College Admission 101: Expert Advice for the New Challenges in Admissions, Testing, Financial Aid, and More (2022)

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Editorial
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Acknowledgments
This book would not have been possible without the following
individuals at The Princeton Review and beyond: Pia Aliperti, Kristen
O’Toole, Emma Parker, Suzanne Podhurst, Aaron Riccio, Laura Rose, and
Deborah Weber. My continued thanks to our data collection masters David
Soto and Stephen Koch for their successful efforts in amassing and accurately
representing the statistical data that informs parts of this book.
Most of all, thank you to my readers—I hope this book proves useful in
your college searches, applications, and overall college admission journeys.
Keep asking the tough questions. Good luck!
Robert Franek

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Table of Contents
Author’s Note
About the Author
Get More (Free) Content
Introduction
How has college admission changed since 2020?
Is a college degree worth the price?
Is online or hybrid college learning worth the price?
What is the “best” college?
Chapter 1: College Research
How has college life changed since 2020?
How do I determine the best college or university for me?
How important are college rankings?
When should I start my college research?
How many schools should I apply to?
How can I get the most out of a college visit?
How can I research colleges if I can’t visit campus?
Chapter 2: Standardized Tests
What changes are coming to the PSAT and SAT?
How are SAT or ACT test scores used in the admission process and how important are
they?
Will colleges see my PSAT scores?
How is the PSAT used in determining National Merit Scholarships?
What does it mean when a college is “test-optional”?
Should I still take the ACT or SAT if I’m looking at test-optional schools?
What can I do to get into a test-optional school?
Which test should I choose: SAT or ACT?

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Should I take BOTH the SAT and ACT?
When should I take the SAT or ACT?
If I take either test more than once, which scores will colleges see?
How can I improve my standardized test scores?
What should I do if my SAT or ACT score wasn’t great and I can’t get another testing
spot?
Do I need to take AP exams?
What should I expect if I need to take an at-home exam?
What’s an International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma? How do college admissions
counselors treat an IB diploma?
Chapter 3: High School Transcripts
How do I make online learning work for me?
What should I be doing in 9th and 10th grades to prepare for the college admission
process?
What should I be doing in 11th and 12th grades to prepare for the college admission
process?
How will pass/fail or nontraditional grading affect my admission chances?
Is it better to have a B in an honors/AP course or an A in a regular/easier course?
My school doesn’t publish class rank. Will that hurt my application?
What carries more weight on a college application: GPA or test scores?
Which electives should I take?
How do college admission officers view applications from public school students vs.
those from private school students?
How do I address my high school disciplinary record on my application?
Chapter 4: Extracurricular Activities
How do college admissions officers view extracurricular activities within an application?
What should I do if my extracurricular activities were canceled?
What can student athletes do if they are temporarily unable to play their sport?
Does having a job carry as much weight as school-related extracurricular activities?
What sort of jobs/extracurriculars can I do remotely?
Chapter 5: Financial Aid & Scholarships
What is the FAFSA?
What is my Expected Family Contribution?
What’s the CSS/Financial Aid Profile?

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What financial information do I need to apply for financial aid using the FAFSA and/or the
CSS Profile?
How does the financial aid application process differ from the admission process?
What is in my financial aid package?
What is the difference between need-based and merit-based financial aid?
How do I look for scholarships?
How do I save/pay for college?
If my first-choice school’s online college calculator shows that I can’t afford it, should I
bother applying?
What is a need-blind school?
Will I be penalized if I apply for financial aid? Will colleges look favorably on me if I don’t
apply for financial aid?
Can I appeal my financial aid decision?
Is it a smart move to attend a two year / associates degree-granting school first to save
money?
Chapter 6: Application
What is the Common Application?
Are there other applications like the Common Application? Is one better than another?
What do admission officers look for in an application essay?
How do I write a game-changing college essay?
When should I start the application process?
Should I declare a major on my application or apply undecided?
How important is optional or supplemental application material?
Is a college interview required? What should I expect?
Who should I ask to write my letters of recommendation?
Chapter 7: Inside the Admissions Office
What are my chances of getting into my dream school?
How are my application materials reviewed?
Who is on the admission committee?
What is the single most important thing admission officers look for in an application?
Will applying Early Decision or Early Action give me a leg up?
What does it mean to be deferred? What can I do to improve my chances of
acceptance?
What if I don’t get accepted to my first-choice school?
What are my chances of getting off the waitlist?
Do admission officers look at prospective students’ social media accounts?

