Blog: Understanding the College Admissions Process: Key Insights from Father Ryan College Counseling

By Christina Williams, Director of College Counseling

Last year’s college admissions season was one of the most challenging in recent memory. The New York Times in a May op-ed dubbed it “Peak College Admissions Insanity.” To help make sense of the college admissions process, Christina Williams, Father Ryan’s Director of College Counseling, tackles the key questions of many students and families. Mrs. Williams is a seasoned veteran of college counseling and admissions, serving in her position at Father Ryan for ten years; for 13 years prior, she worked as an admissions officer at Vanderbilt University’s Office of Undergraduate Admissions and Law School Admission Office.  

Now more than ever, it’s critical that students and their parents understand the complexities of the college admissions process and how to navigate it effectively. College admissions policies, procedures, and admission rates can change quickly, especially in this post-pandemic era. What was true five years ago may not be true anymore. 

At Father Ryan College Counseling, we work with each student and his or her family, beginning in 9th grade, to understand and navigate the college admissions process. One of the first things students and families need to know are the two types of admissions processes:

• Standards-based admission: If the student meets a college’s required GPA and test score, the student is admitted. Like the high jump competition, either you make it or not.
• Holistic admissions: In this process, colleges look beyond grades and test scores, and also consider the rigor of the applicant’s high school courses, grade trends, family circumstances, the applicant’s essay and activities, and potentially recommendations. As with gymnastics, these decisions are more subjective and cannot be narrowed down just to two data points, GPA, and a test score(s). 

Many students typically apply to a combination of these types of college admission processes, but having a successful college application and college counseling experience requires a full understanding of this complex process. I’ve compiled practical college application tips to better navigate the world of college admissions:

What is the current college admissions and application climate? 

Before diving into the process itself, it is helpful to get some background on the current college application atmosphere. College admissions trends are constantly evolving, and Father Ryan’s College Counseling team is well-versed in how to handle any curve balls. There were three big issues last year, which continue to affect students applying to college today.

First, the Supreme Court decision made it unconstitutional for colleges to give affirmative action to students based on race. Next, the multiple delays and technical problems with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) created major delays in universities notifying applicants of their student aid awards. Lastly, artificial intelligence is a rising concern of college admissions officers that admission essays may be written by AI. However, I believe that students understand that colleges want to hear students’ authentic voices in essays. 

Do students address race in their college applications?

All colleges want a very diverse class, and diversity comes in many forms, not just race. With the new Supreme Court ruling, though, college admissions may no longer take race alone into account. When a student indicates their race on the application, that information is redacted, so the admissions officers do not see that data when reviewing an application. They may, however, take other factors into consideration. For instance, if a student is the president of the Multicultural Student Association, this shows that the student values racial diversity. A student may write an essay about being discriminated against because of race, as this is a life experience that is considered in the admissions decision. I encourage students to tell their authentic story, whatever it is.

Read more by the College Board on the ruling. 

What are the FAFSA tips for navigating financial aid?

The delay of FAFSA’s updated shorter application form last year made the process for financial aid very challenging. The FAFSA typically opens October 1 every year. Last year, it was supposed to open in December 2023, but it didn’t fully open for several weeks and had technical difficulties with corrections to applicants' financial information. Many students did not receive their financial aid awards until very, very late spring. So, many colleges were impacted and did not enroll the number of students they were expecting because FAFSA, an online government form, was delayed and incorrect. 

At Father Ryan, we host a fall FAFSA workshop with a third-party expert to help seniors and their parents submit their FAFSA form. It is helpful because many families can submit their FAFSA that night. Last year, we rescheduled our workshop to reflect the later FAFSA opening; this year, we will host the workshop on December 12.

All colleges are required to have a Net Price Calculator on their website. This should allow you to enter information about your family’s income and assets to give an estimate of what you would pay to attend there. Also, parents can use the Federal Student Aid Estimator calculator to get a sense of how much federal student aid your student may qualify for. In addition to federal aid, most of our students are eligible to receive the Tennessee HOPE Scholarship (from state lottery funds) which gives them $20,000 over four years if they attend any college (public or private) in Tennessee.

