Admissions Officers are Casting a Play, Not Grading a Test

Think Vanderbilt is your backup plan? Think again. As selective colleges outside the Ivy League become even harder to get into, the admissions game is shifting in unexpected ways. ASMSA Executive Director Corey Alderdice explores how schools like Rice, WashU, Emory, and Northwestern—often called the “New Ivies”—have turned the idea of a safety school on its head. In this episode, you'll learn why traditional application strategies no longer guarantee success, why perfect students sometimes get rejected, and how admissions officers are casting a play, not grading a test. Seniors starting their college journey won’t want to miss this timely reality check on what it really takes to stand out in today’s ultra-competitive landscape.

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