We sent an email to seniors last week with the goal of helping them process the range of emotions they might be feeling as a result of this year’s college admissions decisions. We have been hearing from students and parents about the outcomes of the college application process; many of these outcomes have been exciting, and some have been disappointing. 

We celebrate the hard work that our students have put into their education and wish to congratulate the seniors who have received the admissions decisions that they had hoped for! For the students who received disappointing news, we understand how difficult that can be to accept and would like to share some facts that may offer perspective to the current college landscape.

The most selective colleges and universities (including most of the 9 UC campuses) continue to experience surges in applications. UCLA received close to 145,000 and UC Davis received close to 100,000. Many UC’s accept less than 10% of their applicants, therefore making admission selections difficult, especially to the high demand programs like engineering, nursing, computer science, business, and biological sciences. Many of the “lottery schools” have acceptance rates under 3% and face the same challenge of choosing students from an exceptional pool of applicants.

We hope these statistics will help to explain some of the outcomes that have been received. We certainly understand the vast range of feelings that are generated around college admissions with high school students, and hope that your daughter will remember that this does not define who she is as a person. We also want to reassure everyone that because we have many years of college advising at St. Francis High, we know that our students always find their way to an amazing college experience and enjoy the path that they chose!

If you or your daughter have any questions, or need advice or assistance in navigating the college enrollment process, please let us know. College Advisors are here to help our seniors throughout graduation and are happy to assist in any way possible.