Category Archives: Unhelpful Admissions Committee Jargon

It’s alright. You can say it out loud. Direct advice from school admissions committees can be confusing as heck. They’re not trying to confuse you (in fact, their feedback on how to be successful in the admissions process is typically quite honest). But it’s not always stated in terms that are helpful to the untrained ear.   There are logical reasons why “official” guidance may seem cloaked in mystery. For one, admissions committee members must be diplomatic and conservative in what they say. Inside advice can’t be dispensed to some..

The word “fit” may be the weightiest, yet least understood, term in school admissions lexicon.  It is thrown around effortlessly by administrators and admissions officials, but applicants aren’t always sure exactly what being “a good fit” means. There are typically two dimensions of“good fit”: the first involves parallels that you, the candidate can bring to the table.  It is your job to let a school know which of your own personal interests, values, goals, and strengths align with or complement that which is offered by that school.  These fit elements..