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How do I guarantee I get into a good college?
#college #MIT
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Yuan’s Answer
Hi Kat,
I definitely agree with what others have said about test scores, school grades, extracurriculars etc. I conducted admissions interviews for MIT for the past 10 years (as an alumni volunteer), and so I'd like to give you my take on what MIT (and other top colleges) look for in their applicants.
The first thing I look for is passion and drive. Does the student have something they are passionate about and how hard do they pursue it? This could be anything, not necessarily school related. It could be academics, athletics, extracurriculars or even family related, like taking care of a relative. I also like to ask about any obstacles they encountered while pursuing their interest, and how they worked to overcome it and learn from it. From this, it will quickly become apparent to me if the student is actually passionate about the activity or if they're just doing it to get "credit" on their college application. By the way, it's fine if in the beginning it was "Mom and Dad pushed me to join", but later they learned to really love it.
The second thing I look for is leadership and collaboration skills. Does the student demonstrate the ability to work well with others? Are they able to encourage and inspire their peers to work toward some larger goal? But this doesn't mean you need to be captain of the basketball team or leader of the student council. It can be as simple as working on a group project in your class. I also like to ask about any conflicts or differences of opinion between the members of the group, to understand how the student deals with conflict resolution. It's even OK to admit if you handled a situation poorly, as long as you show that you've learned from it.
The final thing I look for is humility and curiosity. This one is about a willingness to admit mistakes and to entertain new ideas and new perspectives.
Of course, the interview is only a small part of the college application, which also includes your SATs, transcripts, teacher recommendations, personal essay, etc. And we know that the admit rate for these schools are in the low single digits. So my final piece of advice is this: Even if you don't end up getting into a "good college", the personal traits I mentioned above remain valid.
In other words, find what you're passionate about, work together with others, and approach the world with an open heart and an open mind, and you'll definitely achieve your goals!
I definitely agree with what others have said about test scores, school grades, extracurriculars etc. I conducted admissions interviews for MIT for the past 10 years (as an alumni volunteer), and so I'd like to give you my take on what MIT (and other top colleges) look for in their applicants.
The first thing I look for is passion and drive. Does the student have something they are passionate about and how hard do they pursue it? This could be anything, not necessarily school related. It could be academics, athletics, extracurriculars or even family related, like taking care of a relative. I also like to ask about any obstacles they encountered while pursuing their interest, and how they worked to overcome it and learn from it. From this, it will quickly become apparent to me if the student is actually passionate about the activity or if they're just doing it to get "credit" on their college application. By the way, it's fine if in the beginning it was "Mom and Dad pushed me to join", but later they learned to really love it.
The second thing I look for is leadership and collaboration skills. Does the student demonstrate the ability to work well with others? Are they able to encourage and inspire their peers to work toward some larger goal? But this doesn't mean you need to be captain of the basketball team or leader of the student council. It can be as simple as working on a group project in your class. I also like to ask about any conflicts or differences of opinion between the members of the group, to understand how the student deals with conflict resolution. It's even OK to admit if you handled a situation poorly, as long as you show that you've learned from it.
The final thing I look for is humility and curiosity. This one is about a willingness to admit mistakes and to entertain new ideas and new perspectives.
Of course, the interview is only a small part of the college application, which also includes your SATs, transcripts, teacher recommendations, personal essay, etc. And we know that the admit rate for these schools are in the low single digits. So my final piece of advice is this: Even if you don't end up getting into a "good college", the personal traits I mentioned above remain valid.
In other words, find what you're passionate about, work together with others, and approach the world with an open heart and an open mind, and you'll definitely achieve your goals!
Updated
Alexa’s Answer
Hi Kat,
That's a great question. As there really is no real guarantees in life there are steps you can take to ensure you put forth the best applications when applying to college. One of the main things universities look at is your high school grades, SAT scores, and extracurricular activities. Ensure you study/take prep courses before taking the SAT will help to ensure you are prepared before writing the test. Another way you can set yourself apart from other candidates is through volunteer activities, taking part in the community and school committees will help you stand out.
I hope that helps and good luck with your college applications!