Our guest this episode is Emily Parliman. Over her career, she has read thousands of applications and learned how selective universities make admission decisions. She has spent two seasons reviewing applications for the University of California Berkeley and has served as an alumni interviewer at her alma mater, Kenyon College. As a first-generation student, she didn’t know how to navigate the confusing admissions and financial aid process. This is what inspired her to work in admissions and college counseling.
In this episode, Emily Parliman discusses how to structure your application if you decide to apply test-optional by breaking down how applications are actually viewed and discussed by admission readers. With a shifting emphasis on activities and extracurriculars, Emily Parliman also provides invaluable advice on how to communicate quality of activities over quantity.
This interview is part of the The Future of Higher Education podcast. In the Test-Optional Admissions series, we discuss the implications of the growing number of test-optional colleges and universities in the United States, as well as the general state of college admissions today. Stay tuned for more interviews with seasoned admissions professionals on The Future of Higher Education podcast.
