It is nothing to be ashamed of. The college admissions course of could be overwhelming, and since it is continually evolving (and every college makes use of totally different standards for evaluating admissions!), it could be tough for anybody to grasp the method.
To take among the guesswork out of admissions, we determined to get the most recent on the method from these within the know. Kerry Rosen, Director of Admissions for Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College of Florida Atlantic College, and Susan Hertz, Affiliate Director, Advertising of American College, shared recommendation and data for top schoolers making ready to use to college.
What’s the commonest mistake you see candidates make to harm their probabilities of getting accepted right into a college or college?
ROSEN: They submit late or incomplete functions, or do not examine to see what’s required, similar to what number of letters, an essay vs. a graded writing pattern, and so on.
HERTZ: Or they do not examine to make it possible for all of the required elements of the applying have truly arrived.
What’s the approximate weight given to grades, take a look at scores, extracurricular and neighborhood actions, essays and suggestions? What different components do you want to contemplate?
ROSEN: We place a number of emphasis on the educational document as a result of we provide a really difficult program and we wish to make certain that the candidates have what it takes to achieve success right here. We have a look at take a look at scores, the energy of the courses taken, grades, and likewise require a graded writing pattern in order that we will see the how nicely the applicant is ready to talk in written kind. Along with teachers, we’re focused on what the applicant does outdoors the classroom – college and neighborhood involvement, employment expertise, honors and awards. Letters from academics, counselors and folks locally inform us rather a lot in regards to the pupil’s character, motivation and degree of compassion.
HERTZ: This data is present in most guidebooks. At AU, we have a look at grades together with the issue of the programs chosen and take a look at scores; essays and suggestions; after which actions.
Are you able to give us an instance of some candidates whose grades or take a look at scores had been beneath the common to your admitted college students however who had been admitted for different causes?
ROSEN: We typically take an opportunity on a pupil with a lower than stellar tutorial document if they’ve demonstrated a unprecedented degree of character or persistence within the face of financial, social or cultural obstacles. Some examples could be a latest immigrant or a pupil coping with a really tough household scenario.
HERTZ: We search for college students who present proof of management. Essays additionally usually clarify the circumstances which have induced low grades or take a look at scores.
What can/ought to highschool sophomores be specializing in concerning college?
ROSEN: Tenth graders must be specializing in studying extra about themselves, academically and personally – about their pursuits, about their strengths and weaknesses. They need to start to compile an inventory of the sorts of issues they want to discover in a college. From that record they will provide you with an inventory of schools that meet the factors they’ve set. It appears to me that that manner they’d be capable of discover a higher match between themselves and the college.
HERTZ: They need to take a difficult course of research and discover an exercise that she or he could be passionately engaged in.
Concerning extracurricular actions in highschool, is it higher to attempt a bit of little bit of the whole lot or to excel in a single factor? Does it matter what the exercise is or is it primarily that they dedicate significant time to it?
ROSEN: We favor to see a few actions that the scholar has actually gotten concerned with. That is rather more spectacular than a protracted record of golf equipment that somebody has joined largely to have the ability to record them on college functions and resumes. It’s particularly spectacular when a pupil has both had a management position in a college or neighborhood group or they’ve demonstrated initiative by truly beginning a brand new membership or exercise personal statement for colleges.
HERTZ: Excel in a single factor. The exercise would not matter.
To what extent is it higher to take honors or AP programs even when the grades are decrease? For instance, what appears higher: an A in common English or a B in AP or honors English?
ROSEN: Taking difficult programs is an actual profit. They’re nice preparation for college work and taking them is price presumably getting a decrease grade.
HERTZ: For a aggressive college similar to AU, higher to take AP or honors, positively.
How necessary is balance–i.e. sports activities, teachers, volunteer work–in your admissions standards?
ROSEN: We prefer to see candidates who’re concerned in issues apart from teachers. However it’s not an excellent factor to be so concerned that the educational document suffers for it. We typically see this taking place when a pupil’s job turns into too demanding and doesn’t go away sufficient time for learning. College students must be very cautious to attain the best stability.
HERTZ: Stability is sweet however not a deal breaker, so to talk. We imagine that a variety of “varieties” creates a dynamic tutorial expertise. Most of our athletes are additionally students; some academically excellent college students do no sports activities and minimal volunteering.
What are your insurance policies on Early Admissions and Early Motion? What traits are you seeing with these? Do college students have a greater probability of being admitted underneath these plans?
ROSEN: We’ve got a non-binding Early Motion deadline of December 15. We don’t imagine that binding plans are in the very best curiosity of the scholar. Having an applicant make an irrevocable resolution that early within the senior yr doesn’t strike me as truthful and equitable. College students at age 17 or 18 are nonetheless studying an excessive amount of about themselves and what and the place they wish to research to make a good selection that early.
HERTZ: We do Early Determination solely. Usually college students have about the identical probability of being admitted though this may fluctuate tremendously. Some years they’ve had a greater probability.
How has the admissions course of modified over the previous few years?
ROSEN: It has gotten to be a extra worrying expertise for all involved. Faculties deal with admissions extra as a advertising and marketing enterprise. College students and their households are growing centered on gaining admission to a prestigious and well-known college, typically for the incorrect causes. They should look extra carefully at discovering the very best match for his or her specific wants. And typically this implies going to a little-known establishment which will serve them higher.
HERTZ: Extra functions by extra college students who’re extra acutely aware of monetary support/scholarship issues.