Application Process

Policy on College Applications
To encourage ambition, realistic self-assessment, and involved, committed research; The College Office recognizes the importance of a student's crafting a balanced list of six to eight schools--two or three "reach" colleges, two or three "profile" schools, and two from the "likely" category. Our recent experience with a wide variety of colleges and our knowledge of trends in higher education will help determine which schools fall into each category for each student.

The College Office strives to make the process of submitting applications as efficient as possible. Students simply submit completed applications along with a transcript request form ("Pink Sheet") to Mrs. Klesik two weeks before the deadline in order to ensure its timely submission. Each application is accompanied by supporting documents from our office, including the counselor recommendation, teacher recommendations, the transcript, grade distributions and other academic summary information. Students are responsible for asking teachers for recommendations well in advance of the deadlines, and for arranging through the appropriate testing service for sending of their SAT I/SAT II/ACT/TOEFL scores to the appropriate schools. For students applying online, the critical element is filling out and submitting the Pink Sheet in a timely fashion to the College Office. In that way, we will have a record of the online submission and can send out the support materials to meet the appropriate deadlines.

Occasionally, some students choose to apply to a large number of schools. For some students, this practice is warranted and may be suggested by the counselor. For most students, however, a long list of applications suggests that the student is applying without focus. Given the demands of many applications, we feel it is impossible to do a good job on 13 or 14 applications and maintain a good record in the classroom. By extension, the "shotgun theory"--sending applications to many of the most competitive schools under the assumption that the law of averages will yield at least one acceptance-- is misguided and ultimately detrimental to the student's college process. Accordingly, except when further applications are supported by the College Office, a fee of $35.00, payable to Blair Academy, must accompany each application beyond the tenth.

Regarding Early Decision/Early Action applications, we will now more strongly encourage students to make early application to their first choice school. Recent experience tells us that in many cases students can improve their chances of gaining admission to their first choice school by applying early. We don't mean to suggest that students should feel "pressured" into applying early to a school they are unsure about. At all but the most competitive schools in the country, where gaining admission is most difficult at any juncture of the process, it seems the case that students can enhance their chances somewhat by applying early decision. Of course, Blair students considering early programs are expected to adhere to the guidelines set by those schools regarding their matriculation policies. Confusion often surrounds the particulars of early programs; please contact your son's or daughter's counselor for help with specific questions regarding such policies or about any aspect of the regular application process.

Lewis M. Stival
Dean of College Counseling

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