303: Behind the Scenes of an Admission Office with Tom Campbell of Pomona (Part 2)

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In this episode—part 2 of 2— we discuss:

  • What exactly is demonstrated interest?

  • Does Pomona College track demonstrated interest?

  • Why is college yield important?

  • What are the do’s and don’ts for students attending a college fair?

  • How do schools like Pomona decide which supplemental essay prompts to include in their applications?

  • Which Common App prompt should students write their Personal Statements for?

  • How closely do students need to follow supplemental essay prompts?

  • Does your major matter when applying?

  • Red flags that get students immediately rejected

PLAY-bY-PLAY

[4:20] What is demonstrated interest?

[6:30] Does Pomona track demonstrated interest?

[9:20] Why is it important for colleges to know how likely a student is to enroll (aka college yield)?

[11:10] What is “yield”? 

[13:50] What student data does Pomona track compared to other highly selective schools?

[15:37] How much do interviews matter at Pomona?

[20:46] Why it’s important to ask questions to admissions officers directly

[22:20] Do’s and don’ts for students at a college fair

[27:10] What can folks learn about Pomona based on their supplemental essay prompts? How does Pomona decide which prompts to use?

[39:00] In Tom’s opinion, what makes a memorable personal statement?

[44:00] Does it matter which Common App personal statement prompt you choose?

[45:45] Do students have a better or worse chance of getting in if they choose the “topic of your choice?” prompt?

[46:40] Should students stick closely to the prompt for the supplemental essays?

[50:20] Does it matter which major a student chooses when applying? 

[53:55] Tom reacts to a sample email from a student asking about major choice

[1:00:45] What are some “red flags” Tom remembers that got students immediately rejected?

 [1:03:50] Are there ever situations where a student had amazing grades/test scores/essays, and yet they were rejected? 

[1:07:20] Ultimately, how much can students and families control in the admissions process?

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