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How much weight do schools put on intangibles like “grit”?
Chapter 8: Etc.
Is the admission process different for international students?
How difficult is transferring between colleges?
Should I take a gap year before starting college?
What if I need additional accommodations (and will requesting them hurt my chances of
admission)?
How highly should I weigh a school’s stance on social and ethical issues?
What impact will cheaters have on my admissions chances?
How can a parent participate most effectively in their child’s college application process?
How do I balance schoolwork, extracurriculars, test prep, college applications, family,
social life, and SANITY?!
Appendix

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Hands down, what I love best about my job here at The Princeton Review
is spending direct, quality time with college-bound students and their
families. It sounds like a canned talking point, right? The head of content for
a global educational services company likes working with students and their
families? But, I’m not fibbing, not even a syllable. Here’s why—every day
you teach me how to be better at my job.
I spend most of the academic year speaking to students, parents,
counselors, and educators alike. Whether I’m teaching students and parents
the basics or the more advanced lessons around the college process, the most
motivating part of that exchange is always the privilege of listening to each of
you. Here’s the logic: if I can understand your college goals along with the
stuff that stresses you, confuses you, and plain-old scares you about the
admissions process, then I can create the right kinds of resources to put you
on the path to achieving those goals. Meeting and talking with you only
reinforces my overall mission to assuage anxiety around the college
admission process and create the next class of informed and fearless college
seekers. Now, that’s awesome, indeed!
The last several years have been more tumultuous and uncertain than
ever, but though the effects of the coronavirus pandemic linger on, students
and faculty alike are finding ways to press forward. This book presents the
clearest answers I can provide to the most frequent, savvy, and urgent
questions that I’ve been getting, including through our YouTube channel:

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concerns about remote learning, test-optional schools, and changes to
standardized tests. I haven’t just been reaching millions of people this year
alone through TV, radio, and online sources: I’ve been listening, and I want
to give you actionable next steps, now more than ever.
Wondering how to handle applications if your extracurriculars were
canceled? How to get the most out of a college tour whether you’re on the
physical campus or online? Which standardized tests to take? Have nitty-
gritty questions about your high school schedule? How about the financial aid
process? I’ve got you covered for each of these key questions, and so many
more. My goal, and ours at The Princeton Review, is to help you succeed in
each step of your educational journey. Consider College Admission 101 your
primer to do just that.
The information in this book is up-to-date for students graduating in 2023
(and we’ve already got our eye on upcoming changes to the SAT in 2024),
but it’s also a useful guide for any student in high school, parents of high
schoolers (and even middle schoolers), parents who attended college
themselves, parents who didn’t attend college, families new to the United
States, and more. In short, no one should ever feel excluded or unprepared for
the college search and application process. From SAT scores to scholarships,
this book provides straightforward answers to questions about college topics
and is meant for anyone and everyone interested in attending college.
Thanks to each of you for putting your faith in me and our full team at
The Princeton Review. I very much hope you find this book a great resource
in your college admission journey. It’s been a genuine pleasure bringing it to
you.
Robert Franek

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About the Author
Rob Franek, Editor-in-Chief at The Princeton Review, is a nationally
recognized expert on higher education and a college aficionado. He visits
more than 50 colleges a year. Over his 28-year career in education, he has
served as a college admissions administrator, test prep teacher, author, and
lecturer. He is lead author of The Princeton Review’s annual book, The Best
388 Colleges, as well as The Best Value Colleges. He is also author of
Colleges That Create Futures: 50 Schools That Launch Careers by Going
Beyond the Classroom, and co-author of If the U Fits: Expert Advice on
Finding the Right College and Getting Accepted. Rob gives dozens of
presentations a year to audiences of teachers, parents, and students on
trending education and college topics. Follow his tweets at @RobFranek.

