17 Common College Admissions Myths Exposed

It’s hard to know what’s true when it comes to college admissions. There’s a lot misinformation and myths about college admissions floating around.

You’ve probably heard outdated, confusing, and just plain wrong information about test scores, what colleges look for, how admissions decisions are made, and how to choose a good school. 

High school students and their parents sometime have trouble distinguishing useful information from myths.

If you’re trying to juggle financial concerns, the unpredictability of admission decisions, the stress of senior year, and the conflation of self-worth and college rankings, it’s hard to understand the process.

There’s so much information out there from guidance counselors, parents, relatives, friends, and socials.

With your education—and a lot of money—at stake, you need to know what’s what. 

Here are 17 common myths about college admissions

I deserve to get in and get a good scholarship

Have you ever heard anyone say this: 

“I worked so hard during high school, I deserve to get into X school.” Or “My kid got such great test scores and grades in high school, they deserve a full ride.” 

While a student may have worked exceptionally hard in high school to earn high grades, and their SAT and ACT scores might be near perfect, they actually don’t deserve anything for that effort.

In fact, the hard work itself, and the learning, was the reward. Many high-achieving, straight-A students are rejected by highly selective colleges every year. 

College is a business. Colleges are in the business of educating students. Their goal is to attract the best students they can who are willing to pay for the privilege of attending their school. 

Also, college applications are about more than just your academic performance and class rank. The most competitive colleges are looking for well-rounded students with leadership skills, a genuine interest in other people, and a commitment to their school or local community. 

Please don’t assume that just because you have amazing test scores, top grades, and an outstanding resume that you will be admitted to any schools you apply to. Even top students should be sure to apply to some colleges with high admission rates. 

My grades aren’t great, so I’ll never get into college or get a scholarship

The key to getting accepted to college and getting a great scholarship is applying to schools that want you to go there. 

While a student with a less-than-perfect GPA might not get merit scholarships at the most prestigious schools, they can get a merit scholarship from a less selective school. 

If you want to attend college, you absolutely can find a college that will accept you and support you. You just have to look for the right schools.

I have to go to the most selective college I can get into

No, you really don’t.

If you base your decision about where to go to college based on US News and World Report’s college rankings list, you’re not thinking about what might make a college a good fit for you. 

If you choose the most prestigious school you can get into, you might end up:

• with major imposter syndrome, thinking everyone is smarter than you
• incredibly stressed out from taking advanced classes you’re not ready for
• not doing as well in your classes as you would have at a less competitive college
• unable to find time to participate in clubs or intermural sports because you’re always studying.

Read this book about the benefits of being a big fish in a small pond!

I got into my dream school, so I should pay whatever it Costs to go there 

Is it a dream or a nightmare if it saddles you or your family with crushing debt? 

A college education is the most expensive purchase most 18-year-olds have ever signed up to make. It’s hard to appreciate the true value of so much money.

But if you have to take out mountains of debt to attend a certain university, I strongly advise you to consider a different college on your list. 

It’s so hard to get into college, I’ll never get in

Many prestigious colleges like to boast about their low single-digit acceptance rates. But the vast majority of colleges and universities admit most of their applicants.

In fact, according to the National Association for College Admission Counseling, the national average acceptance rate is 78% for public colleges and 70% for private colleges. 

If you only apply to extremely exclusive colleges, you might be faced with a lot of rejection letters. But if you apply to schools with higher admissions rates, you’ll have much better odds of being accepted.

I will save money if I start at community college

Maybe that will be the right path for you. But maybe not. 

If you are considering attending a community college, find out before you enroll how your community college credits will transfer to the college you ultimately plan to attend. 

Students are often surprised to find out that they have to repeat credits or have a hard time getting accepted into their desired program after completing community college.

Be sure to ask a lot of questions before you start and engage with an advisor every step of the way. 

my test scores aren’t great, so I shouldn’t submit my test scores 

If you don’t have great scores, it might make sense not to submit them to test-optional schools. 

However, you might want to submit your test scores if:

• your test scores at or above the average scores for that particular college
• your test scores high compared to others at your high school. Colleges do try to consider the rigor of a high school and students’ access to college prep courses. 
• you’re trying to get a merit scholarship. While many colleges are not test-optional, many do require test scores for scholarships.  

My grades matter more than anything else in my application

It’s true that your high school GPA does matter when it comes to college admissions.

But admissions offices also want to see that you took challenging courses. Perfect grades don’t mean much if you didn’t take a rigorous course load. 

Also, grades are just one part of the holistic admissions process.

Admissions counselors are also looking at your volunteer work, leadership roles, letters of recommendation, and personal statement to determine if you’d be a good fit at their university. 

