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HOW
COLLEGES DECIDE
WHO
GETS IN
Colleges look closely at course selection, academic growth, and personal involvement in school and community life when they review their applicants. Therefore, working to your potential on coursework while identifying areas where personal initiative, leadership, and special talent might emerge should be your focus throughout high school. How do your efforts affect the collegesā decisions?
THE PROCESS
Colleges are looking for evidence of a mind at work, intellectual curiosity, and personal initiative. Admission committees balance your academic record and personal profile. Each is important because a college is putting together a class that will contribute to the intellectual vigor and social energy of the school. The importance of each piece will vary with the selectivity and needs of the college.
āHOLISTIC ADMISSION means reviewing academic excellence demonstrated by original writing and research, extracurricular activities, and community involvement. Personal qualities and character are also fundamental to every decision. The admissions committee seeks students whose backgrounds and life experiences will be educational for fellow classmates. Teacher recommendations, interviews, essays, and other qualitative information provided by applicants also help inform admissions decisions.ā
ā William Fitzsimmons
Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid
Harvard College
Harvard Gazette 2013
Admission officers will focus on the following categories as they seek to make a decision on your file:
Academic Record
Transcript/course selection
ā¢Did you go beyond the requirements?
Standardized test scores (some colleges are test optional)
ā¢For a list of standardized tests, see page 48
Personal Profile
Extracurricular activities
ā¢How did you spend your time outside of class?
ā¢Where did you demonstrate initiative?
Personal talents/special attributes
ā¢Did you pursue specialty training to develop a talent or explore new academic, artistic, or athletic areas?
The Application: Putting it all together
Letters of Recommendation
In all cases, the application itself carries immense importance. Well-presented details can lead an admission officer to see a mutually beneficial connection between you and the institution.
STANDARDIZED TESTING
Once you enter high school, you begin to notice that test scores permeate the news and the conversations around you. Remember that scores are important, but they are only one part of your application. These scores do not define who you are; they do not measure creativity, determination, or emotional intelligence. The burning question is always, āWhat is a good score?ā The absolute answer is always āIt depends.ā Schools publish the range of their studentsā scores, but there are always outliersāthose students who demonstrate special talents that the college needs to shape its community as a learning environment.
Colleges use the following standardized test scores (some colleges are test optional):
AP (Advanced Placement) tests
IB (International Baccalaureate) tests
The SAT Test
The SAT test, originally named Scholastic Aptitude Test, is a reasoning test consisting of a reading section, a math section, a writing section, and an essay. The essay may or may not be optional beginning in 2016 depending on the college. Each sectionās highest score is 800 points. The essay receives a score ranging from 2 to 12. The purpose of this test is to convey important information about a studentās strengths and needs through a series of scores.
Colleges can look at standardized test scores in several ways.
1.Look at every test taken
2.Look at scores from single test dates
3.Super Score ā using the highest individual scores from different subtests to compile the highest composite score
4.Super Duper Score ā using highest individual scores from different subtests of the SAT and ACT to compile the highest composite score
The ACT Test
ACT, American College Testing, is a curriculum-based achievement test that provides an academic assessment of student ability. This test showcases mastery of classroom material. All colleges will accept the ACT as well as the SAT. Students need to try both to see which one is their better fit. The ACT has four multiple-choice testsāEnglish, Math, Reading, Science Reasoningāeach scored 1 to 36, then averaged together for a composite score. There is also an optional essay wo...
