First of all, unusual acts make it seem as though you do not take your application seriously, so why should the admission officer? Further, it will seem as though you think your application is a long-shot, and your attempt to make your application jump out is a last-ditch effort. Finally, admission officers want their fellow workers and supervisors to think they make good judgments. It puts you an extra step back from which they have to advocate for your file.

This doesn’t just apply to extreme cases like the example above. You will notice that most applications warn against sending extra materials. Admission officers don’t have the time and experience to evaluate the unusual. I suggest spending your time perfecting the large amount of materials you already need to submit, instead of looking for unique ideas that probably won’t pan out.

In fact, facing the large number of folders they have to read each day, admission officers capitalize on this preparation by quickly skimming an application to see if it is a clear rejection. In other words, time plays an even bigger factor than many students think.

The consequence of having a large number of applications to read in a short amount of time is compounded by the wider context. Admission officers are often tired after months of wading through applications; the process becomes dreary. There is pressure to wake the admission officer up and make them want to invest time going over your folder.

And that is well warranted. Admission officers love reading some applications. They want to get excited, but it is your job to get them going. Time pressure leads to a trade-off between applications, and the you cannot expect the reviewer to dig through details to find something they want. You have to make something pop out at them. Some strategies in my next post.

Lifers typically have not come from the Ivy League, and have not had the same opportunities as many of the applicants. As a result, some Lifers may become bitter over students who brag about their Safari through Africa over vacation in their personal essay, or who list that both their parents are partners in a law firm. They become much more excited by students who don’t come from privilege, and still manage to forge exciting opportunities. In fact, it is my opinion that even the privileged love to root for the underdog.

Temps, although they will have often graduated from the same school as they are employed, have very little experience. As a result, they do not have a good sense of the overall applicant pool. Temps will often weigh grades and test scores very heavily, if only due to their own insecurity about their decision making. However, the other major factor they will unconsciously be drawn to is likability. They won’t want to see applicants who seem spoiled from privilege. Temps are looking for friends, people who they would be excited to meet on the campus. This emotional element is often overlooked.

Lifers were usually once Temps who got caught up in admissions. Few people dream of a job in admissions. Often it ‘just happens’. Lifers read fewer files, but have a greater say in overall policy. This means your file is more likely going to be read by a recent graduate of that school than anybody else. I will cover what this division means for your application in my next post.

The second source of information comes from past applicants. Admission officers with several years of experience may have an implicit knowledge of a school based upon previous interactions. Also, many schools will keep a record of past applicants and information about the school in which to judge students.

The third common source of information comes from when admission officers visit high schools during the summer. They will talk to guidance counselors to get a better idea of the school. More importantly, they will talk to students and may remember some specific information about teachers or classes. For example, they may remember a particular science teacher is a very harsh grader, and take that into consideration when looking at applications.

Over time, admission officers gain a much more intimate knowledge of schools than students usually think. There is a certain amount of random variability based upon whether the admission officer at a particular school is relatively new to the job or quite seasoned, whether there are well-indexed records from past applicants, and whether the high school was proactive in providing useful information.