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3 Enjoy access to your FREE content!
Once you’ve registered, you can…
Take a full-length practice SAT and/or ACT
Get valuable advice about the college application process,
including tips for writing a great essay and where to apply for
financial aid
If you’re still choosing between colleges, use our searchable
rankings of The Best 388 Colleges to find out more information
about your dream school
Access the Index to this book and a variety of printable resources
including: a high school testing calendar and college prep
checklists

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etc.)

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Students, you face a college admissions landscape unlike any before. The
ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has radically upended the admissions process.
You’ll face new challenges in everything from standardized testing and
grades to extracurriculars and college visits. The aim of this book is to help
you navigate the college admission process and answer the essential
application questions that high school students and parents ask me about on
the official The Princeton Review YouTube channel, at college-bound events
and webinars, and that our own college admission experts hear from clients.
Before I get into the nitty-gritty details of the college admission process,
however, I want to address the big picture.

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How has college admission changed since
2020?
I’d love to tell you differently, but planning, applying, and paying for
college has always been an arduous and anxiety-inducing process. That
hasn’t really changed. Electronic options, some of which were accelerated
due to the need for quarantine, have certainly made parts of the application
process more convenient. When campuses closed to protect current and
prospective students by social distancing, colleges presented better virtual
tour options.
More notably, the actual admission landscape has shifted and continues to
do so. Applications are evaluated in an increasingly holistic fashion, and
where students apply is also changing. For instance, for medical and financial
reasons, an increasing number of students have looked to stay close to home,
which can have an impact on the number of applications received by city and
state colleges. The extracurriculars and job opportunities available to students
have also shifted, and the seismic societal shifts of the last few years may
have impacted GPAs, especially if pass/fail grading was implemented.
But just as you have adapted so have colleges. As early as the summer of
2020, admission leaders—including signatories from all the Ivy League
schools—had already issued the “Care Counts in Crisis”1 response to COVID
that clarified what they expected of students:
“As admission and enrollment leaders, we recognize that we and the
institutions we represent send signals that can shape students’ priorities and

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experiences throughout high school. This collective statement seeks to clarify
what we value in applicants during this time of COVID-19. We are keenly
aware that students across the country and the world are experiencing many
uncertainties and challenges. We primarily wish to underscore our
commitment to equity and to encourage in student’s self-care, balance,
meaningful learning, and care for others.”
Folks, the very first item in the document is assurance that your
application will be assessed within the context of the obstacles and challenges
you have faced during the pandemic. That’s good news and so is the next
part: the emphasis on self-care and balance for students. These admissions
leaders want you to know that you will not be disadvantaged because your
school moved to pass/fail in place of letter grades or canceled your
extracurriculars, or because you confronted new responsibilities at home, or
had limited access to standardized tests and campus visits. You will be
viewed in the context of the curriculum, academic resources, and supports
available to you.
Not convinced? Both the Common Application and the Coalition for
College application provide opportunities for students to describe exactly
how they have been impacted by the pandemic. You are also encouraged to
communicate to colleges any factors that may have affected your academic
performance, like caring for a sick relative, working to supplement your
family income, or having no quiet place to study.
How will that play out for your college admissions? Let’s take a quick
look at the factors that affect your future college admissions chances, with an
emphasis on what’s changed and what remains the same. Believe me, we’ll
go into much more detail for each topic—often an entire chapter’s worth—
throughout the rest of this book.
High School GPA

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For better and worse, your high school GPA remains the most important
factor in college admission decisions. That said, it’s treated increasingly less
as just a number. Your advisors work tirelessly to provide meaningful data
about your high school that helps to contextualize what that GPA represents.
It accounts for tectonic shifts at the classroom level—shifts to hybrid
learning, for example, or pass/fail grading—as well as absences from
students and teachers alike. You should treat your GPA the same way—as
something that helps to explain your journey, but doesn’t define it. If your
grades aren’t where you want them to be, it is to your advantage to tell that
story.
Standardized Tests
There are fewer tests available now than ever before, since SAT Subject
Tests have been phased out. The way in which they are administered also
continues to shift, whether by necessity, as when some tests like the AP were
temporarily given remotely and online, or by intent, as with the current plans
to make the SAT a computer-adaptive test by 2024.
Their impact still cannot be undersold, especially when it comes to how
valuable they can be in meriting financial aid or helping to distinguish you
from other applicants. But if you were unable to take these tests, or didn’t get
the results you were aiming for, all is not lost. Some colleges have,
temporarily or permanently, adopted measures that relax their application
requirements, focusing instead on a student’s high school experience. (See
why I said the GPA was the most important factor?) Ultimately, if you can
take the SAT, ACT, or both, you should; they give you one more opportunity
to shine.
Extracurricular Activities
Colleges have recalibrated how they assess the activities that students
bring to the table because for many, their circumstances did change. (For
instance, even if you still met with your Model United Nations team, you

