In the midst of a stressful selective admission process，我们不能指责学生询问，当他们通过我的申请分页时，他们实际上在想什么？The admission counselors at Sarah Lawrence College don’t see the need to maintain the mystery. At the end of traditional admission cycles, they share “reader notes” with admitted students, letting them know exactly what went through the counselors’ heads while reading the student’s files.
在内部,录取委员会成员使用读者notes to share observations with each other in three key areas: academics, engagement, and voice. This looks very different for every student, and there’s no magic formula we’re looking for—Sarah Lawrence isn’t a box-checking place, and neither is the admission office. In a holistic admission process, different parts of the application don’t hold predetermined weights (the transcript isn’t worth X%, the essay Y%). Counselors understand each page of the application in the context of the pages preceding it. At least two counselors read each application and discuss them all in committee, where the overall diversity of the class is considered and admission decisions are made.
Below, we share two sets of reader notes based on real Sarah Lawrence applicants, noting both the content of their applications and the glimmers of SLC-ness that we saw.
Sam L.
学术界
Sam is interested in studying history, environmental science, and public policy. Sam has consistently学习具有挑战性的课程made up of honors and AP courses. All A’s so far in senior year, and generally an A/B student across the board.
Engagement
萨姆（Sam在高中建立了一个信仰间小组, is part of Model UN and a sustainability org. Worked as an assistant teacher at synagogue every weekend.
The same applies to the supplemental essay, which explores Sam’s passion for Yiddish language and culture. Is interested in working withSLC professor Glenn Dynner。
