What Do Colleges Look for From Students?

Key Takeaways:

  • In most cases, colleges look for high grades, strong SAT/ACT scores, and positive personal qualities.
  • Schools evaluate applications differently and may weigh certain application components more heavily than another.
  • Understanding what college admissions wants from a student can help you tailor your applications for each school.

Colleges care about your grades and standardized test scores, but those two factors aren’t usually enough to land you an acceptance letter, especially at a competitive school. College admissions also want certain qualities and abilities from their applicants – they’re looking for students who demonstrate leadership, participate in their community, and can bring something unique to the campus.

How Do Colleges Evaluate Applications?

Part of college admission is meeting the faculty and developing relationships with your advisors.Every college has its own vision, philosophy, and priorities, and they’ll have varying application requirements and evaluation procedures. They accept students who can bring something unique to their campus while also fitting within their existing community.

Colleges and their admissions teams don’t look at any one part of your college application. A high GPA is fantastic, but it alone won’t get you into a competitive college. Instead, schools look at the entire picture you’ve presented and how it fits into their priorities and values.

The admissions team also compares you to other students. An applicant who has higher grades and more extracurriculars than you is more likely to receive an acceptance letter. However, if they do very poorly in their interview, they could lose out on the spot.

Since institutions evaluate applications differently, research each school before you apply to make sure they’re a good fit. Visit their websites and check their Common Data Sets to learn more about how your colleges approach admissions.

What Do Colleges Look for In a Student?

As with evaluation procedures, colleges can look for different things in a student. Generally, they’ll want to know about these common factors (we also included some less common factors).

1. Academic Abilities

Of course, college is all about education, so they’re going to look at your education experience and achievements. Here are some ways they evaluate your academic abilities:

  • Academic rigor: Colleges typically want students who show initiative and the ability to take on advanced coursework. Your classes will show up on your submitted high school transcript.
  • GPA: The higher your GPA, the better, but academic rigor impacts how your GPA is perceived. With enough advanced classes, you could have a weighted GPA well above 4.0.
  • Class rank: Some colleges consider how well you did out of your entire high school class. A higher rank could increase your admission chances.
  • Talent: If you have specific abilities and talents, schools want to hear about it, especially if it’s in your intended major. For example, if you’re majoring in engineering and won an engineering competition, mention that in your application.

2. Standardized Test Scores

While some colleges are moving away from requiring standardized test scores, such as the SAT and ACT, most still require or recommend it. These exams test your college readiness, and admissions departments want results within certain brackets. As with your grades, the higher your SAT/ACT score, the better.

You can use College Match to learn more about your schools’ average SAT/ACT scores. If you’re below the average, it doesn’t mean you won’t get in, but it lowers your acceptance chances. Create a SAT/ACT study plan to improve your score.

3. Essay

Most schools require a personal statement or essay. Some even ask for more than one essay, especially if you’re applying for an honors program or competitive major. Colleges either provide a list of prompts or ask you to write about whatever you’d like.

Your essay is a chance to highlight what makes you unique and a valuable addition to the school. You can also talk about why you want to attend. Brainstorm ideas, start writing early, and have others read it over. Admissions departments are looking for well-written submissions that speak of your abilities and character.

4. Extracurriculars and Volunteer

High grades generally aren’t enough to get into college. You need to demonstrate initiative outside the classroom. Extracurriculars and volunteer work show you’re involved in your community and help you build impressive skills, such as leadership and communication.

However, while schools want to see you’re active, it doesn’t mean you should sign up for as many clubs as you can. Extracurriculars are all about quality over quality – colleges care about commitment.

Choose clubs, sports, organizations, or other opportunities that interest you, as they showcase what you’re passionate about. If the extracurricular or volunteer work is related to your intended major, colleges will notice!

5. Personal Qualities

Admissions teams care about a students’ personal qualities and character, such as:

  • ability to take initiative
  • leadership experience
  • demonstrated curiosity
  • ability to show compassion and open-mindedness
  • displaying honor
  • showing determination

Your essay, extracurriculars, and recommendation letters will often speak to your character, but some schools also require an interview. You can learn more about your college’s values by visiting their website and reading their mission statement.

Be careful about what you post on social media, even after you’ve been accepted. Colleges can (and have) rescinded offers when students publish inappropriate images or statements.

And More

In some cases, college admissions wants students to meet other qualifications or they consider additional application factors. For example, religion could impact your acceptance chances at schools that have a specific religious affiliation. Colleges may also be more likely to accept you if you’re a state resident, related to an alumni, or a first generation student.

All colleges care about your grades but beyond that, each school weighs application components differently. One may care more about your essay, while the other puts more stock in your SAT/ACT scores. Making sure you’re a good fit for the college can improve your acceptance chances. We recommend visiting your schools’ websites to review application evaluation processes, application criteria, and their values.

Understanding your admission chances at various schools can help you create your college list, improve your application, and increase the possibility of an acceptance letter. Use College Match to start exploring schools that fit you today.

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