flying fist. Pivoting my right foot, I snapped my left leg, aiming my heel at her midsection. The center judge raised one finger. 

There was no time to celebrate, not in the traditional sense at least. Master Pollard gave a brief command greeted with a unanimous “Yes, sir” and the thud of 20 hands dropping-down-and-giving-him-30, while the “winners” celebrated their victory with laps as usual. 

Three years ago, seven-thirty in the evening meant I was a warrior. It meant standing up straighter, pushing a little harder, “Yes, sir” and “Yes, ma’am”, celebrating birthdays by breaking boards, never pointing your toes, and familiarity. Three years later, seven-thirty in the morning meant I was nervous. 

The room is uncomfortably large. The sprung floor soaks up the checkerboard of sunlight piercing through the colonial windows. The mirrored walls further illuminate the studio and I feel the light scrutinizing my sorry attempts at a pas de bourrée, while capturing the organic fluidity of the dancers around me. “Chassé en croix, grand battement, pique, pirouette.” I follow the graceful limbs of the woman in front of me, her legs floating ribbons, as she executes what seems to be a perfect ronds de jambes. Each movement remains a negotiation. With admirable patience, Ms. Tan casts me a sympathetic glance.   

There is no time to wallow in the misery that is my right foot. Taekwondo calls for dorsiflexion; pointed toes are synonymous with broken toes. My thoughts drag me into a flashback of the usual response to this painful mistake: “You might as well grab a tutu and head to the ballet studio next door.” Well, here I am Master Pollard, unfortunately still following your orders to never point my toes, but no longer feeling the satisfaction that comes with being a third degree black belt with 5 years of experience quite literally under her belt. It’s like being a white belt again — just in a leotard and ballet slippers. 

But the appetite for new beginnings that brought me here doesn’t falter. It is only reinforced by the classical rendition of “Dancing Queen” that floods the room and the ghost of familiarity that reassures me that this new beginning does not and will not erase the past. After years spent at the top, it’s hard to start over. But surrendering what you are only leads you to what you may become. In Taekwondo, we started each class reciting the tenets: honor, courtesy, integrity, perseverance, self-control, courage, humility, and knowledge, and I have never felt that I embodied those traits more so than when I started ballet. 

The thing about change is that it eventually stops making things so different. After nine different schools, four different countries, three different continents, fluency in Tamil, Norwegian, and English, there are more blurred lines than there are clear fragments. My life has not been a tactfully executed, gold medal-worthy Taekwondo form with each movement defined, nor has it been a series of frappés performed by a prima ballerina with each extension identical and precise, but thankfully it has been like the dynamics of a spinning back kick, fluid, and like my chances of landing a pirouette, unpredictable.

The shift of tenses in this essay is very clear, and it marks a transition from seven years ago to the present day.

Final Thoughts

The readability of your essay is just as important as the content. If your essay is hard to read, it’s unlikely that admissions officers will pay attention. Follow these tips to present your essay in the best possible light, and to make it as engaging as possible. With that, we wish you the best of luck on your essays!

For more inspiration and advice on your college essays, check out these posts:

How to Format and Structure Your College Essay

11 Cliché College Essay Topics + How to Fix Them

How to Use Literary Devices to Enhance Your Essay

Want help with your college essays to improve your admissions chances? Sign up for your free CollegeVine account and get access to our essay guides and courses. You can also get your essay peer-reviewed and improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays.

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How to Format A College Essay: 15 Expert Tips

College Essays

When you're applying to college, even small decisions can feel high-stakes. This is especially true for the college essay, which often feels like the most personal part of the application. You may agonize over your college application essay format: the font, the margins, even the file format. Or maybe you're agonizing over how to organize your thoughts overall. Should you use a narrative structure? Five paragraphs?

In this comprehensive guide, we'll go over the ins and outs of how to format a college essay on both the micro and macro levels. We'll discuss minor formatting issues like headings and fonts, then discuss broad formatting concerns like whether or not to use a five-paragraph essay, and if you should use a college essay template.

How to Format a College Essay: Font, Margins, Etc.

Some of your formatting concerns will depend on whether you will be cutting and pasting your essay into a text box on an online application form or attaching a formatted document. If you aren't sure which you'll need to do, check the application instructions. Note that the Common Application does currently require you to copy and paste your essay into a text box.

Most schools also allow you to send in a paper application, which theoretically gives you increased control over your essay formatting. However, I generally don't advise sending in a paper application (unless you have no other option) for a couple of reasons:

Most schools state that they prefer to receive online applications. While it typically won't affect your chances of admission, it is wise to comply with institutional preferences in the college application process where possible. It tends to make the whole process go much more smoothly.

Paper applications can get lost in the mail. Certainly there can also be problems with online applications, but you'll be aware of the problem much sooner than if your paper application gets diverted somehow and then mailed back to you. By contrast, online applications let you be confident that your materials were received.

