On April 19th, Pascack Hills High School hosted an event called, “Trends in College Admissions,” from 7 to 8:30 pm. Four representatives came from four different universities, Fordham University, George Washington University, Sacred Heart University, and Stevens Institute of Technology. A Pennsylvania State University representative was also scheduled to attend as well, but sadly, he was unable to attend due to personal reasons. The hour and 30 minutes were divided into different categories: university representatives talking about trends in admissions, how to find the right university, college visits, interviews, and more.

First, each university discussed the records and improvements they have accomplished. It varied from the successful programs to the number of applicants they received every year. They also state how early application has become popular among applicants and how students get nervous when they are waitlisted by an institution. However, most of the time was the representative was promoting the success of the university.

Then, the host of the event asked the George Washington representative to talk about the college application process. The guest explained the mindset of the college admissions team when it comes to how you are differentiating yourself, what you did, and what kind of impact you have made. He also advised to the students and parents to think about the programs at a university before looking at the location because sometimes it is overwhelming looking at the numerous programs.

The Sacred Heart representative was next to discuss the concept of open houses and college visits. He talked about how to schedule a visit to an institution through their website and visiting during an open house to see a lot of the campus. He also suggested students to write a list of questions to have in case they need to ask about a certain area or program on the tour and make a college checklist to see which ones they like.

Through the Fordham representative, the audience was informed about how to prepare for the application process. She told the students to take advice from the people around them and learn from their experiences during the process. Then, they should use the information to form the path they want to take during college. Writing is also a very important skill in college, which explains why students have to write a college essay during the application.

Finally, the Stevens Institute representative discussed some of the most important parts of the college process: interviews and the different types of applications. She discussed the appropriate attire for interviews which involved business casual outfits and no ripped jeans. She also mentioned the concept of talking about yourself during the interview like accomplishments, interests, and more.

Sophomore Mireille Joukhadarian said, “I found the interview information really helpful. It is interesting that a firm handshake can give a good first impression.”

The admissions officer also stated the types of application styles colleges offer to students. The range of applications are Common Application, Early Decision, Regular Decision, Early Action, Restricted Early Action, Common Decision, and many more.

“I think it is nice that colleges give a variety of application styles, but I’ll stick to the Common application,” sophomore Danielle Joukhadarian said.

Overall, the night was insightful with the wide range of topics discussed that left parents and students more informed.