Author: Rick Clark

Rick Clark is the Executive Director of Strategic Student Access at Georgia Tech. He has served on a number of national advisory and governing boards at the state, regional, and national level. Rick travels annually to U.S. embassies through the Department of State to discuss the admission process and landscape of higher education. He is the co-author of the book The Truth about College Admission: A Family Guide to Getting In and Staying Together, and a companion workbook published under the same title. A native of Atlanta, he earned a B.A. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a M.Ed. from Georgia State University. Prior to coming to Tech, Rick was on the admissions staff at Georgia State, The McCallie School and Wake Forest University. @clark2college

Seniors, Can We ChatGPT?

Last week I wrote a piece for rising juniors about how they could consider using generative AI platforms such as ChatGPT and others in order to assist in their college search. The takeaway is that these tools are helpful for brainstorming, iterating, and sparking thought and reactions, which is essentially what the college search, application, and selection process should be.

The responses I received via email and direct message were… mixed.

A few were extremely appreciative– another good resource and a helpful way to open students’ minds to choices and options.

Others were- let’s just say- less appreciative. Everything from references to an “unchecked Pandora’s Box” to some straight up vitriol. Welcome to the world of blogs and social media.

Undeterred, this one is for high school seniors.

Here is what we know

The Common Application does not have a policy for students on using Artificial Intelligence. In fact, if you enter “AI” into their platform’s search, only a list of colleges come up: American International College, College of St. Scholastica, The Citadel, Colby College, Lawrence University. FYI- that’s a very different list than the same prompt on ChatGPT, which again points to the concept of using a variety of sources and resources in your college search, application, and selection process.
Colleges are unlikely to have uniform policies on the use of AI that cuts across their entire student body. They’ll largely leave guidance and appropriate use to individual professors and courses.
Most admission offices have not published guidance for applicants or provided public information on how AI should or should not be incorporated as you work on applications, or supplemental questions, etc.
Most high school students are using AI to some extent for personal or academic purposes.
Colleges want applications that are full of details, specifics, and insight into who you are, how you think, what you have learned, and what you care about.

So, in hopes of bridging the void and advancing the conversation, as well as giving students, counselors, parents, and school communities (on the K-12 and higher ed side) something to react and respond to (one of AIs biggest value adds), we consulted with experts on campus- specifically Dr. David Joyner in our College of Computing- in order to develop this framework- Georgia Tech’s applicant AI guidance.

Tools like ChatGPT, Bard and other AI-based assistance programs are powerful and valuable tools. We believe there is a place for them in helping you generate ideas, but your ultimate submission should be your own. As with all other sources, you should not copy and paste content you did not create directly into your application. Instead, if you choose to utilize AI-based assistance while working on your writing submissions for Georgia Tech, we encourage you to take the same approach you would when collaborating with people. Use it to brainstorm, edit, and refine your ideas. AI can also be a useful tool as you consider how to construct your resume in the Activities portion of the Common Application. We think AI could be a helpful collaborator, particularly when you do not have access to other assistance to help you complete your application.

The Activities Section. (Hat tip to my colleague Mary Tipton Woolley for her experimentation with this portion.)

At Georgia Tech, we call this Contribution to Community. We are looking for students to demonstrated “The Three I’s”- Involvement, Impact, and Influence. We talk about this in info sessions, write about it on this blog, and even include guidance and insight, including videos on our website. Still, sometimes students struggle to think through what they’ve done and how to describe that in the boxes provided on college applications.

Here was my prompt: can you help me put my work at Subway into the extracurricular activities into the common application

ChatGPT response:

Absolutely! Including your work experience at Subway in the extracurricular activities section of the Common Application is a great way to showcase your skills, responsibilities, and dedication. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to do it:

Title and Description: Start by giving your extracurricular activity a title. For example, you can write “Subway Employment” or “Subway Crew Member.” Be clear and concise. Then, write a brief description of your role and responsibilities at Subway. Highlight your key achievements and contributions.
Organization Name: Mention “Subway” as the organization name.
Position/Role: You can list your position or role, such as “Crew Member” or any other relevant title.
Time Commitment: Specify the duration of your employment at Subway. Mention the start date and, if applicable, the end date. If you are still working there, you can write “Ongoing” or “Present.”
Hours per Week: Mention the average number of hours you worked per week at Subway. This gives colleges an idea of your time management skills.
Key Responsibilities: List some of your main responsibilities and tasks at Subway. Highlight skills and qualities you developed while working there. For example:
Provided excellent customer service and ensured customer satisfaction.
Prepared and served food items according to Subway’s standards.
Operated the cash register and handled financial transactions.
Maintained cleanliness and sanitation of the store.
Collaborated with the team to achieve daily sales targets.
Achievements: If you received any awards or recognition during your time at Subway, be sure to mention them. For example, if you were recognized as the “Employee of the Month” or received positive feedback from customers or managers.
Personal Growth: Reflect on how your experience at Subway contributed to your personal growth. Did you develop communication skills, learn to work in a fast-paced environment, or improve your problem-solving abilities? Colleges value personal growth and development.
Skills Gained: Highlight the skills you gained or improved through this experience. These could include customer service, teamwork, time management, responsibility, or any other relevant skills.
Impact and Learning: Explain how your work at Subway influenced your academic or career goals, and what valuable lessons you learned from this experience.

And then it closed with: Remember to be honest and authentic while describing your experience at Subway. Admissions officers appreciate genuine experiences that showcase your growth and development. Including work experiences like this can demonstrate responsibility, time management, and the ability to balance academics with employment. Good luck with your application!

Well…thank you ChatGPT. I appreciate the integrity and encouragement!

Perfect? Absolutely not. You are not going to have space, nor do you need to delve into “Personal Growth” or “Impact and Learning.” But the rest is helpful, accurate, and fairly thorough.

You’ll also find these tools helpful if you are struggling to fit an activity into the boxes and character count on an application. Rephrasing, reformatting, iterating, and doing so within specific word parameters is a strength of ChatGPT.

College Specific Supplements and Essays

Here is our specific advice:

In the same way you would not copy directly from any other source you may incorporate into the writing process, you should not copy and paste directly out of any AI platform or submit work that you did not originally create. Instead, approach and consider any interaction with an AI tool as a learning experience that may help you generate ideas, provide alternative phrasing options, and organize your thoughts. Ultimately, we want to read and hear your unique and valuable writing style.

The truth is that getting started with anything is hard. Getting out the door to go to the gym or for a run, cleaning the house, or working on a project. Momentum is tough to create, and we all need help at times.

Over the years, I have consistently heard students talk about the dreaded blinking cursor. The tyranny of the blank page. How do I get my thoughts out? How do I figure out what I want to write about or how to phrase things?

Some students have built in resources to help- parents, siblings, teachers, counselors, or other supporting adults around them who they can talk through their activities or essays with. Other students pay for that service and assistance.

AI tools can complement those other resources and fill a void for students who may not have historically had these benefits. This is a good thing.

What I AM saying

ChatGPT can write an essay or supplemental response for you.

Will it have any personal style, unique details, valuable specifics, or soul? No.

Is copying, pasting, and submitting something you did not write ever a good idea? No.

Could reading those before you go to sleep be a helpful substitute for melatonin? Yes.

AND I am also saying that after reading the essay or supplemental prompts, it could be worth asking ChatGPT to generate a response that will help stimulate ideas and ways to improve and personalize your writing. Again, this is a tool, a collaboration, and a way to get started.

What YOU can expect

Perfect grammar. These tools are built off ridiculous amounts of information. The grammar will be impeccable.
Inaccuracies and generic writing. After reading what is produced, it will be very sanitized and relatively boring. It will lack specifics and it will not “sound like me.” Some of the content will simply not be accurate.
A need to revise. Re-enter the prompt adding in details and specifics. When, where, who, why?
Head shaking. Wait… NO. That’s not what I meant. That’s not what happened. That’s not how I want to say it. And simultaneously, YES! That could be a good way to go, or I had not thought about putting it that way.
MOMENTUM! Ok. Now you are rolling. Now your brain is working and you’re homing in on what YOU want to write about. You’ve seen the boring and impersonal way to write about your topic. Now it is time to open that Word document and take some of the lessons you’ve learned and write your own essay or supplemental response.

As I said earlier, colleges want applications that are full of details, specifics, and insight into who you are, how you think, what you have learned, and what you care about. That’s a lot to ask. And it is a process of brainstorming, iterating, uncovering, discovering, ultimately submitting an application that tells your story. It’s a process. While AI does not make a good author, it can be a helpful stimulator, sounding board, collaborator, and momentum generator.

Congratulations on your senior year and getting started with your college applications!

