College
Admission Decisions
There are numerous different colleges. Each college has a different
approach to admitting qualified applicants and different admission
factors. At the most selective colleges, criteria might include:
-
courses taken
-
counselor/teacher recommendations
-
ethnicity
-
grades
-
application questions and essays
-
geographic location
-
grade-point average
-
personal interview
-
alumni relationship
-
rank in class
-
activities outside the classroom
-
major/college applied to
-
admission test results
-
special talents and skills
- family’s ability to pay
These are not arranged to reflect any
specific priorities. In fact, there is no general agreement about how
criteria should be ranked. Most likely, the most important admission
factor is a student’s high school record, both grades and courses
taken. Colleges evaluate applications in very different ways,
depending on how selective, or competitive, the college is. At one
extreme are “open admission” colleges. These schools require only
a high school diploma and accept students on a first-come,
first-served basis. At the other extreme are very selective colleges
that consider all of the factors listed. These colleges admit only a
small percentage of applicants each year. Most colleges fall somewhere
in between. cuentas demo forex
The Criteria
for...
Less Selective
Less selective colleges focus on
whether applicants meet minimum requirements and whether there is room
for more students. Grades are not overlooked, but acceptable grades
might be the only requirement beyond an interest in college study. The
SAT® I or ACT may be required.
But test scores might be used for course placement rather than
admission decisions. Other factors might be considered, but they
probably won’t play a major part.
More Selective
At more selective colleges, course
work, grades, test scores, recommendations, and essays will be
considered. Other things might be considered, but the major factor
will be whether a student is ready for college level study. Students
would be denied admission because of some weakness in their academic
preparation, less impressive grades or test scores, or a lack of
interest in higher education.
Most Selective
At the most selective colleges, as
many as 10 or 15 students might apply for each spot. Each applicant
usually has the necessary academic qualifications, but they can’t
all be accepted. Although they receive a great deal of publicity, only
a small number of colleges -- fewer than 100 -- are this selective.
Admission officers at selective colleges look carefully at every
aspect of a student’s high school experience. Applicants must have
academic strength and impressive SAT or ACT scores. Since so many
applicants are strong academically, other factors become quite
important in the admission decision.
The Importance of Extra-Curricular Activities
The importance of what a student does
outside of school has been exaggerated. Selective colleges may look at
extra-curricular activities, but they are only interested in
applicants who have shown a long term commitment in one or two areas.
These colleges aren’t trying to enroll a class of well-rounded
students; they want to admit a well-rounded group of students. An
applicant with experience in a specific area might have an advantage,
but it’s hard to tell which areas a college might be interested in
any given year.
Filling a Need for the College
At the most selective colleges, a
student must fill a need in the freshman class. Otherwise, he or she
might be left out despite an outstanding academic record. That need
might be something as arbitrary as the student’s home state,
intended major, desire for housing on campus, or ability to play a
specific musical instrument in the college orchestra.
If there’s only housing for
three-quarters of the freshman class, then admission decisions must
reflect this limitation. If there’s only room for 25 new engineering
majors, but 75 new accounting majors can be accommodated, this must
also be considered as admission decisions are made. On the other hand,
if a college wants geographic distribution and an ethnic balance of
students, admission decisions must reflect these needs. Basically, the
admission process is unpredictable and holds many potential surprises.
Finding the Right Match
Remember that “more selective”
does not necessarily mean “better.” Our society often associates
exclusivity with higher value. However, college is one area where that
notion is wrong. Students who focus on the most selective colleges
risk overlooking their own personal needs.
Students should try to find colleges
that provide a good match with their interests, objectives,
characteristics, and needs. These colleges might be found anywhere. If
a student only considers the most competitive college within their
reach, he or she may overlook the more appropriate possibilities.
The best-prepared student will have
the most options. That doesn’t necessarily mean attending the most
competitive college. The overriding concern should be finding the
right match. The student who is well prepared will have many options
and should be allowed to take advantage of any one of them.
“Need Blind” Admission
For many years, admission policies
reflected the belief that the students who needed financial aid should
be treated the same as those whose families could afford the total
cost. This is called “need-blind” admission. However, much has
changed in recent years.
A number of colleges still maintain
“need blind” admission policies. Other colleges include the
family’s financial situation in the admission process. This
doesn’t mean that only students with enough money are admitted, but
these colleges know they can’t satisfy the financial aid needs of
all applicants. Most colleges accept the strongest applicants without
regard to need. Then, as financial aid resources begin to run out,
students who don’t have as much academic strength are also evaluated
for their family’s ability to pay. This may sound unfair, but so is
accepting a student that cannot afford the school without financial
help. Other colleges have a policy of meeting a portion of every
accepted student’s need. A certain amount of need is left unmet for
all. Unfortunately, students and parents have no control over the
policies or the resources at any college. If a student needs financial
aid to attend college, he or she should consider each school’s
policy when deciding where to apply.
|