Regardless of how you will end up submitting your essay, you should draft it in a word processor. This will help you keep track of word count, let you use spell check, and so on.

Next, I'll go over some of the concerns you might have about the correct college essay application format, whether you're copying and pasting into a text box or attaching a document, plus a few tips that apply either way.

Formatting Guidelines That Apply No Matter How You End Up Submitting the Essay:

Unless it's specifically requested, you don't need a title. It will just eat into your word count.

Avoid cutesy, overly colloquial formatting choices like ALL CAPS or ~unnecessary symbols~ or, heaven forbid, emoji and #hashtags. Your college essay should be professional, and anything too cutesy or casual will come off as immature.

Mmm, delicious essay...I mean sandwich.

Why College Essay Templates Are a Bad Idea

You might see college essay templates online that offer guidelines on how to structure your essay and what to say in each paragraph. I strongly advise against using a template. It will make your essay sound canned and bland—two of the worst things a college essay can be. It's much better to think about what you want to say, and then talk through how to best structure it with someone else and/or make your own practice outlines before you sit down to write.

You can also find tons of successful sample essays online. Looking at these to get an idea of different styles and topics is fine, but again, I don't advise closely patterning your essay after a sample essay. You will do the best if your essay really reflects your own original voice and the experiences that are most meaningful to you.

College Application Essay Format: Key Takeaways

There are two levels of formatting you might be worried about: the micro (fonts, headings, margins, etc) and the macro (the overall structure of your essay).

Tips for the micro level of your college application essay format:

• Always draft your essay in a word processing software, even if you'll be copy-and-pasting it over into a text box.
• If you are copy-and-pasting it into a text box, make sure your formatting transfers properly, your paragraphs are clearly delineated, and your essay isn't cut off.
• If you are attaching a document, make sure your font is easily readable, your margins are standard 1-inch, your essay is 1.5 or double-spaced, and your file format is compatible with the application specs.
• There's no need for a title unless otherwise specified—it will just eat into your word count.

Tips for the macro level of your college application essay format :

• There is no super-secret college essay format that will guarantee success.
• In terms of structure, it's most important that you have an introduction that makes it clear where you're going and a conclusion that wraps up with a main point. For the middle of your essay, you have lots of freedom, just so long as it flows logically!
• I advise against using an essay template, as it will make your essay sound stilted and unoriginal.

Plus, if you use a college essay template, how will you get rid of these medieval weirdos?

What's Next?

Still feeling lost? Check out our total guide to the personal statement , or see our step-by-step guide to writing the perfect essay .

If you're not sure where to start, consider these tips for attention-grabbing first sentences to college essays!

And be sure to avoid these 10 college essay mistakes .

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Ellen has extensive education mentorship experience and is deeply committed to helping students succeed in all areas of life. She received a BA from Harvard in Folklore and Mythology and is currently pursuing graduate studies at Columbia University.

Ask a Question Below

Have any questions about this article or other topics? Ask below and we'll reply!

Do admissions officers read the entire essay?

Hi! I was wondering if admissions officers will read the entire essay that you send in or if they just read the first sentence and decide to continue reading or toss it. For example, if you started an essay out with something to contrast with the rest of the essay, would that be effective?

http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/2027094-essays-really-do-colleges-have-that-time-and-effort-p1.html

Try to remember, you’re not writing this for a high school English teacher or the SAT. It’s your college app and not the time to play wutj style or artifice.

Write it as if an admissions officer is going to read the whole essay. There is no way for any of us to tell you whether or not admissions folks read every single word of every essay. Make sure your essay is straightforward and true to who you are. Don’t overthink or try too hard to be unique.

I have a slightly different take on this. Given the huge number of applications each AO is initially responsible for, just as a function of time and effort management, I suspect some app’s are tossed based purely on the applicant not hitting some objective thresholds in grades and test scores. There are probably also a very limited number of applications that go to the admit pile with a relative cursory reading of much of the file based on some combination of objective stat’s, extremely strong hooks (e.g. athletic recruit, scion of major donor, etc…) and/or truly unique and outstanding accomplishments. This leaves us with the vast number of academically qualified applicants, maybe 15-20 thousand plus, where the hard choices are made. Given the statistics we can see from other highly competitive schools that have broken out acceptance rates by test scores and HS record (e.g. https://admission.stanford.edu/apply/selection/profile16.html ; https://www.brown.edu/admission/undergraduate/explore/admission-facts – the Brown stats are particularly granular), we see that higher objective stat’s students are admitted at a materially higher rate, in other words the system is not one where once you hit the minimum hurdle, all applicants are “equal”. While there is going to be some level of correlation between high stat’s candidates who get better LoR’s and write better essays, the differences in acceptance rates and percent of matriculates suggests higher stat candidates have an advantage.