Juniors. Can We Chat(GPT)?

If you are a rising junior, the most important thing you can be doing right now to prepare for college is recharging and heading into the school year rested and ready. Many things have changed in the college admission experience over the last few decades (and weeks), but one that has remained consistent is that your junior year is important.

Junior year courses are challenging, and often you have a heavy academic load as well. Additionally, it is the last entire grade you will complete before applying to and being considered for college (I know. I know. You come here for groundbreaking clarity). Outside the classroom, this year allows you to enhance and impact your school and community in ways you simply could not as a freshman or sophomore.

So, while it makes sense, it does not make hearing “junior year is important” any less annoying. And since you are reading this blog, I’m guessing you’ve heard that comment increasingly as fall approaches. So, you don’t need me to reiterate or expound– and that’s not what I’m here to do.

Nope. Instead, I’m here to remind you of the other primary topic people increasingly bring up as you approach and enter junior year… the colleges you are interested in. I’ve written extensively on this blog and in my book about backing up from “where” and thinking about “why” you want to go to college.

My hope is that this summer, and certainly as the year begins, you will really consider what you most (and least) enjoy about school, your classmates, your opportunities outside the classroom, and how what you have or have not experienced informs the type of place (not the exact school) you want to go for college.

Over the years, I’ve also stressed the importance of: keeping an open mind, listening to a variety of voices, and focusing on choices and options. And this summer, after talking to colleagues, listening to podcasts, and attending a few conferences where AI is being discussed and explained, I’ve come to realize that ChatGPT and other generative AI tools can actually be a great resource helping identify and expand your college search.

Identifying and Expanding Colleges to Consider

Right now, you probably have a few colleges on your mind that you have researched, visited, or are pretty confident you will apply to. That’s perfect. As a rising junior, I am hoping that set of schools continues to grow and change. Starting broad is key and continuing to add and remove colleges from your list based on your earnest goals and interests is the best approach.

So, let’s give it a shot.

Step 1. Write down (maybe using AI enabled voice texting) five of the qualities in a college you are prioritizing. Perhaps that is location, major, size, or a few of the non-academic interests you have. This piece may help with that.

Step 2. Go to ChatGPT (or your platform of choice) and enter those as a prompt.

Since Georgia Tech is adding a new Environmental Science degree this year, I wanted to see if AI was smart enough to pick that up, as well as the other colleges we may overlap with in the region.

Here was my prompt: provide a list of colleges in the south, offer environmental science as a major, have big sports programs, strong study abroad options, and are near cities.

Here were the suggestions:

University of Florida – Gainesville, Florida
University of Georgia – Athens, Georgia
University of Texas at Austin – Austin, Texas
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill – Chapel Hill, North Carolina
University of South Carolina – Columbia, South Carolina
University of Virginia – Charlottesville, Virginia
University of Tennessee – Knoxville, Tennessee
University of Alabama – Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Clemson University – Clemson, South Carolina
Auburn University – Auburn, Alabama

Hmm.. ok. I have questions.

What order are these in? Your guesses/theories are welcome @gtadmission
How are they defining “city?”
Why is Tech not listed?

So… I asked and got this:

As of my knowledge cutoff in September 2021, Georgia Tech does not offer a standalone Bachelor’s degree program specifically in Environmental Science. However, Georgia Tech does have several related programs and initiatives that focus on environmental and sustainability issues.

C’mon, man- it’s mid 2023!

Takeaways: This is a great tool to get the ball rolling and for helping you react to the information provided. It can help you move into more detailed research and evoke responses that are helpful and informative.

Think about this exchange like a conversation with one of your parent’s friends or colleagues about movie or book recs. Generally, they throw out something that resonates, as well as a few you can politely dismiss. And while they may not be 100% accurate in recalling plot, characters, actors, etc., the conversation helps you think about what you are interested in, not interested in—and why. Ultimately, at this point in your college search, that is what you are hoping to accomplish.

Step 3. Broaden Your Funnel. Going back to my particular list, the ten schools suggested was a good start, but I want you to think about ways to expand in order to bring more choices and options up for consideration. For instance, on the list above, all ten are public schools. So I could “Regenerate” or refine the prompt to: include some private colleges; a different state or part of the country; schools with an admit rate over 50%, etc.

Or take your list to your counselor, a teacher, a coach, or another adult supporting you and ask them input, additions, and insight.

