Each year, colleges and universities use a number of criteria to decide which applicants to admit. Although the weight placed on these may differ, most schools will consider the following, in order of importance:
Grades: Grades are always the single most important factor in the admissions decision. Colleges want students who will succeed in college-level work. High school grades are the most reliable predictor of how a student will perform in college so they are always the place that admissions officers begin when reading applications. The focus will be on high school grades in core academic courses: English, math, science, social studies, and foreign language. Grades from junior year and first semester of senior year classes receive the most scrutiny. Although a record of strong grades throughout high school is preferred, colleges do note when a student’s grades have improved over time. On the other hand, a downward trend in grades is also noted and viewed unfavorably. Even so, there are college options for all students, from straight A students to late bloomers.
Challenge of the student’s high school curriculum: Along with grades, the quality and rigor of the courses a student has taken in high school are considered. Colleges prefer students who have sought out academic challenge. The most competitive applicants will complete at least four years of each of the core academic subjects, rather than loading up on non-academic electives. Colleges also like to see a curriculum that becomes progressively more challenging. Because of their rigor, successful completion of AP, honors, and IB courses, or dual-enrollment courses, are viewed positively by admissions committees. They signal that a student hasn’t shied away from academic challenge, and can be an indication of the student’s ability to be academically successful in college.
However, this doesn’t mean that every student should rush to load up on AP and honors courses, or even take these courses at all. Some students can handle a full slate of AP courses, while for others, a few rigorous courses in areas of academic strength is more appropriate. For still other students, a challenging college prep curriculum without AP or honors courses is the appropriate choice. The key word is appropriate.
Colleges also understand that the number of AP and honors courses available varies from school to school. If your school offers only a few, or no, AP and honors courses, colleges won’t expect you to have taken what isn’t available. On the flip side, when you attend a high school which offers a wide variety of AP and honors courses, colleges will have a different expectation. In such cases, when appropriate, make every effort to fit a few AP and honors courses into your junior or senior year schedule.
College Entrance Exams: Colleges consider college entrance exams such as the SAT and ACT to offer objective and standardized measures of aptitude and achievement. Colleges use test scores to compare applicants from high schools all across the country. As a general rule of thumb, very large universities rely more heavily on test scores than do smaller schools. However, about 800 colleges and universities are test-optional, meaning they do not require standardized test scores or downplay their importance in making admissions decisions. It’s also important to note that even the best entrance exam scores will not overcome lackluster grades in your high school courses. Grades are always more important than test scores.
Academic Recommendations: Many colleges ask for recommendation letters from teachers and the school counselor describing the student’s academic potential and personal characteristics. These are used as an assessment of the applicant’s potential and to help add dimension to the rest of the application. Teacher recommendations receive the most weight in admissions decisions. They should be from teachers who have taught the student in eleventh and twelfth grade core academic subjects. Colleges do understand that at many high schools interaction between students and counselors is limited. Thus, colleges place less emphasis on counselor recommendations. For the best letters, however, make the effort to get to know your teachers and school counselor!
Personal Characteristics: After the above factors are considered, colleges will also consider each applicant’s personal characteristics. Their goal is to create an interesting and diverse campus community. They look for evidence that a student can deal with setbacks, has been a good citizen, and is self-motivated and intellectually curious. Extracurricular activities will be considered to get a sense of students’ interests, talents, and how they may contribute to campus. Finally, colleges also want their student bodies to represent different races, ethnic groups and cultures, economic backgrounds, academic interests and geographic regions. Admissions officers will often consider the diversity that applicants will add to campus in making admissions decisions.
Other Factors That May Be Considered: Many colleges now consider the applicant’s level of interest in attending their institution. They seek students who have demonstrated that they are likely to enroll if admitted, as evidenced by students visits to campus, interacting with admissions reps at college fairs and during visits to high schools, and, in many cases, by the level of familiarity with the institution that students shows in their essays.
Another factor that may be considered by some colleges is the applicant’s ability to pay for the cost of their education. While some colleges are truly “need blind” in making admissions decisions, recent economic conditions have pushed other colleges to take the amount of financial need a student might have into account when making admissions decisions. At these colleges, being able to pay “full freight” – or close to it – can give a small advantage to a particular student.
