Key Takeaway: College Admissions don’t generally look at attendance as a factor in the admissions process unless it has affected GPA. However, attending class regularly and consistently has benefits including the ability to ask questions, building better relationships with teachers, and getting better grades.
While you shouldn’t go to class if you’re sick and contagious – you risk passing it onto others and hurting their attendance in turn – receiving recognition for perfect attendance in high school is commendable. Congratulations if that’s you! However, do colleges look at attendance when you apply? While colleges don’t specifically look at your attendance record, they do look at aspects that are affected by your attendance, such as your GPA.
Here’s what you need to know about your college application, your attendance record, and the importance of attendance during college.
Do Colleges Look at Attendance?
Colleges may look at your attendance record as it’s a part of your academic profile. How important it’s considered depends on the individual school and their admissions policies. Strong attendance can showcase determination, commitment, and responsibility, aspects that colleges look for in students.
Even at schools that don’t weigh “attendance record” highly, it can still matter for your acceptance chances. Attendance can affect your academic record, including your GPA. If you have several unexcused absences that brought down your grades, you could miss out on an acceptance letter from your dream school as a result.
Colleges understand life happens. If you have poor grades due to poor attendance, you might want to try addressing that before you receive an acceptance or rejection letter from the college. If you excel academically (even after missing a high number of classes), ask a teacher to write a letter of recommendation with that ability in mind and an explanation of your absences. Or, if you have the opportunity, use your college application essay to write about your absences and the challenges that you faced.
What Do Colleges Look at When You Apply?
Attendance records only tell part of a bigger picture. Schools will look at your entire application – not just your attendance record – when you apply. How they weigh these different aspects comes down to the individual college, but schools may consider any of these factors, among others:
- GPA
- Academic rigor
- Class rank
- SAT, ACT, and other standardized test scores
- Extracurricular activities and hobbies
- Work history
- Volunteer work
- Letters of recommendation
- Essay and/or personal statement
- Interviews
- Talent or ability
- Character
- First generation student
- Alumni relation
- Geographical or state residency
- Religious affiliation
Why Does Attendance Matter in High School?
Even though colleges don’t tend to weigh “attendance record” highly on their applicants’ acceptance chances, attending classes in high school is important to your overall education. Here are a few reasons why it’s so important:
- Engagement can lead to higher grades. A Harvard study has shown that class participation and engagement improves learning. If you’re not in class, you don’t have the chance to participate. Many teachers also consider participation part of your grade.
- You get more support from teachers. If you’re not in class, you’ll have less opportunities to ask teachers questions and get clarification on the course material. If you misunderstand something, it could lead to poor test grades and a lower grade overall. Strong attendance can also equal strong letters of recommendation.
- You’ll meet graduation requirements. Good attendance is required to move onto the next year of high school or to graduate. Too many unexcused absences could mean you have to repeat a year or you graduate later than expected.
- You’ll have more opportunities for extracurriculars. Many extracurriculars require a minimum GPA or attendance record to participate. If missing too many classes is translating into suffering grades, you could lose your spot in the club or sport. Extracurriculars could have attendance requirements also.
Does Attendance Matter in College?
When you attend your college courses for the first time each semester, you’ll receive a syllabus. This first class usually goes over the syllabus and the professors expectations of their students, including attendance. Some professors have very strict attendance policies, allowing only two a semester. Missing more than two classes could bring down your grade by several points.
Others might be very lax and don’t care if you show up or not. Missing a class with one of these professors won’t directly impact your grade.
Even if your professor doesn’t dock your grade for missing their classes, attendance still matters. Here’s why:
1. You Could Be Missing Out on Important Material
College classes are structured differently than high school and they cover a lot of material in a very short time frame. Often, one class will be earmarked for one topic and the next class earmarked for a different, but related topic. Missing that first class could mean you don’t understand the next class’s topic.
Even if your professor uploads the notes from that day and they’re accessible online, you’re missing out on an opportunity to ask questions directly in class. They’re not going to want their email inbox filled with questions because you aren’t attending their course. They simply don’t have time for that.
2. Your Test Scores Can Suffer
Missing material could lead to poor test grades. Some professors teach directly from the book while others teach their own mix of material. Some do both.
For example, say you have a history professor who doesn’t upload notes or videos from that day’s classes and doesn’t solely use the book to teach. This professor also designs their own tests. Skipping classes and studying solely from the book may mean missing answers to the test’s questions.
For complicated subjects, you might also not be able to tackle the work on your own. If you’re not understanding the material, you’re not going to do well on the tests.
3. It’s All Too Easy to Miss Important Dates and Information
Getting in the habit of skipping classes can do more than cause you to miss material you need to know for tests. You can literally miss important dates simply because you’re out of practice of attending the class. If you have a test on October 15th, but have skipped all of your classes before then, it’s all too easy to forget.
Plus, a syllabus is a guide; it’s not written in stone. Dates can change, and the professor might not alert you by email. If a test date changes or a project due date is delayed, you may not be aware until you actually show up for the class.
4. You’re Paying for the Class and Are There to Learn
If nothing else, you’re paying for the class! You’re giving the school money to attend this course. If you’re not attending, you’re really only paying for the credits, not the material – if you manage to pass with poor attendance, that is.
You’re in college to learn and advance your career and education. By skipping classes, even if it doesn’t directly impact your grade, you’re doing yourself a disservice.
Attendance may not be the highest priority to college admission offers, but it can impact your acceptance chances, especially if it lowers your GPA. If you’re struggling with attendance, especially in college, you might want to consider taking online courses instead. Many of these classes allow you to attend the class when it’s convenient for you.
Attendance and your GPA could affect your admission chances. If you want to see your admission chances to a particular school, we recommend using our College Match. It’s completely free and could help you find the perfect college for your needs and goals.
