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As if deciding which colleges they would like to attend were not enough, students must also wade through piles of application papers and procedures to finally get admitted to a desirable college. This article summarized some of the most important aspects of the college admissions process so that students do not get bogged down by the unnecessary muck of this process.
Admissions Quotas
One interesting fact about many college admission processes is that they are not based on supply and demand. Many colleges still admit the same number of students each year as they did twenty or thirty years ago! This means that competition can get pretty steep as more students apply for the limited seats each year.
GPA in High School
High school grade point averages (GPA’s) represent the most long term measurement that colleges have about your academic performance. Can you keep up those grades consistently for several years? A high GPA says yes. But don’t worry: all may not be lost if your GPA is less than stellar. Did you show improvement in those grades over those high school years? If you did, this shows colleges that you are a hard worker who is not afraid of a challenge. Just make sure you include an explanation of the challenges that you faced grade-wise in your application essay.
Those First Two High School Years
Worried about that “D” grade you got in Geometry your freshman year? Well, one bad grade probably won’t ruin your chances for going to college, but many competitive universities do check out your grades from all four years of high school. They use those first two years as a filter when they’ve already compared GPA, test scores, recommendations, and essays. On the other hand, many colleges will keep you in the running if you did slack off a bit but address this in your personal essay and take responsibility for the low grade(s).
Admissions Tests: The SAT and Other Exams
SAT, ACT, SAT II… tired of all those test acronyms associated with college admission? Well, don’t blow them off yet. Admissions tests can be the tie breaker in the game of college admissions. If you have an average GPA but a 2100 on the SAT, this might just tip the scale in your favor. Fortunately (or unfortunately for good test takers), admission tests are not the end-all, be-all. Stanford University is probably not going to take you with a 2000 SAT score if your GPA is at a 2.0. Overall, admissions tests like the SAT are definitely worth some study time, practice exam taking, and a good night’s sleep before, but they can’t work miracles.
Extracurricular Activities: Show Your Passion
What will you add to this university? How are you interesting? This is what schools are asking when they ask about extracurricular activities. Participating in a huge variety of activities just shows schools that you can’t commit to one thing. Colleges want to see how you stand apart with your interest. While you’re at it, incorporate ways to show off your leadership qualities while you tell about your love of the game of soccer or your fascination with being on stage.
Use Your Guidance Counselor
Everyone knows to ask their favorite teacher for a letter of recommendation, but many students don’t realize they have an untapped resource in their guidance counselor. These counselors know all kinds of things about California colleges, including which colleges have which majors, where the strong athletic teams are, and which schools offer quality internships. Guidance counselors know all about financial aid, scholarships, test taking tips, and admissions deadlines as well.
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