More than 130 students and parents gathered with the admission representatives in various classrooms on the Upper School campus. Each college admission official and his or her group together analyzed the applications of a number of fictional students and determined which two should receive offers of admission to a made-up university.

The evening exercise concluded with a question-and-answer session in the Lewis Family Auditorium led by Claudia Jolivert, RE’s director of college counseling, and college counselor Daniel Barr. The admission representatives discussed how colleges build their classes; the influence of alumni parents on student applications; schools’ interest in bringing diversity of all kinds (socioeconomic, geographic, ethnic, racial, etc.) to their campuses; the emphasis given to college visits and a student’s “demonstrated interest”; the weight placed on application essays and early applications; and other topics.

They emphasized that students should show genuine interest in the activities they pursue in high school and the colleges they pursue for admission.

“Do everything because it’s what you want to do,” said Olander Fleming, regional coordinator in undergraduate admission at the University of Maryland. “Be active, be engaged … but enjoy your four years of high school. Relax through the process.”

The admission reps who took part: Cindy Cordova, Boston University; Jay Jacobs, University of Miami; Greg Manne, Dartmouth College; Dana Kingman, Wesleyan University; Dylan Robinson, American University; Michelle Nelson, Middlebury College; Carol Morris, Southern Methodist University; Erin Russo, Northeastern University; Marion Michieka, Oglethorpe University; Freddy Glittman, Lynn University; Olander Fleming, University of Maryland; and Dacia Bowra, University of Florida.