Step 4. Amazon Your Experience. I’m sure some of you have learned about or purchased an item, or perhaps watched a show or movie because of the suggestions that came up on your screen (Don’t raise your hand as you read). I get it.

Apply that same mindset here. Again, your goal at this point is to explore. Pick a few colleges you are already considering- or ones that came up in Steps 1-3 above- and ask for additional suggestions based on that college.

For instance, I entered: “What other colleges are similar to Holy Cross?”

And here was the response:

If you’re looking for colleges similar to Holy Cross, which is a private liberal arts college in Worcester, Massachusetts, known for its strong undergraduate education and Catholic affiliation, here are a few institutions that share some similarities:

College of the Holy Cross (Worcester, Massachusetts): Since you mentioned Holy Cross, it’s worth considering similar colleges within the Holy Cross Consortium, such as:

- Georgetown University (Washington, D.C.)
- Loyola University Maryland (Baltimore, Maryland)

Jesuit Colleges: Holy Cross is a Jesuit-affiliated institution, so you may find similarities in other Jesuit colleges that emphasize a well-rounded education and a commitment to social justice. Some examples include:

- Boston College (Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts)
- Fordham University (New York, New York)
- Santa Clara University (Santa Clara, California)
- Loyola University Chicago (Chicago, Illinois)

Liberal Arts Colleges: If you’re interested in the liberal arts focus of Holy Cross, you may want to explore other liberal arts colleges that provide a similar educational experience:

- Williams College (Williamstown, Massachusetts)
- Amherst College (Amherst, Massachusetts)
- Colgate University (Hamilton, New York)
- Bowdoin College (Brunswick, Maine)

Then, it closed with: Remember that each college has its unique characteristics and strengths, so it’s essential to research and visit the campuses to determine the best fit for you.

I like it!

Step 5. Do Your Homework. (Yes, I know it’s summer). Take time to explore the suggestions, confirm the accuracy of the responses, and continue to add or remove schools from your list based on your unique priorities, needs, wants, and so on. AI is a great place to start, brainstorm, and help move you along, so you can go deeper or add detail to your conversations and considerations.

The admission experience (like college and life itself) is about using a variety of resources, considering information and doing your research, as well as doing some legit soul searching, in order to arrive at an informed opinion and an ultimate direction for decision making. So, iterate. Your college list is not meant to be static.

Bonus prompt: “can you recommend a few places to eat lunch near Georgia Tech?”

Answer:

Georgia Institute of Technology (Atlanta):

The Varsity: An Atlanta institution serving classic American fast food, including burgers and hot dogs.
The Flying Biscuit Cafe: Offers Southern-inspired dishes, including biscuits, breakfast items, and comfort food.
Antico Pizza Napoletana: Renowned for its authentic Neapolitan-style pizzas.

OK. ChatGPT, I see you. Not bad. Not bad at all! Almost makes up for not giving Tech its due on Environmental Science.

Let’s Get A Few Things Straight (about College Admission)

There has been a lot of talk in the last few weeks about how much has changed in college admission.

Maybe….

But just like during and following the pandemic, much remains constant. So, let’s get a few things straight.

College Admission is Not Fair. I know some groups may claim to have brought this about with the proverbial wave of a wand or banging of a gavel, but the truth is that no system or process is (or ever will be) fair or perfect. Humans run processes. Humans are imperfect, flawed, and operate in a broken world.

Do not confuse quantitative measures with fairness. I remember when Georgia Tech operated on a purely formulaic basis. We recalculated GPAs so that everyone had a max GPA of 4.0. We did not consider the rigor of the high school, performance of past graduates, or a student’s grade trends. We considered Honors, Magnet, Gifted, AP, IB, Dual Enrollment to all be rigorous and each received an extra .5 bump- again with a max GPA of 4. We effectively “let out the slack” from the top until we had admitted the number of students we needed based on historic yield models.

I’m guessing many of you are already poking holes in how FUBAR this model is– and can likely channel some of the complaints and questions we’d get…

I have all APs and my classmate only took honors level. You’re weighting that the same?

But I had all As in a full IB diploma program and my “friend” only took general courses. Are you telling me that we both end up with a max 4.0?

I made a 1300 on one take with no outside help. My neighbor made a 1200 the first time and then after thousands of dollars in private tutoring ended up with a 1350. That’s going to be the difference? He’s got lower grades than me!!

