February
2008
Colleges May Reconsider Admission
Can colleges change their minds about admitting a student? They can and they do!
The senior pictures are taken, graduation cake is ordered, you even have been in touch with your college roommate and decided who is bringing what. Then, you get a letter stating the college is no longer interested in you. What could cause this? Plenty.
Reason #1: Grades have dramatically slipped. Senioritis can be hard to fight off. Grade point average has now slipped below the accepted g.p.a. Since you no longer fit the criteria for admission and scholarships, you have been rejected….after being accepted. The college assumes that students will maintain their present academic levels. The average student at College ABC carries a 3.6 g.p.a. You carried a 3.4 but the college accepted you assuming you would continue to maintain a 3.4 or do even better. You let it slip to a 3.1 by skipping classes or not doing homework. You are now below the admission standard that the college has set. They don’t think you will be successful there.
Reason #2: You are not taking college prep classes but you told the college you would. That AP class they demand for admission just didn’t happen on your part. You didn’t think they were serious. When the transcripts are sent, you lack math, science and English that the college prefers to see. You were told you would be accepted based on the information you gave the college. Because you didn’t follow through on your end, the college does not intend to follow through on their end, either.
MySpace and YouTube
Reason #3: Colleges are now randomly going to Google and typing in prospective college students’ names. This is likely to happen only 20% of the time and usually for scholarship competition, not admission. However, up pops your name. First page shows you on the high school softball team. The second page opens to your MySpace website. And, don’t you look lovely in that skimpy swimming suit holding a large bottle of Capt. Morgan? The second picture is even more impressive---you are obviously drunk with profanities written below the picture. While this may have been funny at the moment if you were applying for Party Girl of the Year; but, you have applied for Character and Leadership scholarships. The college has quickly decided that you don’t deserve the Character Award. It would have reduced college expenses by $8000 and it went to someone else.
Forever
What many students do not realize is that what is posted to the internet, including emails, is permanent. That skimpy outfit at a slumber party may just end up on a pornography site for your employer or cousins to find 8 years later. The picture just got circulated long after you thought it was off the internet. It is there after you delete email and the MySpace website. If you decide to apply for a security position, it can be found. If you decide to go into law enforcement, it can be found. If you plan to run for public office, it can be found. Today’s fun can become tomorrow’s nightmare.
Mrs. Barb Pytel
K-8 Counselor
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