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might not have traveled to wider competitions with them; if you’re an actor
or athlete, you might have had fewer chances to take to the stage or field.)
Take heart: schools won’t penalize you for not availing yourself of an
opportunity that didn’t exist. That said, you always want to be able to show
that you’re doing something, so think creatively about how to keep yourself
busy.
Honors and Awards
Colleges usually consider awards and honors in making admission
decisions. I know many of you are deserving of awards and honors but are
missing out because programs are (or were) temporarily put on hold. Again,
don’t worry. Colleges truly understand.
College Essays
Friends, this is one area of your application over which you have full
control. Your college essays are more important than ever! Take extra care to
make an outline, write, edit, and then edit some more. Think about what
makes you, you. You may opt to write about how the pandemic affected you,
but keep in mind that a lot of other students are likely to choose that topic, as
well. Make sure that whatever you write about reveals something about who
you are and what you value.
College Interviews
Many colleges encourage you to interview with an admissions
representative or alumnus as part of the college application process. It’s
another chance to show off the unique personality traits that you’ll bring to
college and build a personal relationship with admissions gatekeepers. Many
college interviews were already taking place over Skype or Zoom, which
means that you’re likely readier than ever to ace your video interview.
Recommendation Letters

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Recommendation letters haven’t changed a lot. Your teachers want to see
you succeed, and they can still help you stand apart by singing your praises
and helping to develop the picture of who you are as a person. You’ll learn
more about how to maintain relationships with your teachers by making
remote learning work for you in Chapter 3.
Demonstrated Interest
Finally, colleges take into account your demonstrated interest—all the
things you’ve done to show that you’re a good fit for their school and that
you’d be likely to attend if you are accepted. You may not be able to visit in
person, but you can take an online tour. You can comb through the school
website. You can talk to or email current students. Convey your sincere
interest in your application and any communication you have with members
of the admission team. Schools are dealing with a lot of upheaval, too, so
you’re likely to have an advantage in the process if they know that you’re as
keen on them as they are on you.
The bottom line is that lots of colleges—especially those that tend to
draw students from across the country and the world—are dealing with
tremendous uncertainty, just like you. They are making Herculean efforts to
be fair and are not penalizing students for circumstances beyond their control.
Stay focused, my friends! Keep up with your studies, stay sharp with your
skills, and remain optimistic for the future. Next, I want to address two
questions that tend to appear on op-ed pages each fall.

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Is a college degree worth the price?
The cost of a four-year degree has been increasing faster than inflation for
over 30 years. Ninety-eight percent of participants in our “College Hopes and
Worries” survey reported that financial aid will be necessary to pay for
college in 2021. At many institutions, financial aid includes loans—so
graduates often enter an uncertain job market already loaded with debt. With
that in mind, is college really the path to professional success and financial
stability? Is a college degree worth the cost of tuition?
My answer is an emphatic “yes!” Of course, I’m biased—I’ve worked in
and around college admissions for over 25 years. I have seen firsthand how
young people use the tools and experiences they acquire in colleges and
universities to achieve their personal and professional goals. Fortunately,
there is plenty of data to confirm my anecdotal observations.
In 2020, adults with a bachelor’s degree saw significantly higher median
earnings and a lower unemployment rate than those with only a high school
diploma.
Education
attained
Unemployment rate Median weekly
earnings
2019 2020 2020
Professional
degree
1.6% 3.1% $1,893
Master’s degree 2.0% 4.1% $1,545
Bachelor’s 2.2% 5.5% $1,305