At the time, I was not the director, but my name was on admission letters for students whose last name started with A-C. As a result, even though I did not agree with how we were making decisions, I was left to defend them.

One of the most memorable cases was a girl in North Georgia who was the valedictorian of her high school. She had taken the toughest classes, made the highest grades, and accomplished all of this while juggling a 25-hour a week job at a local restaurant to help support her family. She was not admitted because her SAT score was 10 points below our threshold that year– 10 points. Meanwhile, we admitted three other kids from that school who had slightly lower grades, less rigorous courses, and less impact on their community, etc. Fair? Hell no. In fact, I can still remember talking to her mom on the phone and having to suppress my own frustration.

Over the years, we have continued to evolve our file review process to make it more contextual and holistic. Academically, we look closely at grade trends, course choice, rigor, high school history, etc. We do not draw hard lines on test scores and we use macro data to help understand student testing context.

And, of course, a great deal of time is spent in committee looking at a student’s involvement, impact, and influence. Still, I’d be the first to say that neither our process, nor any other college’s in the world, is perfectly fair– it’s not possible or designed to be. Instead it’s designed to be comprehensive and thorough, but fair….NO.

There has been a lot of talk lately about checkboxes on applications. Here is one you won’t see on an application but you need to mentally agree to:

“By submitting this application, I understand I may not agree with the decision I receive, the timeline on which I receive that information, or the rationale I get for why the decision was made.”

Mission Drives Admission. Think of your high school. It exists for a purpose. Maybe it’s a public school and is located to intentionally serve kids from your part of the city or county. Maybe you attend a private or religious school. Again, it was founded for a reason and is attempting to attract and enroll students and families centered on that mission. Companies, community centers, organizations… they all have a mission and are making decisions geared toward moving that forward.

As a public school, Georgia Tech’s goal is to enroll 60% of our undergraduates from our state. This means we prioritize Georgians in our entire process. We attend more recruiting events in Georgia than out of state; we set deadlines earlier for our residents, and inform GA applicants of their decisions ahead of non-residents. Tuition is much lower for Georgia kids and our admit rate is three to four times higher for Georgia students than it is for non-Peach staters.

In an attempt to enroll students from all across our state, we have programs like the Georgia Tech Scholars Program for valedictorians and salutatorians. Are there cases where the number three (or thirteen) student at one school is as strong as the salutatorian from another… and yet decisions vary? Yes. Is the average SAT/ACT from out of state/country higher than it is for Georgia students? Yes. Is mission driving admission? Y.E.S.

A college you apply to may be trying to grow a particular major. That is going to influence their admission decisions. Another school is looking to enroll more students (or less) from your region of the country or nation. That will have an impact.

The truth is you are not always going to know these things. What you do know that is institutional missions – not your particular test, GPA, number of APs, or selected essay topic- drives admission.

What does all of this mean for you?

1- Apply to a balanced list of colleges. If your current college list only includes schools with admit rates under 20%, you need to re-think. Applying to more schools with single digit admit rates does not increase your odds of being admitted to one of them. That’s just not how it works.

2- Celebrate your wins. Every time you receive an offer of admission, you need to pause, celebrate, reflect on your hard work, and thank the people around you who’ve made that possible, i.e. friends, family, teachers, counselors, coaches, and so on. As always, hug your mama!

3- Control what you can control. Admission is not fair. And mission drives admission. You cannot control where you get in or how much money they offer you in financial aid. You can control how you receive and process admission decisions. These are not value judgments or predictions of future success. Don’t over index.

You can control how you treat people around you. You cannot control the decisions made in admissions offices you’ll never enter, but you can control the decisions you make in the rooms you enter everyday– your living room, classroom, etc. I hope you’ll make that your mission. Fair?

YOUR College Admissions Playbook

This weekend I watched “American Underdog,” which is about former NFL quarterback Kurt Warner. Some football fans may remember he was undrafted coming out of college at the University of Northern Iowa. In his first shot with a pro team (the Green Bay Packers), he bombed. He was not ready or prepared. Over the course of the next few years, he played Arena League Football in Des Moines, Iowa. It was in those seasons that he studied, learned, grew, and realized what he wanted and why.

Now, I’m not saying you have to watch the movie, move to Iowa, or stock shelves in a supermarket the way he did. But, if you are a rising high school senior, I do believe his story is instructive. When Kurt Warner got his next NFL shot with the St. Louis Rams a few years later, he was ready and ultimately successful. That success, however, came through a process of examination and preparation.

You don’t have a few years before you apply to college—you have a few months. But that is enough because this is not about memorizing and executing a complicated NFL playbook. Instead, I’m boiling your summer college admission application playbook down to five steps.

GET STARTED. I am challenging you to create a Common Application or Coalition Application via Scoir by July 15. The odds are you are going to use one of these platforms to apply to at least one college, and sometimes just getting started is the toughest thing. Whether it be running or writing a paper or doing a chore, the first step is often the one that requires the most energy. But as you know, once the school year starts, you are going to have assignments, practice, work, and tons of other opportunities and obligations as a senior. Knock out the basic biographical information these applications will require now.

CREATE (or UPDATE). If you do not already have one, there are plenty of online templates and resume generators to help you. Again, the summer prior to senior year is the time to do this. Some colleges allow you to upload resumes directly into their application, and with AI tools you can take copy from your resume and easily reformat into the Activities section of college applications.

If you go for a campus visit this summer where an interview is offered, you will want to bring your resume, and ultimately if you are part of scholarship or honors program interviews, you’ll need a refined resume. In our first-year seminar at Georgia Tech, we help students refine resumes because employers, scholarship programs, and research opportunities all expect these. Get ahead when you have capacity this summer.

DRAFT and REVISIT. The Common Application essay prompts are posted. I know the weather is good and sitting in front of a computer is not the first image that pops up when someone says, “Summer.” But your goal in the fall is to be as far out in front of deadlines as possible.

Ultimately, you want to submit an essay that you believe tells more of your story and complements the other information on your application. That’s not going to be done in one sitting—even though we try to tell ourselves, “I do my best work when I’m under pressure.” I’m suggesting you pick a prompt (or two) and knock out a first draft by August 1. Under that timeline, you’ll have plenty of time to revisit your essay, run it by a teacher, counselor, or another trusted adult, and be completely set by October 1 at the latest.

READ and RESEARCH. Since you do not have actual school homework this summer, here is my assignment for the weeks ahead. READ. Think about the colleges you are currently considering and read more about them. Too many students build their list of schools based on rankings, football conferences, or the opinions of others. Read and consider what you learn about a few of the schools you are excited about. Check out their student newspaper, a recent alumni magazine online, or some of the latest stories featuring professors or students.

Ask yourself if what you are seeing excites you, encourages you, and gets you more motivated to apply… or not. This is a gut check. As you are reading, be honest with yourself about why that particular school is of interest and how it landed on your list of colleges to consider.

Extra Credit: Read something you actually want to rather than what has been prescribed to you in school. Take time this summer to check out an article or a book about a topic you want to know more about or understand more deeply. Or maybe an author or a subject you would normally not be interested in or generally disagree with. Too few of us are willing to explore “the other side.” A mindset of curiosity and a posture of willingness to consider will make you a better college applicant and ultimately a better college student.

EDIT and ITERATE. Your first essay draft will not be your best. You will improve your writing by coming back to it with fresh eyes in multiple sittings. Too many students do not look back over their entire application to consider what they have left out or how they can improve the overall submission. But if you follow steps 1-4, you’ll have time to do this. There will be time for a parent, friend, or another adult look over your entire app and ask you questions about why you either did or did not include particular elements. Iterate.

And your college list can (arguably should) be changing this summer too. We are too quick to believe changing our mind is a weakness. Instead, it means you are thinking critically, doing your research, and staying open to what you want, what you learn, and which colleges match and fit your goals and interests. Editing and iterating is a strength. Don’t believe me? Check out Adam Grant’s instructive book or podcast for more on this lifelong skill of re-examining or “thinking again.”

Two Thumbs Up- Another element I loved about the movie was it was clear that Kurt Warner was having fun playing football. There was pressure but he did not look at it like a job. Instead, it was a privilege and an opportunity. That’s what this is, my friends- a privilege and opportunity. My hope is you’ll have fun visiting, researching, and ultimately applying to college. Sound crazy? Sound impossible? See: Kurt Warner.

Stay Curious

Early on in my time at Georgia Tech, a colleague received an email from a prospective student with a full signature line, including an inspirational quote at the bottom. I’m sure you have seen these before.

Typically, it looks something like this:

George P. Burdell
King of Georgia Tech
“You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.”

