SEARCH
AID
PROCESS
LIFE
& MAJORS
LOUNGE
Curing the Admission Application Blues
What really goes into admissions decisions
Have you been waking up in cold sweats with nightmarish images of collegiate iron gates slamming in your face? Your diagnosis is simple: admission application blues.You are not the first student to come down with this syndrome, but there is an easy cure. First and foremost, you need to do your homework and research the right college for you. You can do this by scheduling a meeting with your guidance counselor or searching individual colleges' Web sites. You'll want to be looking for majors offered, class sizes, athletics, internships, activities, and location. But when it comes time to apply, also check out acceptance rates and average SAT/ACT scores and GPAs.
Most admissions counselors put an enormous amount of weight on your high school transcript. Your four years of high school tell a lot about your efforts and challenges, and therefore, act as the primary source for deciding on your acceptance. You'll want to take college-preparatory-level classes and a solid curriculum of science, math, English, and social sciences. Remember that your senior year counts, so either keep up your good grades or use it as a time to show admissions counselors that you are ready for the challenge of college.
Although your high school grades give admissions reps an idea of where you stand at your particular school, SAT/ACT scores allow admissions counselors to compare you on a national level. Plan on taking the SAT or ACT two to three times, starting in your junior year. Counselors will either take the best score or the best combined score (your best math and English from any of the times that you took it). Not all colleges require standardized test scores, so check before you apply.
Beyond grades and statistics, college admissions counselors want to know who you are and what you will bring to the school. Are you the president of your class? Do you volunteer at the local senior center? Do you hold an after school job? Are you an athlete? Have you entered a science project competition? All of these activities will count toward your admissions profile.
As you can see, there are many factors that go into admissions decisions. The best way to increase your chances of getting in is to make sure you are applying to schools that are a good fit for your qualifications; do that, and you won't be singing the blues.
Carlin Carr is a communications writer for Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, and recently worked as an admissions counselor at Post University. Carlin received her bachelor's degree in English from Mount Holyoke College and her master's degree in literature and publishing from the National University of Ireland, Galway (NUIG). After graduating from NUIG, Carlin moved to Parma, Italy, to teach English before returning to the states.
Share this page:
