No Time to Retreat
Juniors Tackle the College Application Process
On Nov. 4, 2026, Maclay’s juniors participated in a Junior Retreat, which focused on preparing them for the college application process and helping them better understand what colleges look for in prospective students.
The retreat began with an interactive game centered on grade-point averages (GPAs) and the extracurricular activities of an applicant. Students moved up or down different spots based on the applicants’ academic achievements and involvement in extracurriculars, demonstrating how applicants can have different experiences and qualifications. Ultimately, this showed how student’s choices affect their college acceptance chances and how their GPA does not determine where they stand in an application.
Following the activity, students heard from one of the five college admissions representatives who described the components of a college application. This included the information admissions officers consider when reviewing prospective students. Then, the juniors participated in an activity in which they evaluated whether to admit fictional applicants to a fictional college. Students were challenged to decline two of the three applicants, allowing them to experience the decision-making process from an admissions officer’s perspective.
The retreat continued with discussions from the admissions representatives and ended with a question-and-answer panel. Students asked questions and gained insight into the admissions process directly from college representatives.
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