In most cases, you immediately recognize the quote (like the one above) or the person to whom it’s attributed. In my experience, Gandhi, MLK, Mother Teresa, or a dead politician or author are fairly common.

This particular situation had us curious because:

Most high school students don’t have signature lines.
Neither the quote nor the person to whom it was attributed were familiar.

So, we discussed, we debated, and we Googled. Finally, after extensive investigative research, we connected the dots. The mystery person who uttered these inspiring words was… the applicant’s dad—the different last name threw us off initially, but once we figured this out… it was on. For a good month, every internal email we sent included a quote from our own parents or close relatives.

“Don’t make me pull this car over.”

“Failing to plan means planning to fail.”

“This hurts me more than it hurts you.”

There were a few absolute gems. But it also led to some really personal conversations about our relationships with parents and some of the wise, interesting, and influential things they shared with us growing up.

Now, I’m not proposing you create a formal signature line for your emails during high school or walk around quoting your dad, but I do think this story is instructive. The truth is I cannot recall any of the other signature line quotes I’ve read over the years, but this one is emblazoned in my memory. Why? Because it was not familiar. And as a result, it led us to ask questions, research, and ultimately have enriching, bonding conversations.

A college search and selection process done right opens these doors for discovery and connection too. As a prospective student, my hope is you will stay curious, ask lots of questions, use your resources, and have open, honest conversations with the people around you about what you are learning.

In hopes of getting you started, here are a few accessible and available tools you may not have considered yet in your college search and selection experience.

College Scorecard– This site is hosted by the U.S. Department of Education. It is an increasingly valuable tool for searching for schools by academic program, size, cost, location, and other factors. It does a very good job providing details on price, median career earnings, graduation rates, and retention data, which often are tough to find on individual admission or university homepages. As you are researching where to visit or apply, the Scorecard comparison feature is helpful because it is easy to tailor based on a variety of factors. And it will give you data to consider or metrics to compare that you may not have previously encountered or factored. My hope is you will use this along the way, whether it be prior to visiting, applying, or deciding on a college.

ChatGPT– Based on their historically glacial rate of change and adaptation, I do not expect Common Application to include instructive language about the use of AI this year. So, there is no need to stare helplessly at a blinking cursor on the screen. One of generative AI’s greatest strengths is facilitating brainstorming and iteration.

There are seven prompts to choose from in the cycle ahead, so let’s assume you pick this one: Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?

Include a few bullet points of your ideas and be sure to name specific people, places, situations, and perhaps a quote or two- and then ask the program to produce a response of 500 words.

Make notes of what is accurate and helpful? What does not resonate with you as specific enough or reflective of your voice and experience?

In the essay, admission reviewers want details and insight that is uniquely yours. If you are applying to a college that receives 35,000 applications and the essay responses are evenly divided, then five thousand other students are responding to the same prompt you choose. As my colleague Dr. David Joyner from Georgia Tech’s College of Computing said, “use your interaction with the AI assistant as a learning experience, then let your assignment reflect your improved understanding.”

Degree Choices. Rankings get a lot of press and attention in the college admission conversation. However, in most cases, we do not dig into how these lists are formulated. Degree Choices provides a series of rankings lists based on region, academic program, return on investment metrics, etc. Even if you do not agree with the way they approach their rankings, at least it gets you thinking about what you do value. As I’ve said before, a good high school student becomes a good college applicant becomes a good college student. That starts with doing your homework, asking questions, re-thinking, and considering a variety of angles and sources.

The Common Data Set Initiative– For the data wonks among you- or for those who want to see information presented in a uniform manner from colleges. You can easily search for any institution’s CDS online. As an example, here is Georgia Tech’s. Particularly in the test optional world we are all attempting to navigate, the CDS can be helpful in understanding the number or percentage of test takers. CDS also highlights retention rates, financial aid distribution, and residency, ethnicity, and gender breakdowns, as well as size of classes, faculty degree attainment information, and more. Looking at multiple years of information in this format can point to trends or suggest institutional priorities. Again, taken alongside other tools and resources, examining Common Data Sets will inevitably generate questions for you to ask or additional topics to research when you visit campus and speak with students, faculty, or admission officers.

Pop Quiz

Did you wonder who George P. Burdell was in the example signature line? Did you follow the link to learn more? If so, you are well on your way with this whole curiosity and exploration adventure (If not, I’ve got you covered- here’s the link).

Rick Clark
AVP/Executive Director- Undergraduate Admission
“Stay Curious.”