From Wellesley to MIT and Olin: Insider College Admissions Counseling From a Former Admissions Officer
The college admissions process has never been more competitive — with acceptance rates at top colleges dropping to historic lows and families left wondering what truly gives their student an edge. Parents often ask: What do admissions officers really look for, and how can my child stand out?
As a former Wellesley College Board of Admissions member, I’ve read hundreds of applications to one of the nation’s most selective liberal arts colleges. While at Wellesley, I partnered directly with the Deans of Admission at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Olin College of Engineering, sitting in their admissions offices and collaborating with them to design and launch highly selective dual-degree programs that allowed Wellesley College students to earn degrees at both institutions. In that role, I not only helped shape the programs themselves but also worked with MIT’s and Olin’s Deans of Admission to identify and guide Wellesley students who could succeed in these highly competitive admissions processes.
That insider vantage point showed me exactly how applications are evaluated and what distinguishes a compelling candidate. In this article, I’ll share how those experiences now shape the college admissions guidance we provide at Lantern College Counseling, helping families navigate today’s competitive landscape with clarity and confidence.
Why Former Admissions Officer Experience Matters to Help Your Child Get Into College
Most families only see the end result of the admissions process — an acceptance or denial letter. What happens behind the scenes can feel like a mystery. But admissions officers don’t just “read” applications; they shape an incoming class. Every essay, recommendation, and activity is evaluated in the context of institutional priorities: What mix of majors, backgrounds, and talents will best serve the college that year?
As a former admissions officer, I know firsthand what rises to the top in this process. I’ve evaluated applications under strict selectivity, debated candidates in committee, and seen how even strong students are not admitted for a range of reasons, including if their personal narrative doesn’t align with what admissions officers are looking for. That insider perspective helps families focus on what really matters—and avoid wasting time on what doesn’t.
For parents, this means that working with a counselor who has been inside admissions isn’t just about editing essays or making a college list. It’s about having someone on your side who understands how decisions are made, what signals colleges pay attention to, and how your student can authentically stand out in a highly competitive pool.
My College Admissions Experience: From Wellesley to MIT and Olin
At Wellesley College, I served on the Board of Admissions, reviewing hundreds of applications each year for one of the nation’s most selective liberal arts colleges (14% admit rate). That experience gave me an inside view of how decisions are made in a highly competitive environment and how admissions decisions were shaped by more than just grades and test scores.
What Admissions Officers Look at Beyond Grades and Test Scores
As part of my admissions work at Wellesley, I was the third reader on transfer applications — a role reserved for academic deans because we understood transfer credit and how prior coursework might map (or fail to map) to Wellesley’s degree requirements. Transfer admission decisions were never just about raw merit — they were about readiness and fit.
Readiness: Is the Student Prepared for This College’s Specific Requirements?
With respect to readiness, we looked for students who had the preparation to thrive in Wellesley’s rigorous academic environment. Because of the college’s distribution requirements, we needed confidence that a student could succeed across a wide range of disciplines — math, science, humanities, arts, social sciences, and foreign language. We looked for markers of this in their prior coursework. For instance, an intended English major who had not taken math or science at their institution would raise concerns about whether they could handle the full breadth of Wellesley’s curriculum.
We also looked for indicators that students with a strong sense of academic direction had the basis and preparation for it. For example, an intended international relations (IR) major who had not taken relevant coursework — including foreign language study, since the IR major required six semesters of it — would not be a competitive candidate. Similarly, an intended computer science major who hadn’t taken relevant math or CS courses would not gain admission.
Fit: Why a Transfer Student Needs a New Environment
With respect to fit, we were most compelled by students whose needs aligned with what Wellesley uniquely offered — those who had completed an associate’s degree and needed a four-year institution to finish their bachelor’s, students whose academic interests had evolved and could no longer be met at their college, or students who had experienced disruptions that made a new environment essential. A talented student who could not authentically and compellingly explain why Wellesley was the right place for her would often be passed over. I remember the Dean of Admission saying of such cases: “She’ll be fine at her current institution.”
Students considering transferring may find my step-by-step guide on how to transfer colleges helpful.
Fit was always balanced against institutional priorities. For example, in one cycle we did not admit any transfer candidates intending to major in computer science, since the department already had waitlists of more than 100 students for many of their classes. In that context, only one qualified candidate was admitted—because she also met Wellesley’s priority of expanding access for underrepresented students.
Help your student stand out in the most competitive fields — with insider guidance from a team that knows how top STEM institutions make decisions.
The same themes — balancing student preparation with institutional priorities — also shaped my work with MIT and Olin College of Engineering, where I partnered with their Deans of Admission to both develop highly selective dual-degree programs and guide Wellesley students to successful admission.
Measuring Academic Readiness for Rigorous Dual-Degree STEM Programs
With respect to readiness, both MIT and Olin demanded clear evidence that applicants could thrive in their intensely rigorous STEM environments. At MIT, every student — regardless of intended major — has to complete the General Institute Requirements, which included advanced work in math, science, humanities, and communication. At Olin, as an engineering college, the baseline expectation is equally demanding: students need a proven record of success in math and science to handle its rigorous technical curriculum.
For the Wellesley–MIT and Wellesley–Olin dual-degree programs, readiness meant even more — because admitted students weren’t just pursuing coursework across campuses; they were working toward two full degrees at two demanding institutions simultaneously. As part of the team that helped shape these partnerships, I saw firsthand the level of preparation required for a student to succeed in such an ambitious path. Strong grades across disciplines were the clearest marker that a candidate could rise to this challenge. The very first student admitted to the Wellesley–MIT dual-degree program embodied that standard: with outstanding performance in math, science, and the humanities at Wellesley, she earned a B.A. in art history from Wellesley and a B.S. in biomedical engineering from MIT — an ambitious pairing that reflected both creativity and technical strength.
