Admissions Blog: 5 things to know about applying to Sweet Briar
Posted on January 12, 2018 by Admin
We love reading applications. They are a rare window into understanding who you are. Often, an application is the first time we hear from a student. Why? Because some students wait to visit campus until after they’ve applied. We actually recommend visiting before you apply — to help you narrow down your choices — and again after you apply and have been accepted — to help you find the school where you truly want to spend four years.
Sweet Briar College has rolling admissions, so we accept applications year-round, but we do have a priority deadline of Feb. 1. Because some federal and state grants are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, students who apply by Feb. 1 benefit from more financial aid opportunities. We encourage you to apply early and get your FAFSA done early.
When applying to Sweet Briar College, here are five things you need to know:
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We’re unbiased about application type. We are members of the Common Application as well as the Coalition for College Access and Affordability. We also have our own application online. However, unlike some schools, we have no preference over which application you use, so please find the one you are most comfortable with and use that one! Rest assured: No matter which one you choose, there is no fee to apply to Sweet Briar.
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We’re holistic. Never mind all that nonsense about cut scores. We are looking for the best students who will be most successful with our curriculum, as well as happiest in our community. Therefore, we look at every single piece of your application in depth, and we make a decision about your admission based on all factors. (So, it’s really important to tell us if you had an illness or trouble at home or at school that affected your grades, test scores or attendance. Give us those details. We promise to read them and to use them in our evaluations.)
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We love reading your essays! They are one of the best tools for getting to know you until we get to meet you in person and welcome you to campus. You don’t have to write a book, but please write an essay that is long enough to capture a complete theme or story, individual enough to help us begin to understand your background and your goals and polished enough to show that you proofread and revised it.
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We want to see what you have done with your time and what’s important to you outside of class, so don’t skimp in your activities section. Please elaborate as much as possible on your clubs, sports, jobs, volunteering, etc. We won’t know your whole story unless you tell it, and we want to know your whole story!
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We pay close attention to what your teachers and guidance counselors say in their recommendation letters. They provide different perspectives about you as a student, giving us better understanding of your initiative, your resilience, your character and what you would offer to our community. They help round out the larger picture of what makes you extraordinary.
We love talking to you and answering any questions you have about Sweet Briar and/or the application process. Please do not hesitate to pick up the phone (434-381-6142), stop by, send an email (admissions@sbc.edu) or text us when you need anything. You can also find us at sbc.edu/admissions.
This week’s bloggers are senior admissions counselors Savannah Oxner (from left) and Gloria Simon and admissions counselors Taylor Patterson, Jacqueline Burke, Savanna Klein and Erin Geiersbach. They can’t wait to meet you at their next college fairs, and they’re absolutely dying to read your application essays — one of the best parts of working in admissions.
