Dream School: A Journey to Higher Ed | PBS Documentary Part 2

What quality is most valued in college application essays by admissions officers?

• A Pulitzer Prize-winning literary style.

• A sophisticated, adult-like tone.

• An authentic and genuine teenage voice.

• A detailed account of extraordinary achievements.

Besides grades and test scores, what qualitative characteristic do admissions teams consider when evaluating applicants?

• The number of extracurricular activities.

• The student's social media presence.

• The strength of the student's course schedule.

• The student's family's alumni connections.

What action by parents is considered inappropriate during the college application process?

• Helping students research colleges.

• Proofreading student essays for grammar.

• Writing essays or emails pretending to be the student.

• Encouraging students to take challenging courses.

When a qualified student is rejected from a highly selective university, what reason might they understand for the decision?

• The university had too many applicants from their high school.

• The university was looking to build a specific class and didn't need them.

• Their test scores were slightly lower than the average admitted student.

• They did not participate in enough unique extracurricular activities.

What was Abby's main concern regarding her extensive high school commitments and college applications?

• She regretted not taking more AP classes.

• She felt she didn't live up to her potential despite her efforts.

• She believed her extracurriculars were not diverse enough.

• She was worried about the cost of college tuition.

What experience led Sean to develop a passion for psychology and neuroscience?

• His initial deferral from Yale.

• A meeting with a stranger that inspired him to help Alzheimer's patients.

• His mother's career as a physician.

• His involvement in various high school clubs.

What did a Dean of Admissions suggest about the talent pool for highly selective institutions?

• Only a small fraction of applicants are truly qualified.

• The admitted class is always significantly stronger than the waitlist.

• The waitlist contains enough talented students to form an equally strong or stronger class.

• Admissions decisions are primarily based on standardized test scores.

According to Martin Van Der Werf, what is the most significant factor in determining an individual's future earnings?

• The prestige of the university attended.

• The specific major chosen.

• The number of extracurricular activities.

• The cost of the educational institution.

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