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degree
High school
diploma only
3.7% 9.0% $781
All workers 3.0% 6.7% $982
Note: Data is for persons age 25 and over. Earnings are for full-time wage and salary workers.
Unemployment rates were higher in 2020 than in 2019 at all education levels due to the pandemic.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
In fact, the Center on Education and the Workforce at Georgetown
University calculates that a bachelor’s degree itself is worth $2.8 million on
average over a lifetime, and bachelor’s degree holders earn 75 percent more
than those with a high school diploma alone.2
According to the College Board’s 2019 report “Education Pays,”
individuals with a college education are more likely to:
Participate in retirement plans offered by their employers
Receive health insurance through their employers
Vote in elections
These are merely the quantifiable gains—you’ll have many, many
valuable experiences on campus or as a direct result of your college
experience. (I wrote about such experiences in another book, Colleges That
Create Futures: 50 Schools That Launch Careers by Going Beyond the
Classroom.)

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Is online or hybrid college learning worth the
price?
In a nutshell, YES. I’m here to tell you that not only are online and hybrid
learning in college worth the price but there are also extra benefits to them.
You’ll have more direct interactions with faculty, who are incorporating
interactive features that make classes feel less like a lecture and more like a
conversation. Odds are your class materials will be presented in bite-sized
pieces that work better with the average student’s attention span and are
coupled with opportunities to ask and answer questions and respond with
video or audio assignments. Online programs also tend to be more flexible
with synchronous (live) and asynchronous (pre-recorded) formats that allow
you to study on your own schedule. Video conferencing tools can even help
you stay better connected with your fellow classmates. And hybrid learning
(a combination of face-to-face and online instruction) can give you the best of
both worlds.
Hybrid learning gives you all the benefits mentioned above, along with
the opportunity to experience campus life and attend some in-person classes.
According to Timothy White, the chancellor of California State University,
the nation’s largest public university system, there are career benefits to
online work, too: “That’s actually sort of field training for the future
workforce, because when [students] graduate, chances are going to be
increasing every day that they will be working in a virtual space in the
future.”3

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Since 2020, most colleges and universities have become very responsive
to our ever-changing environment and students’ educational needs. They
have adapted to implement online and hybrid learning, including utilizing
new technology and teaching methods. This changing of the traditional
learning model has had some unexpected and positive benefits for you, the
student. You now have more flexibility with your time and commitments and
more choice in the way that you learn, and since everyone learns differently,
this is a great thing! Julia Thom-Levy, vice provost for academic innovation
at Cornell University, stated, “We are coming out of the pandemic with an
even stronger commitment to the value of in-person instruction as an
essential component to our residential academic programs but that we also
have a bigger toolbox of successful teaching methods available to us now.
Teachers want to use the best of both going forward and will likely blend in-
person instruction with digital tools that can engage students in and out of the
classroom.”4
There are still many unknowns as to what college life will be like in the
future, but here’s what I do know: If there’s a school you want to attend and
you have the opportunity to go, then go! Go even if “going” means putting on
headphones and talking to your computer camera (for now). Go even if it
means deferring your acceptance and taking classes at a local community
college or doing remote work and then going in-person in a year. (I give
plenty of advice on taking a gap year in Chapter 8). But make plans to pursue
your dreams—in whatever way feels right for you and your family. If you,
like me, accept the premise that a college degree is most definitely worth the
cost of tuition, then that brings us to the other big question that so many
students, parents, and media commentators grapple with.

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What is the “best” college?
There isn’t one.
It might seem silly to include a question in this book that has no answer,
but this is an important point that will help put your whole college admission
journey into perspective. I understand why folks ask. Given the awesome
lifetime benefits we know a student can obtain with a college degree, it’s
common to make a correlative leap: the more prestigious the alma mater, the
greater the rewards for the graduate. But it’s important to remember that
prestige and reputation—which are often major factors in college ranking
methodologies—tend to be measured with one data point: a college or
university’s selectivity.
According to our 2021 College Hopes and Worries survey, Harvard
College was the school students most named as their “dream” college and
Stanford University was the school parent respondents most named as their
“dream” college for their child.
Both Harvard and Stanford enjoy an excellent reputation, provide world-
class resources, and feature an impressive roster of alumni. We don’t need to
rely on our survey results to know they are highly desirable schools—in
2021, over 57,000 students applied for admission to Harvard, and more than
55,000 applied to Stanford. Harvard accepted just 3% of the applicant pool
and Stanford accepted only 4%. Are the roughly 55,000 students who applied
to Harvard and the approximately 53,000 students who applied to Stanford
and did not get in doomed to failure?

