College Counseling Office Hosts Annual Case Studies Program for Underclassmen

Ninth, tenth, and eleventh grade families stepped into the role of college admission officers during Wednesday night’s Case Studies Program, hosted by the College Counseling Office.

The evening opened in Founders Hall with a dynamic panel that pulled back the curtain on how applications are really evaluated. Admission representatives from Fordham University, Lehigh University, Lafayette College, Gettysburg College, Dickinson College, Binghamton University, and Drew University offered insight into what stands out and what can make the difference in a highly selective process.

From there, participants moved from audience members to decision-makers. In small groups, each led by an admission representative, families became a mock “admission committee,” reviewing three applications to a fictitious college. Conversations quickly grew lively as groups weighed academics, extracurriculars, and personal stories, ultimately deciding who to admit, waitlist, or deny.

The program concluded with a full-group reveal, as committees compared their decisions and saw firsthand just how subjective and nuanced the process can be.