What do colleges look for

Let's discuss each reason one at a time. For example, if you have a 4. However, if you have a 4. If you have a 3. For instance, if you have a 4. Every year, colleges publish their freshman admissions profile see an example from Princeton.

In this profile, colleges provide the data on their admitted students. The average score is just what it sounds like, an average of all the admitted students scores. The general public looks at this data to perceive the selectivity of the school the higher the range, the more competitive or "better" the general public thinks that college is. When you think of top-tier schools such as Dartmouth , Brown , or Columbia , you likely think, "Wow those are good schools!

But why do you think they are good schools? You might think of their alumni or campuses. However, many lower ranked schools such as Denison have beautiful campuses with famous alumni like billionaire Michael Eisner. Top tier colleges such as Princeton, Yale, and Stanford want your SAT scores to be good so that it reflects well on them. The majority of college applicants are high school seniors, and most of the college application advice out there is aimed at them.

But what do you do if you don't fall into this narrow category? Our eBook on how to prepare for and apply to college as a nontraditional student will walk you through everything you need to know , from the coursework you should have under your belt to how to get letters of recommendation when you're not a high school senior. The first two search results are both from PrepScholar. Start by looking at our complete admission requirement articles for your target colleges to get a sense of the SAT and ACT scores of admitted students.

Here's a sample of our Emory University admissions guide :. As we mentioned before, aim for a score at or above the 75th percentile score , so for Emory, that would be a 34 or above on the ACT or a or above on the SAT.

Why aim so high? You want to give yourself the absolute best chance of admission. You want to be in the top group of applicants. You want the admissions officer to see your application and say, "duh, they should get in. In reality, it's unlikely. Also, colleges sometimes accept students with lower scores who are the children of significant alumni donors or the children of other wealthy or famous people.

Unless you fall into one of the above, try to aim for a score at or above the 75th percentile score. Get your score at or above the 75th percentile to give yourself the best chance! Check out our guide to planning your study based on the amount of improvement that you're hoping for and based on the amount of time you have to study. Need a launching off point for your test prep? Taking the test really soon within a month? Interested in learning more about the college admissions process? Learn about how to get a college application fee waiver, learn about the best extracurricular activities for your college app, and plan your college application timeline.

Not sure where you'd like to go to college? Figure out how to find your target school. Let's help you pick the right test for you! We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:. She loves watching students succeed and is committed to helping you get there.

Dora received a full-tuition merit based scholarship to University of Southern California. She graduated magna cum laude and scored in the 99th percentile on the ACT. She is also passionate about acting, writing, and photography. Our new student and parent forum, at ExpertHub. With just to words, admissions officers can learn more about what makes you interesting and unique — your goals, beliefs, habits, athletic or artistic skills, and personal experiences.

To nail your college essay, choose a topic that captures you in the best light. Part-time or summer jobs, internships , and volunteer work allow selection committees to see how you operate beyond the walls of the classroom. Colleges look for capable and organized leaders, and these activities are a great way to prove your abilities.

Volunteering at hospitals, rescue shelters, and local food banks are great options to consider but if you really want to earn brownie points, think about starting your own volunteer project, such as offering free tutoring services or organizing a community clean-up.

Be sure to mention the roles that helped you develop the necessary leadership skills colleges look for. Admissions committees are curious to see how your personal interests fuel your drive and work ethic. You can also prove your interest by scheduling a campus visit early on, actively reaching out to the admissions officers, and applying for early action or early decision enrollment.

Now that you know exactly what colleges are looking for, you can start preparing for the application process! Review your college resume to work out the parts that need sprucing up. If a little thin, you can beef up the volunteer work or extracurricular activities section by taking more active roles in your school or community.

You can also get started on gathering letters of recommendation and brainstorming topics for your essay. Choosing a school that best fits your needs is also a top priority. Will you aim for a trade school , a community college, or a public or private college? While students can apply for federal student aid and other grants and scholarships to reduce the overall cost of attendance, there are also affordable four-year universities and free community colleges to choose from.

Some schools even forgo application fees to further reduce the financial strain on low-income families. College admissions committees read through thousands of applications. If you follow these steps, you might just be on your way to becoming a part of your desired university! To really make your application sparkle, maintain those high grades even in difficult courses.

Colleges want to see that you can excel in challenging situations. To give you an even clearer idea of what colleges are looking for, have a look at the top five admissions factors that the universities consider:. To make your college application stand out:. Look for opportunities that challenge you academically. Admissions officers notice students who step outside their comfort zone and take AP classes on a diverse range of subjects.

Present extracurricular activities where you took on a leadership role or developed your skills in some way. Be sure to emphasize your commitment to these projects. Something that you build from the ground up shows initiative and is more likely to spark interest. Complete each section or requirement in your application.

Yes, this includes the optional ones. They dive deep into topics and subjects in which they're interested. They routinely seek knowledge and often engage with others in the pursuit of understanding. Intellectually curious students are more likely to do well in their classes, and they're likely to succeed in whatever they choose to do in the future. Students who take initiative are entrepreneurial and not willing to accept the status quo. They're always thinking of and executing on ways to improve whatever group or organization they are a part of.

Colleges love students who take the initiative because they'll be more likely to improve the college's community, become leaders, and make everything they touch better. Contributing students make any group they're a part of better as a result of their involvement and actions. Groups can be organizations, activities, a school, a community or even peer groups. Colleges love contributors because they greatly improve the college's community and will add value to any group they're part of in the future.

Colleges are trying to build a well-rounded class made up of students with different life experiences, different interests, and different ways of thinking about the world. Diversity adds unique perspectives to the student body and enables a college community to thrive while adding value to one another. Additionally, diverse students will do a variety of things after they graduate, enabling the college to fulfill its mission of having a positive impact across many parts of the economy, society and the world.

Students often struggle to identify the traits they possess because their actions are "normal" to them, but not normal to a typical applicant. Students who are intellectually curious often learn for fun and don't think to write about it in their applications. Students who take the initiative or are contributors often think nothing of their actions and don't write about these experiences in their applications.

Discover which of the traits best relate to you by taking our 5 traits quiz. You must login to create a free account. You'll want to focus on two or three traits that are authentic to you. Brainstorm experiences you've had related to these traits.

For example, a great question to ask yourself for initiative and contribution is — "Imagine a group of people you spend a lot of time with; then, imagine you were never part of the group; how would it have been different? Our mission is to make people better writers. Dig into Prompt's ultimate resource for learning what college admissions officers are looking for in college essays.

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