SEARCH
AID
PROCESS
LIFE
& MAJORS
LOUNGE
What Colleges Want
Colleges are looking for students who will thrive in a particular environment
It's your student's final year in high school, and the heat is on. Students are contemplating colleges, agonizing over essays, stressing over the SAT. It seems that every student is scrambling to be accepted by the school of his or her dreams. This is the time when parents and guidance counselors hear the perennial refrain: “Do you think I will be accepted? What are those colleges looking for?”
Key to Success
Much like your son or daughter, the colleges desire to succeed. Colleges succeed when they recruit, admit, retain, and graduate students who are a good match for what they offer. Just as each student has unique qualities and characteristics, each college or university is special and different in some way. First and foremost, colleges are looking for students who will thrive in the particular environment. Similarly, your students should look for an institution where they truly fit academically, socially, athletically, artistically, or according to whatever dimension is most important. If your students are visiting or applying to their first-choice school, the admissions office at that particular school is probably interested in knowing this.
Because colleges are multidimensional, they tend to want students who are, too. If your students have specific talents or have had some unusual experiences, encourage them to make the admissions committee aware of them.
The Admissions Game
It is no secret and no surprise that most colleges and universities place a high emphasis on academic ability. They will weigh students' performance in high school most heavily because this is (statistically) the strongest predictor of academic success in college. Admissions committees will look for class rank, the type (academic and college preparatory vs. vocational and activity oriented) and depth (honors, accelerated, advanced vs. remedial) of courses taken, and the overall pattern of grades.
A high school transcript tells a lot about a student, but a thoughtful letter of recommendation can help an admissions committee see a whole person. A number of colleges ask applicants for letters of recommendation to help them make decisions when many candidates have similar academic credentials.
Many admissions committees like to see evidence of a student's writing ability, and they may require an essay. A thoughtful and well-prepared essay will also give the college an impression of the student as a unique individual. Be aware that colleges do look at the little (often overlooked) details, such as the neatness and accuracy of the essay or paper application, and a student's ability to follow instructions.
The results of standardized college entrance examinations such as the SAT or ACT are often considered by college admissions officers, in conjunction with other credentials. Very selective colleges may also request that the student take Advanced Placement (AP) examinations, as well. What do colleges really want? They want to make admissions decisions that result in a win-win situation. They want to select the students who have the best chance of succeeding so that both they and their students thrive.
Mary Jo Phillips is a financial aid advisor and former admissions counselor at Clarion University of Pennsylvania.
Share this page:
