The College Essay Guy Podcast: A Practical Guide to College Admissions

523: Busting College Admission Myths Using Data: Standardized Tests, Rankings, and the Cost of College with Akil Bello

Dec 17, 2024

In this engaging discussion, Akil Bello, an educator and advocate for equitable education access, tackles prevalent college admissions myths. He clarifies that most colleges are not returning to standardized test requirements, debunks the myth that prestigious schools guarantee success, and reveals the complexities of college costs, emphasizing underreported financial aid options. Bello also critiques ranking systems for prioritizing reputation over quality. His insights aim to empower families navigating the admissions landscape.

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INSIGHT

Test-Optional Policies

Most colleges are test-optional, contrary to media narratives.
Highly selective colleges, favored by media, skew the perception of testing requirements.

INSIGHT

Standardized Tests and Diversity

Standardized tests do not attract students of color; they often hinder them.
These tests disadvantage underrepresented groups, making their purported benefit illogical.

INSIGHT

College Application Difficulty

Applying to college isn't hard, but focusing on highly selective schools creates stress.
Most colleges accept over half their applicants, making admissions generally accessible.

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In today’s episode, Ethan is joined by Akil Bello to talk about standardized tests, rankings, and the cost of college. They dig into some common misconceptions about college including:

Are most colleges returning to requiring standardized testing scores?
Is it too hard to get into college?
Are highly-ranked colleges better?
Is it true that most colleges now cost more than $100,000 per year to attend?
And more!

Akil Bello is an educator, strategist, researcher, policy consultant, and advocate for equitable access to education. For more than 30 years, he’s worked every job you can imagine related to admission testing and college access from tutor, to test prep company founder to CEO and now works as the Senior Director of Advocacy at Fair Test. When he is not moonlighting reading college applications for a public university, he serves on several advisory boards, writes articles for Forbes, and helps his wife parent their college freshman and HS junior.

We hope you enjoy!

Play-by-Play:

1:56 - Akil shares a bit about his background and identities
3:57 - What is Fair Test and what does Akil do as Senior Director of Advocacy?
6:03 - Myth #1: Most colleges are returning to requiring standardized testing scores.
11:25 - Myth #2: Universities are returning to standardized tests because they help attract students of color?
13:40 - Myth #3: Standardized test scores are a reliable predictor of GPA in college.
16:18 - Myth #4: It is harder than ever to get into college.
19:25 - Myth #5: The higher the ranking, the better the school.
27:59 - What are some good questions that students can ask themselves when developing a college list?
29:52 - Myth #6: College is expensive.
33:59 - Myth #7: A particular essay, extracurricular, or passion project gets students into college.
37:34 - What are some good questions that students can ask themselves when considering whether or not to submit a test score?
43:26 - What are some good questions that students can ask themselves if they are considering writing about race in their college essay or application?
46:44 - Akil shares advice to parents and students who are navigating this process
51:28 - Wrap up and closing thoughts

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