Admissions officers spend about ten minutes per application at large universities, and fifteen to thirty minutes at selective smaller schools, according to industry insiders. So, students hoping to gain admission to highly competitive schools should emphasize three qualities on their applications.
The first is their numbers. Every school looks at an applicant’s GPA and SAT or ACT scores, if submitted, with the exception of the very few “test blind” colleges and universities. High school students should therefore take as competitive a course load as possible since Advanced Placement (AP) and Honors courses can significantly boost their GPA. Students should also take the SAT (or ACT) several times, as they get unlimited “do overs” and can ultimately submit their highest test scores without colleges knowing how many times they took the test.
The second quality of importance to admissions officers is engagement. Students need to convey the multitude of ways in which they’ve engaged with their school, local, and even global community. Extra points are awarded for long term commitment to an activity, demonstrated by involvement over the course of many years. Students demonstrate such commitment, for example, by reaching the highest level of Boy Scouts or Girls Scouts and earning their Eagle Award or Gold Award, respectively. Other students show long term commitment to school clubs, such as Model UN or Robotics, gaining proficiency over the years and moving onto leadership positions. Engagement with volunteer projects is also of significance, particularly if they are specific, timely, and targeted to a particular group that directly benefits from the project. Concerned students, in recent years, launched projects that benefited young people impacted by Covid, the war in the Ukraine, and environmental disasters throughout the world. Colleges offer a vast array of activities to their students, so admissions officers attempt to envision how applicants are likely to fit in and immerse themselves in worthwhile endeavors to the overall benefit of the college community.
The third vital quality is uniqueness. College admissions people are drawn to students with a unique talent that is valuable to their university, so students should emphasize their distinctive skill. Applicants may excel at an atypical sport such as fencing, equestrian riding, or woman’s wrestling. Or, they may be proficient at a less popular musical instrument, such as the French horn, bassoon, or tuba. Colleges are no longer looking for Renaissance people, but rather for prospective students who will fill a niche in their community. Prospective students who can demonstrate a history of academic success, a commitment to being engaged with others and serving the less fortunate, and an ability to share a particular talent, will certainly have an advantage in the increasingly competitive college admission process.
Susan Alaimo is the founder and director of Collegebound Review which offers PSAT/SAT® preparation, essay editing, and private college advising by Ivy League educated instructors. Visit CollegeboundReview.com or call 908-369-5362
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