This year, we have partnered with SmartTrack to host a webinar for parents of 9^th through 11^th grade students to help with planning ahead for the financial aid process: What Every Parent Needs to Know Now About Paying for College, on October 10 at 7pm. Father Ryan parents can register here.  

We are watching the 2025-2026 FAFSA application closely and are well-prepared to help you and your student navigate the application process from start to finish. 

See the FAFSA updates for 2025-2026.

Have college admission rates changed?

Understanding how to interpret college admission rates and what they mean for your application strategy is important. Many selective colleges have become highly selective since the pandemic, making their decisions unpredictable for everyone, even college counselors. The biggest change in terms of increased selectivity that affects our families is at the University of Tennessee Knoxville. UTK has become more selective but has made it clear they continue to favor Tennesseans. Even though they are receiving many more applications from out-of-state kids than from in-state kids, the in-state admit rate is 70%, versus the much lower 30% admit rate for out-of-state applicants.

But it's important to remember that most colleges still admit the vast majority of their applicants. The national average admittance rate at a four-year college is about 70%. 

Why are the numbers of college applications increasing?

Applications are soaring at some colleges. For the college class of 2028, the University of Michigan received more than 90,000 applications, and UCLA had 145,000. The University of Tennessee received almost 60,000. The reason for this increase is complex. The number of colleges that are test-optional has skyrocketed. Post-Covid, more than 80% of colleges have remained test optional. Students with strong grades might say, “Hey, I'm going to apply to Harvard since I don't have to submit my average test score.” That drives up the applicant pools. This is a major change from the last five to 10 years.

The unpredictability of today’s college admissions process might also result in a student applying to more colleges since s/he is not sure s/he will be admitted to many (or any) of his/her preferred colleges. And, with more colleges accepting the Common App, it makes it easier for students to apply.

The Common App reports that for the 2023-2024 year, the total number of applications to all member institutions was 9,472,240, an 11% increase over the previous year. At Father Ryan, we recommend that students apply to five to seven colleges (our average is five), yet some seniors across the country apply to many more.

With the rise of test-optional colleges, should students submit SAT and ACT test scores?

We guide students and parents about what they need to know about test-optional colleges and how to strategically decide whether to submit test scores to test-optional colleges. The average test scores posted on college websites are based only on those applicants who submitted their test scores (which can range but is often about half of the applicants at test-optional colleges). Therefore, the test scores that are reported are not always a true reflection of what types of students have been admitted. However, seeing those high test averages can be staggeringly frightful to a high school student seeking admission to college. The key is to be very strategic. 

At Father Ryan, we discuss this with each individual student and base this decision on the student’s college list and test scores. The decision may be to submit scores to these four colleges, but not the others. When a student has a new test score, we have a whole new conversation about their list.

Do colleges prefer the SAT or ACT?

The most common myth I hear is that colleges prefer one test over another. Colleges have no preference. They have a concordance table that changes an ACT score to the equivalent SAT score, and vice versa. It is just a test score to them. 

Some students will test better on the SAT, some on the ACT. The SAT is now all digital and taken on a laptop, whereas the ACT is still a paper test. It is helpful for students to take both to compare scores.

With the shift to the digital SAT, that test is now 40 minutes shorter than the ACT. The ACT is reacting and making changes for next year to compete, so stay tuned. All Father Ryan students take the PSAT, so we talk about that score in relation to an equivalent ACT score and use it as a comparison. 

We recommend that students begin taking the SAT or ACT during the spring semester of junior year. The ACT math section is very geometry-heavy. Most of our juniors are taking geometry, so it is helpful for them to have completed much of that class before taking the ACT. This timeframe still allows a student to take the test multiple times.

It is important for families to be aware of the test dates, and to mark your calendar early. Each test is offered only seven or eight times per year.

2024-2025 SAT Dates

2024-2025 ACT Dates

What is the role of Father Ryan College Counseling in successful admissions?

Effective college counseling can guide you through every step. At Father Ryan, we have decades of combined expertise in college counseling and university admissions. Our goal for each student is whatever is best for him or her. Whether it is a four-year school, a big public university, a liberal arts college, Harvard, Notre Dame, trade school, or a community college—our goal is to create a post-secondary plan that is best for each individual student. We do have free community college and trade school in Tennessee with the Tennessee Promise Scholarship, and we always have a handful of students who like to take advantage of that. Whatever their choice is, we are happy to support them. 

We have a detailed program and timeline of college counseling activities that begins in freshman year, so students and parents have the advantage of being well prepared. We host college admissions officers throughout the year. Students in any grade may visit the college representatives who come to our campus. During our annual College Week in September, about 100 colleges visit Father Ryan.

We have great resources for our students and families. Students use the SCOIR platform to research colleges and careers. SCOIR also shows admissions decisions from anonymous previous Father Ryan applicants to each college to help our students see what colleges they are likely to be admitted to, or which are more of a reach, based on GPA and test score.

SCOIR is where parents and College Counselors can suggest colleges to their students, and where students manage their college list. Each junior receives a 30-page College Counseling Handbook created by my department that includes how to research colleges, information on testing and financial aid, statistics on the recent Father Ryan graduating class (how many chose a private or public college, in-state or out-of-state, the most popular colleges, etc.), a detailed timeline and task list, and more. We also have a College Counseling tile on the password-protected Resource Board for families with many links and helpful documents.

Our approach with each grade level is developmentally appropriate. Freshman Seminar is our opportunity to introduce ourselves, have them log into SCOIR to begin their high school resume, and emphasize how important high school grades are to college admission. One of the helpful activities during sophomore year is the online career assessment for suggestions of what career might interest them. We host a virtual Freshman Sophomore Family College Night evening program in the spring for 9^th and 10^th grade families. For sophomores in Father Ryan’s Hayes Scholars Program, we take them on a field trip to Vanderbilt University in the spring. We also host a spring Selective College Admissions program. Each of last year’s virtual events have been recorded and are available to watch on our tile on the Resource Board.

Our process kicks into high gear during junior year with an evening program with college admissions officers as guest speakers. Our goal for 11^th grade is to outline what they should be doing to officially begin the application process. We visit all junior Theology classes and have individual meetings with each junior family to talk about the process, go over a family's individual questions and concerns, and help build their college list.

In the fall, there is a revolving door of seniors in and out of our office all day long as we move toward the fall college application deadlines. We help seniors with whatever they need. We give each senior a personalized list of suggested deadlines for their applications, and discuss the nuts and bolts of applying to college. Senior meetings may include helping a student working on the actual college application, editing essays, calling admissions offices for information, etc. We help seniors complete other application tasks by sending transcripts to colleges and writing letters of recommendation. After most of our students have chosen their college, we have a Transitioning to College discussion for the seniors and their parents in the spring semester. 

One of my favorite programs is our quarterly Virtual College Counseling Chit-Chats for Father Ryan parents. We cover specific topics, including one on scholarship searching, in addition to answering any of their questions. It is just a casual conversation, but parents find it informative and demystifying.

How do students put together a college list? 

There are key factors to consider when choosing the right college to match your goals. Creating a list is highly personal. I do not tell students which colleges should be on their list. They tell me what they are looking for, and then I can offer suggestions of other colleges that may be a good fit.

I recommend students think about the size of school they want. Size is important. We are so lucky to live in Nashville. It is very easy to visit different sizes and types of colleges locally to get a sense of preference. We encourage students to visit a smaller college like Sewanee or Lipscomb University, visit a mid-size school like Vanderbilt, Belmont, or TSU, and visit a large school like Middle Tennessee State University to get a sense of which size they prefer.

Students should ask themselves where they feel comfortable. Do they want to be in a city? Close to home? Out West? In New England? Beyond location and size, do you want to continue your Catholic education?

