Featured Articles

While many students, and their parents, maintain a constant awareness of the importance of their overall academic performance throughout high school, many others do not place significance on their performance until later in their high school career. This can have a negative impact on the grade point average, or GPA, of the student, and can also play a role in the number of schools available to the student during their college search.

While GPA is only a single measure that colleges and admissions officers take into consideration when reviewing potential students for acceptance, it is one of the most important. There are many other issues, which can include extra-curricular activities, social activities, participation in clubs, groups and events such as student council, Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts and volunteerism. Admissions requirements will usually involve an essay, standardized testing scores such as SAT scores and an interview with the school of choice.

With hundreds of thousands of students heading off to colleges and universities each year many schools are forced to be incredibly selective with the applications they accept. This requires very high standards of achievement or unique credentials on the part of the students who apply.

When a student is beginning to plan their own college search it is important to take this selectivity into consideration, and to create a great “picture” of how they fit into the mission, needs and focus of each specific school. For example, a student applying to a visual or performing arts school may need to demonstrate their talents, creativity and uniqueness to the admissions office. They might do this by creating a video essay or performance as part of their application. They may have unusual references from an area theater group in which they participate, or from a playwright with whom they are familiar.

Each student will have to understand if their school, or schools, of choice are selective or competitive because this is the only way to approach an interview and application process in a strong and effective manner.

To understand a school better a student should visit their web site, thoroughly read through all of the admissions materials, take a visit to the campus and speak with other students who have been accepted. Ask them about their application process; see if they have any “tips” or “pointers” to offer prospective students.

A college search is much more efficient and effective when a student and their family clearly understand the admissions requirements and process for each school where an application is submitted.

It is also important to remember that most applications require a fee in order to be processed, and these costs can add up incredibly quickly if a student chooses to send in a broad range of applications. While this may be a good choice in gaining acceptance to a wide range of colleges and universities, it can also deplete a budget rapidly and create a scenario that leaves a student’s applications with a generic or uninteresting appearance.