I will only be happy at this one university

No, this is simply not true! There is no one perfect college for you.

You can be happy at many colleges.

And the reality is that wherever you go, there will be times when you’re unhappy at college too.

Choose a college where at least some of the students have similar interests and values as you do, where you can learn from engaged professors, and where you can graduate in four years with as little debt as possible.

There are many great options for you to choose from, not just one single best fit college.

If I go to an Ivy League university, I will be successful in life

People who attend Ivy League schools are not guaranteed success in life (however you define success). 

Success in college and in your life after college will be largely due to what you make of the opportunities afforded to you. 

You can have access to a great education, interesting peers, study abroad opportunities, hands-on research, and strong alumni networks at many colleges and universities–not just at the Ivies or other top tier universities. 

​You are going to have an easier time being successful in your chosen career if you attend a lower-ranked college that you can afford than if you put your future in financial peril to afford an Ivy League college. 

My life is boring, so I have nothing to write my college essay about

Your college application essay doesn’t have to be about a life-changing event you experienced.

College admissions officers want to read personal essays that help them learn how you see the world. Your essay can be about your grandma’s favorite recipe, buying a sweater, or your walk home from school. 

For college essays, focusing on some small detail of your life is often better. Use that one small thing to share how you see the world and why. 

I can start working on my college applications during the fall of senior year 

I mean, you can, but you’ll be totally stressed out!

The best time to ask teachers for a letter of recommendation is at the end of your junior year of high school, before everyone leaves for the summer. This will give your teachers the summer months to write their recommendation letters.

I recommend following up with these teachers on the first day of your senior year to remind them that you’ll be sending them a link to submit the letters. 

And ideally, you should start writing your main college essay during the summer before your senior year starts. 

I should apply to 20+ colleges

On the Common App, high school seniors can apply to up to 20 colleges, but that doesn’t mean you should. 

For some students, it’s a good idea to apply to a lot of colleges. If you need to cast a wide net to see where you get in or what your financial aid package will look like, it’s not a bad idea to apply to a lot of colleges. 

But if you know that the best school for you is one where your chances of admission are excellent and you’ll be able to afford the cost, you don’t need to apply to 20 schools. 

The most important thing to consider when deciding how many colleges to apply to is whether or not the colleges on your list will be a good fit for you—academically, socially, and financially.

State universities are cheaper than Private colleges

This totally depends on the cost of the state university and the private colleges you’re applying to, as well as the financial resources of each college.

There are plenty of state universities that are pretty expensive, even for in-state students, and extremely expensive for out-of-state students.

And private schools costs can vary widely too. Each private university and liberal arts college has a different amount of money set aside for grants and scholarships.

The best thing to do is apply to colleges and universities you think will be affordable (based on the Net Price Calculator (NPC), and then compare each financial aid package carefully before deciding where to attend. 

Keep in mind that the sticker price of each school will not be the final price, and it’s difficult to know the true final cost until you receive the final financial and merit awards in April. 

If I do a summer program at the college, I’ll get admitted

Many colleges offer summer programs where high school students can take classes and explore college life.

These are pay-to-play programs that help colleges generate revenue during the summers and get HS students excited about their college. 

But attending one of these programs will not give you an advantage when it comes to gaining admission to that particular school. 

Summer programs are a great way to round out your college application, but you don’t have to pay a lot of money to take college classes.

You can also spend your summer volunteering in your community, working at a summer job, doing an internship at a local business, or starting your own business. 

I’ve never heard of that college, so It must not be very good

Many of the colleges you’ve heard of are either local colleges or large state universities with sports teams. 

In the US, there are nearly 4,000 degree-granting colleges and universities. Most of them are private, nonprofit schools. There’s no way you’ve heard of them all. 

So keep an open mind and do your research. You may be surprised to find that a college you’ve never heard of turns out to be the right one for you. 

Optional interviews and extra essays don’t matter

Actually, yes, they probably do matter more than you think. If colleges offer in-person interviews during the admission process or ask you to write an extra “Why This College?” essay, do it!

Even though you may be exhausted by the college search, take every opportunity to show each college you applied to that you are a great fit for their student body.

Convince them that you would be an active participant in the academic and community life of the college. Let them know why you think their school is the right one for you. 

Colleges want to know that you’ve demonstrated interest in their school and that, if admitted, you’d probably enroll. 

Final thoughts on college admission myths

There are a lot of common misconceptions about the college application process.

However, understanding these common college myths will help you make the right decisions as you apply to colleges.

If you hear any other statements about college admissions that just don’t sound quite right, so some research. And remember that what’s right for some college applicants may not be right for you!