What else should students look at when searching for colleges?

We encourage students to look at college retention and graduation rates. A “good” school is not defined by 100,000 applications. I define it by students sticking around and graduating, hopefully in four years. 

Obviously, academic programs and majors are key. If you want to be an engineer, the college should have engineering. How strong and successful are the career advising and internship placement services? Academic tutoring is important for all students. Students with learning differences need to research the support available at each college. Other important factors include athletics, clubs, religious organizations, Greek life, study abroad, whatever your interests are. 

What’s the biggest factor students and families should consider about a college?

The biggest one is the net cost, not just the cost you see on the website.  Most students will get some type of discount, which can be a scholarship and/or financial aid, to reduce that price. For most of our families, cost is probably the primary factor driving the college decision. 

Cost is a big factor when creating a student's college list. When we talk to juniors, we ask if they have discussed paying for college, if there are college savings, a 529 plan, or if other relatives will help pay for college. It is very important for students to know their budget early on.

Students and parents should have conversations about the college budget during junior year (or earlier!). We never want to see a senior get admitted to six great colleges, and then realize they cannot afford it. Applying to less expensive schools or schools where you might have greater scholarship opportunities is a great way to ensure students and parents are equally happy about the admissions decisions.  Our new partnership with SmartTrack can help parents plan in advance to pay for college. It is a nice, additional service for our families. 

How does Father Ryan’s mission help students in college?

Our mission is to be an experience of the living Gospel while challenging students to reach their spiritual, academic, and personal potential. This helps us identify the colleges that will be good fits for students to help them develop in their spiritual, academic, and personal life. With so many great colleges out there, we want to find the right place for the student to align with his or her values. We do this through our leadership opportunities in our House System, our four levels of learning and academic choices, and a huge array of opportunities in which students can participate, learn about themselves, and become leaders in their own way. These opportunities enrich our students’ experiences, which translates into a stronger resume and topics for their college essays. Skills like athletics or arts can be leveraged into either a scholarship or admission to a school to which they otherwise would not have been admitted.

The vast opportunities to join clubs, activities, and sports at Father Ryan also make our students good contributors to a campus, which is what colleges want. Colleges want kids who get out on their campus and participate. They want students who engage in the classroom and in other activities. They want students who have been exposed to a variety of cultures and experiences. Father Ryan provides its students with the opportunities colleges are seeking in applicants.  

Having just a title (e.g., Vice President of X activity) doesn’t prove that you have leadership experience. Colleges are not impressed by a title without any action or substance behind it. They want students who are making a real impact. When I am advising students on their activities list, I encourage them to talk about whether they were elected to a position and explain what they do in that role, such as planning daily activities for their Mentor Group every day. When I was reviewing applications at Vanderbilt, it did not matter what the title was. What mattered was if the applicant was actually doing something and having an impact. 

What is the most important advice for students and parents during the college admissions process?

Know that the high school grades listed on your transcript are going to be the most important part of your application. Take classes seriously and do the best you possibly can. And take a deep breath, relax, and know it is all going to work out. Father Ryan students get into impressive schools, but we are not pushing an Ivy League school on them. We want whatever is best for every student. We want to identify colleges that are a good match for that student and his or her family in every way.

A common question I get asked is about the timeline for the college admissions process. The official timeline starts in junior year, and we hand it out and discuss it at our Junior Family College Night.  But know that things start to “count” in 9^th grade- those are (most importantly) your grades, but also your involvement at school and within your community.  

Father Ryan College Counseling is here to answer all of your questions. Please do not hesitate to reach out to your College Counselor (we are assigned to you by House) with questions. This is an important, deeply personal journey for you and your child. We are here to help.

 

Father Ryan College Counseling Staff:

Mrs. Nordman (Trinity and Oak Houses): normanm@fatherryan.org

Dr. Aguirre (Elliston and Emerald Houses): aguirrea@fatherryan.org

Mrs. Williams (Norwood and Immaculata Houses): williamschristina@fatherryan.org