Class of 2021: College News

 

We are incredibly proud of those amazing college acceptances!

 

Eleven students were accepted to a total of 40 US and UK colleges:

Arizona State (Honors program)
Baylor University (TX)                                                 
Brandeis (MA) (Justice Brandeis Scholarship) 
Bryn Mawr (PA) (Presidential Scholarship) 
Colorado University Boulder (Honors Program) 
Emerson College (NY)   
Fordham University (NY) 
Gonzaga University (WA) 
Loyola Marymount (CA)  
Mount Holyoke College (MA) 
New York University ( NY)    
Oberlin College (OH)    
Occidental (CA)            
Reed College (OR)        
Santa Clara University (CA)  
Smith University (MA) 
Stanford University    
St. Andrews University (Scotland)  
Texas A&M (TX) 
UC Los Angeles    
UC Berkeley          
UC Santa Barbara 
UC San Diego         
UC Davis                 
UC Santa Cruz      
UC Merced            
University of Utah (Honors Program) 
Whittier University (CA)  
Willamette University (OR)  
Whitman College (WA)  

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Appraisal by Jennifer Krejcik, College Counselor at GISSV:

The college scene in 2021 is very different due to Covid 19. For the first time all US colleges became test optional giving students nationally the opportunity to apply to previously unreachable colleges. This change did affect our students, in my opinion, particularly those who had stellar scores.

Because the SAT and ACT were not a factor in admissions, every other aspect of the application became more important. Grades and the rigor of the curriculum remained the most important predictor of success. Rigor of the curriculum includes how many AP and Honors classes a student availed him/herself of. These classes, combined with the demanding Abitur courses, certainly demonstrate the rigor of the GISSV curriculum. Extra curricula activities, especially during a year when these were so limited, were also closely looked at. The students’ essays were particularly important this year because this is where they could talk about the impact of Covid on their lives and demonstrate how they creatively dealt with the obstacles they encountered.

Application to the Ivies overall increased up to 50% resulting in an extremely low acceptance rate at the already elite schools. Students applied to so many different colleges resulting in a significant number being waitlisted because the colleges do not know who will ultimately accept their offer.

Despite these changes, over 50% of the class of 2021 were accepted at highly competitive colleges all across the country and in the UK. Five students were accepted at colleges with less than a 10% acceptance rate.

I am very grateful to have had a role in my last year at GISSV in helping the students of 2021 navigate the college process and find a college where I believe they will thrive. 

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We wish the students all the best! Earning a Dual Diploma is an exceptional accomplishment and opens the doors worldwide for our students.


(Group photo was taken prior to COVID and edited)