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Of course not! And therein lies the fatal flaw in the myth of “the best
college.” There may not be a single best overall college, but there are
absolutely schools that are the best for each and every one of those
applicants, and there’s a best school for you out there too.
Don’t let this assumption create an enormous amount of anxiety for you
and your parents by creating the impression that the choices made in high
school determine, or limit, all future opportunities. You do not have to attend
a highly selective school in order to pursue a meaningful and lucrative career.
Salaries and Job Satisfaction
*Data from PayScale.com College Salary Report 2021. High Job
Meaning refers to the percentage of respondents who answered “very
much so” or “yes” to the question, “Does your work make the world a better
place?”

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**Data reported to The Princeton Review by the school from fall 2020
through spring 2021
While the schools in this table vary in their selectivity,
there is less variation amongst the number of graduates
they produce that go on to find enjoyable, well-paid
opportunities in the workforce. Moreover, you are not a
statistic, so don’t let numbers or acceptance rates be the
only factor when choosing the school that is right for
you.
The road to college is long, and students and their supporters want to be
sure their hard work will pay off with a degree and experience that pave the
way to a successful career. But after twenty-eight years in this business, I can
assure you that college and career prep are not one-size-fits-all—there are
over 3,000 four-year colleges in the United States. Thoughtful research and
reflection will help you find the schools that fit you best. The Princeton
Review produces a number of books that can help you narrow down the
choices, including The Best Value Colleges and The Best 388 Colleges.
Applying to schools that line up with your goals and interests also helps
your chances of gaining acceptance. You will likely be asked why you want
to attend a particular school in a supplemental essay or interview, and
“Because you’re the best!” won’t cut it. If you identify the specific
opportunities on campus that are exciting to you, that enthusiasm will come
through on your application. Admissions officers are looking for students
who will be active participants in their college community.
Now that we’ve dispensed with the “best college” myth, I have plenty to
share with you about how to set yourself up for success in high school,
maximize your SAT and ACT scores, find the colleges and universities that
will fit you best, and craft competitive applications.

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Survey Says
What’s the biggest benefit of college?
43% say the potentially better job and higher
income
32% say the exposure to new ideas
25% say the education
*Results of The Princeton Review’s College Hopes &
Worries Survey of college applicants and parents of
college applicants.
PrincetonReview.com/college-rankings/college-hopes-
worries
SKIP NOTES
1 https://mcc.gse.harvard.edu/resources-for-colleges/endorse-care-counts-in-crisis-college-admissions-
deans-respond-to-covid-19
2 https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/collegepayoff2021/#resources
3 https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/education/2020/06/22/coronavirus-reopening-college-fall-
2020/3210719001/
4 https://www.usnews.com/education/articles/hybrid-classes-in-college-what-to-know

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CHAPTER 1
College Research
On The Princeton Review’s annual College Hopes &
Worries survey, we ask nearly 14,000 high school students
and their parents to answer a simple question: What would
be your dream college if academic admission and cost
weren’t factors? Let’s take a gander at the most recent
results, shall we?
TOP 10 DREAM SCHOOLS
Student Picks Parent Picks
1. Harvard College
2. Stanford University
3. New York University
4. Columbia University
5. University of California
—Los Angeles
6. Princeton University
7. Massachusetts Institute
of Technology
8. University of Texas—
Austin
9. University of
Pennsylvania
1. Stanford University
2. Harvard College
3. Princeton University
4. Massachusetts Institute
of Technology
5. Yale University
6. University of
Pennsylvania
7. University of California
—Los Angeles
8. New York University
9. Columbia University

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