Ariel
What are the defining factors colleges look for when applying to college?
When looking at colleges, they show the GPA and SAT scores that are required and that’s all. Some will say they look for how involved you are in school and your community. I just want a clear statement of what most colleges want to see from me.
#applying #requirements-management #college #college-admissions #gpa #sat
7 answers
Yesim Erez
Yesim’s Answer
Hi Ariel:
The college admissions process is more of a match finding than competition. Whatever your standardized test scores may be, there is a good match for you. Having said that, colleges seek applicants that are a good match for them.
If your school offers Naviance, check and see which schools accept scores in your range, and make sure to include a few you think you can get accepted to. It is also wise to include a few stretch schools (who seek higher GPA or scores) and a few safety schools so that you have a back up plan. Next, make sure to fully leverage your high school curriculum to challenge yourself through junior and senior years. What that means is, do not opt for the easiest classes to end up with the highest possible GPA, instead, seek classes you are interested in. Spend your summer doing more of what you think you enjoy and discover your strengths and interests. These may be volunteer opportunities, assistant teaching, interning for corporate or even research for high school students.
At the beginning of your Senior year, you should be able to talk about what excites you, energizes you and that's what the right college will look for.
I hope this helps.
Leahanne Thomas
Leahanne’s Answer
Ariel, it's a subjective process. So, they look at some baseline comparative data such as GPA and SAT, but then it gets gray. They're trying to find the best fits for their school, compared to the pool of applicants they receive. Think of it like a pile of marbles on a table and they sift them into groups based on what they see on the application and what the other marbles on the table have. You should also be going through the same exercise. Sizing up schools based on how good a fit they are to you. So, look at their required GPA and SATs, then look at the programs they offer, size, cost, culture/community. start winnowing down your list and then, start talking to people who may have gone there, talk to your guidance counselor about it, talk to the admissions rep for your area and start to get a sense of what their student population looks like. From there, you can start to get a sense of whether you have anything in common. Also, assess your history - classes, activities, hobbies, etc. Is there a thread? A commonality or a narrative you can tell the college about who you are and why their school is the right environment for you, based on who you are. That's ultimately what the admissions folks and you should be trying to determine.
Can't agree more with this analysis.
Lei Li
glad you find it helpful!
Leahanne Thomas
Simeon Snow
Simeon’s Answer
Rachel Weinheimer
Rachel’s Answer
Samar Choudhary
Samar’s Answer
MOHD KHALEEL
MOHD’s Answer
Daniel Cuesta
Daniel’s Answer
A simple clear answer: They want to see your authentic self!
As Yesim explained, college admissions is a process of matching.
So if your best strength is academics (like a specific subject), then make that shine the most!!! For example, maybe the college is hoping to admit more top chemistry students to expand its program.
If your best strength is club leadership or sport, then show those off!!!! For example, if the college hopes to recruit players for its basketball team, and you're the all-star, then boom, you're in. Or if you have huge involvement as a leader in your school or community, and the school you applied to wants more students who are dedicated to service, then it's a perfect match!
You can be a "pointy" student (with one top advantage) or you might be "round" (you're just good overall).
Schools are looking for all types of students, and they are more interested in building a cohort/community of learners. So they want to see your "authentic self" to evaluate how you will fit in.
Here's a deeper, longer answer...
There are so many factors and each is weighted differently. Below is one explanation I give students to understand how admission officers evaluate them.
1. Student vs. Person
All admission officers have to find the best students. But only some of them have to find the best people. Do you see the difference??
Some schools will focus MORE on your academic performance (GPA/SAT or ACT, IB scores, etc). Typically these are BIG state schools where many classes are HUGE lecture halls with 300 or 500 students. These schools just want to be sure that you can succeed academically and not fall behind. For these schools, things like GPA/SAT are good enough factors to consider.
Other schools (especially the more competitive or smaller schools) will want to know who are you as a PERSON because these admission officers need to "shape the cohort"--that means they need to predict things like: What kind of roommate will Ariel be when she moves in and meets ______? Or what kind of community will Ariel help to build at our university? These schools have more applicants than seats, so of course, they want students who are academically strong, but they also want to see hobbies/activities--they want to know what do you do in your free time -- because it's often through our hobbies and activities that we build a connection with others in the community. The best people are those who are highly involved and who have soft skills like leadership and collaboration. Sometimes the smartest student with the perfect grades and scores, isn't the best person to work with, right?
University and course,
It's would be depend on base of academic background and work currently student doing.
MOHD KHALEEL