Determining Admission Fit for Dual-Degree College Programs Across Multiple Institutions
With respect to fit, the central question was whether a student truly needed what MIT or Olin uniquely offered — opportunities they could not find at Wellesley alone. For MIT, that often meant engineering, architecture, or urban studies and planning. For Olin, it meant students who were pursuing engineering and who not only excelled academically but also thrived in collaborative, community-driven environments. Even highly accomplished students would not succeed at Olin if they lacked the ability to contribute meaningfully to a team.
Over time, I learned to recognize those qualities in applicants and helped Wellesley students present their experiences in ways that spoke directly to what each institution valued most. I also consulted directly with the Deans of Admission at MIT and Olin about individual candidates, ensuring that my guidance aligned with the priorities of their admissions offices.
These roles gave me a unique vantage point: I’ve seen firsthand how admissions decisions are made behind closed doors — and I’ve also guided students to successful admission into some of the nation’s most selective programs. Today, we draw on that dual perspective in our work with Lantern families, helping students understand what admissions officers truly value and how to present themselves in ways that resonate.
Every Lantern family benefits from this insider expertise because of our unique team-based model, where Eliza and I work in constant partnership on each student’s progress and applications.
What Families Gain From Insider Guidance in the College Admissions Process
“Admissions officers aren’t looking for “perfect” résumés. They’re looking for compelling stories that fit with institutional priorities.”
For families, insider admissions experience translates into more than just knowledge of the process — it means strategy. Working with an experienced college admissions counselor helps students see their applications the way an admissions officer would, highlighting strengths and addressing potential weaknesses before they ever hit a college admissions officer’s desk.
This perspective also keeps families focused on what matters most. It’s easy to get lost in myths and checklists, but admissions officers aren’t looking for “perfect” résumés. They’re looking for compelling stories that fit with institutional priorities. Our role is to help students uncover and communicate their authentic story—what I call their Deep-Fit™—so that they stand out in the ways colleges truly value.
The result is less guesswork, less stress, and more confidence. Parents know their student is putting forward an application shaped by someone who has been on the inside of admissions—and that their child is not just getting into college, but landing at a place where they are likely to thrive. Students know they’re presenting their very best selves, with a clear path toward both acceptance and long-term success.
Get insider admissions expertise to help your student thrive — from application to acceptance.
A Team-Based Model That Doubles the Support
At Lantern, we use a unique team-based model of college advising: when you hire us, you don’t just get one counselor—you get two. My partner, Eliza Yuen, and I work closely together, consulting daily on student progress, strategy, and essays.
This means every student benefits from our shared decades of campus-based experience, Eliza’s expertise in international admissions, and my insider perspective as a former admissions officer.
Our partnership isn’t new — Eliza and I first worked together for six years at Tufts University, advising students in the School of Engineering. That long-standing collaboration built the foundation for the seamless support we now provide through Lantern. Families tell us they value the consistency of this dual approach: one counselor may take the lead with their child, but both of us are always fully engaged, aligned, and invested in each student’s success.
To learn more about how our team-based approach works, see our article: College Admissions Counseling at Lantern: A Team-Based Approach to Student Success.
Nationally Recognized Expertise
My perspective on college admissions and student success doesn’t stop with Wellesley, MIT, Olin, and Tufts (where I am Dean of Academic Advising and Undergraduate Studies for the School of Engineering.) I’ve also been asked to share my insights on a national stage. I recently spoke at The Chronicle of Higher Education’s Virtual Forum on college advising, an event with more than 3,000 registrants, and I have been invited to join Duke University’s External Advisory Board for Mechanical Engineering as part of an NSF initiative on holistic student success.
These opportunities reflect the trust higher education leaders place in my work — and they ensure that the families we serve benefit from the very latest conversations shaping college admissions and student support. That same expertise translates directly into results for the students we counsel.
Your student’s college journey deserves expert guidance from true college insiders.
Real Results: How Insider Guidance Helps Students Get In and Thrive
Our track record proves that insider admissions expertise translates into real outcomes. At Lantern, insider expertise isn’t just theoretical — it drives results. Our students have earned admission to some of the nation’s most selective colleges and universities, including MIT, Harvard, Brown, UPenn, Cornell, Dartmouth, Columbia, Carnegie Mellon, Tufts, Michigan, Cal Tech, and many more. These successes span a wide range of majors and interests, from engineering and computer science to the humanities and social sciences.
But what matters most isn’t just where students get in — it’s how they thrive once there. Because of our unique focus on both admissions strategy and long-term success, families know their child is not only putting forward their strongest applications but also choosing a college environment where they can grow, contribute, and flourish.
See our full gallery of student acceptances here.
Turning Insider Knowledge Into Your Student’s Advantage
The college admissions process doesn’t have to feel like a mystery. With guidance from a former admissions officer who has deep insights into and experience with the admissions processes at Wellesley, Olin, and MIT, families gain clarity, strategy, and confidence at every step.
At Lantern, we combine insider knowledge with a proven focus on long-term student success. That means your child isn’t just preparing the strongest possible application—they’re finding and gaining acceptance to a college where they can truly thrive.
If you’re ready to give your student the advantage of insider admissions expertise, schedule a consultation with Lantern College Counseling today.
Give your child the advantage of insider admissions expertise — and the confidence to thrive in college and beyond.