So now we have to speculate as to why a “1450” candidate gets in when “1540” candidates do not assuming similar HS grades/rigor. Obviously it is down to the LoR’s, essays and EC’s (putting aside remaining hooks like URM, first gen, legacy etc…). Of these 3 things, the only one that is fully within the control of the applicant at the time of the application are the essays. So my advice would be, the further down the objective stat’s range you are, the more you have to write an essay that will grab an AO’s attention, especially in the first paragraph. So if you are well below the median in objective stat’s, I say “go big or go home” in your essay. If you are above the median, a more conservative approach is probably warranted. Obviously write the best essay that you can to advocate yourself and your fit with the school, but you might want to avoid going out on limbs that may get attention, but not necessarily in a good way.

BK your analysis is excellent and well-put.

I would say that the advice from lookingforward and me may reflect some exposure to various applicant’s efforts to be “creative” and “unique.” A little Strunk and White could go far.

I think we all agree, just putting it a little differently. To the original poster, your essay will most likely be read in its entirety if admissions is on the fence about you, as BK said.

In general, an essay is pretty neutral. A really bad one can harm, and really outstanding one can help, but, for the reasons outlined by BK, most have much less effect on admissions than commonly thought.

So don’t stress and most of all, be yourself.

@compmom , further to your point on the relative importance of the three “subjectives”, in recent conversations I have had with 2 senior AO’s at Yale and the AO responsible for the region where I live, when the subject came up of what differentiates candidates all with super competitive HS records and test scores, the LoR’s came up immediately. This makes a lot of sense as these are independent opinions coming from the most part professional educators. The highly selective schools want students that will “make a difference” – it could be leadership, inspiration, intellectual power, anything that makes a strong personal mark with the LoR writer. If you cannot truly stand out in the small pond of a HS environment, it says a lot about your prospect of making a positive difference in college. When the topic turned to essays, it was also interesting to hear that they are looking for the voice of a 17/18 year old telling a story consistent with all the other parts of their app, not a polished essay of a “47 year old lawyer”.

Excellent post BK!

I agree about letters of recommendation, including those outside of school when relevant (for arts supplement for instance).

And about the voice of a young person, not the polish…if only everyone got that!

@compmom @BKSquared thank you both so much! This post has been incredibly helpful.

College Admissions Opportunity: Skip the Application

Your Future Starts Here- Streamline Your Path to College with College Board Direct Admissions

Direct Admission

The college application process can feel overwhelming. But it doesn’t have to be. College Board is offering the class of 2025 a direct entry point to the college admissions process – where colleges come to you.

Direct Admissions Program: What is it?

The new College Board Direct Admissions program is about making college more accessible and less stressful for students like you who have proven their potential in high school. The program provides you with the opportunity to receive a preliminary college admissions offer from a participating college. If you decide to participate, you can skip the long application, essays and the waiting. Now available to the class of 2025, the program has a number of U.S. nonprofit colleges and universities that are ready to find students that may be a good fit for their school.

Perks: Why should you consider it?

✔ Get exposure to colleges that match your interests and receive personalized preliminary admissions offers earlier 

✔ Replace the lengthy application with a quick profile about you  

✔ Skip the essays and recommendation letters   

✔ Get more time to plan for college and finances  

✔ Eliminate college application fees  

 ✔ Protects your privacy first   

Now Open to the Class of 2025: Opt in by October 18

The free program is open to U.S. high school students in the graduating class of 2025. You can opt in by completing a short profile by October 18th, 2024*. Take 5 minutes to share about your GPA, interest in majors, campus preferences, and more. 

By early November, you’ll be notified of any preliminary offers of admission with clear next steps. These are non-binding offers which means you are not automatically enrolled and the choice is yours whether to accept. Check back this fall for resources to help you make that choice and chat with your counselors or a caring adult for more support. 

If you do not receive an offer from an institution or from one you were interested in, you can always apply during the traditional application cycle.   

*A student’s personally identifiable information is never shared with participating colleges.  

The process is efficient and effective. It is very nice to see colleges that already accepted you without having to fill out a traditional college application. 

Class of 2024 DA student

Frequently Asked Questions

Calculate for all schools

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

Hey guys! I'm a junior, and I'm starting to think about my college essays. I've heard that admissions officers sometimes don't read the essays, and I'm wondering if that's true. How important are essays in the admissions process? Thanks for your help!

Hey there! I can understand why you might be concerned about whether or not your essays will be read. My child went through the college application process not too long ago, and we had similar questions. From our experience and the research we did, it seems like most colleges do indeed read the essays submitted by applicants. Essays play a significant role in the admissions process, particularly for more competitive schools. They provide an opportunity for the admissions officers to get to know you beyond your grades and test scores, and it's a chance for you to showcase your personality, goals, and experiences. The importance of essays may vary slightly depending on the school and the applicant pool, but overall, they are an essential part of the process. I would recommend investing time and effort into your essays to make sure they are well-written and genuinely reflect who you are. It can make a big difference in your application! Best of luck with your college journey!

About CollegeVine’s Expert FAQ

CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.