Many applicants to the most selective university programs share high grades, high test scores, solid recommendations and generous doses of community service and volunteer activities. Yet, if they want to set themselves apart from the pool of exceptional students, a significant research experience in STEM or the social sciences helps.
One of the more devastating statistics in college admissions is the number of students who enroll and never gain a degree.
Each student who fails to graduate is a tragedy in wasted time, money, and human resources. Worse, the psychological implications are devastating. Fortunately, evidence is mounting that a timely intervention can circumvent many of these failures.
Richard J. Light, a professor in the Graduate School of Education and the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, conducted a ten-year study, interviewing over 1,600 successful Harvard students, and tracking their answers to a very important question, “Did I really get what I came here for?” His findings were published in his book, Making the Most of College, Students Speak their Minds.
