Duke University, for example, just announced this week that they filled up 44% of their freshman class in Early Decision (admitting 753). There are now only 950 places left to fill...from 29,000 Regular Decision applicants.
Do the math. Tsunami alert.
It's important then with college admission realities like this to keep perspective, take a student-centered approach, foster an open mind, and choose wisely.
Finally, it's important that you (the student) debunk myths.
The most pervasive myth in our culture
is that only certain schools will prepare people for success.
Tell that to over half of our U.S.
Senators. They graduated from public
universities.
Tell that to 43 of
the top 50 CEO’s in the world.
They graduated from schools other than Ivies.
Tell that to Condoleezza Rice – a graduate of Denver
University.
Or Stephen Spielberg. He was rejected from USC three
times. He graduated from Cal State
Long Beach.
Tom Hanks. He attended Colby Community
college.
Or Sam Presti, the
Thunder’s GM - an Emerson College graduate.
Or our beloved Dr. Powell, head of the Casady English department - a University of Redlands (CA)
graduate.
Part of the genius of America is that genius can come from anywhere.
In fact most of the greatest success stories in the West are about people who came out of nowhere as "nobodies" and through grit, hard work, perseverance, sheer determination and luck became the "somebodies" that they are.
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Undoubtedly, white squalls will form.
There will be scary moments in the college process.
But stay the course.
You just wait and see.
