Applying to Top Schools
Student assessments (e.g. SAT, GPA) are helpful for colleges or initial hiring managers to compare your application to join them amongst many other fine candidates. It does not speak to your character, passions, work ethic, citizenship, entrepreneurialism, ability to overcome adversity or rise above your conditions—to be a unique and successful student or employee, if accepted over others.
WHAT ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTORS IN COLLEGE ADMISSIONS? [Collegedata.com]
GRADES IN COLLEGE PREP COURSES
Most colleges will consider your grade in college prep courses the strongest sign of your ability to do well in college. If you perform well in your AP courses, it suggests that you have the ability to take on the college workload. Even if you struggled early in your high school career, colleges will look favorably upon strong improvement in subsequent years.
STRENGTH OF CURRICULUM
Colleges look for students who took the most challenging courses available to them who performed well in each class. Some high schools don’t offer many college prep classes. If that is the case for your high school, admissions officers will take this into account. They may also look favorably upon students who seek challenge outside of school; for example, by taking community college courses or AP courses online.
ADMISSION TEST SCORES
Your SAT and/or ACT scores might count highly if the college requires or accepts them. Many colleges are now test optional, test flexible, or test blind. Scores from AP tests and the International Baccalaureate (IB) exams may also be important, especially to more selective colleges. To best prepare for your tests take a college test prep course or buy a prep book. This will help you study and determine the best way for you to conquer your test and receive the best score possible.
GRADES IN ALL COURSES
Your overall GPA also serves as an indicator of your academic success in high school. Colleges may look at your transcript to get an idea of how you performed in your classes. A transcript is a list of every class taken throughout high school and the grade received in each class. Some colleges will also look at the types of classes you took in high school and note whether you took honors and AP courses if they were available.
THE NEXT MOST IMPORTANT FACTORS
EXTRACURRICULAR COMMITMENT
Colleges pay attention to your involvement in extracurricular activities. But what counts most to colleges is how long and how deeply you have been committed to one or two of those interests. This could be sports, clubs, music groups, or various other activities. They take into account the leadership roles you have held, what you accomplished, and how much time you committed to the activity.
LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION
Many colleges require recommendation letters from your teachers and high school counselor. Other colleges may require additional letters from individuals who know you well and can provide insight into your academic abilities, character, and personality.
ESSAY OR WRITING SAMPLE
Many colleges will ask you to submit an essay or personal statement and some will require you to answer additional questions with shorter essays. Here is your opportunity to put your personality into your application. A well-written essay can tip a decision in your favor and a poorly written one can do the opposite.
DEMONSTRATED INTEREST
Going on a college visit, talking with admission officers, or doing an enthusiastic interview can call attention to how much you really want to attend. Applying for an early decision may also make a good impression.
CLASS RANK
Colleges that use this factor want to see how much competition high school students had to face to achieve rank. Fewer and fewer colleges are giving class rank much importance. According to the NACAC, fewer than half of high schools now track class rank
What are your feelings about those criteria?
How have your grades and classes been so far?
There will be many programs and schools to offer an education. If you lean towards a specific program or school, you can work hard towards that goal.
Ask yourself if a School of Arts or Arts Program would look for the same criteria as those for engineering, business or social studies. If not those criteria, what might they value more in selecting students?
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