TOP 10 THINGS COLLEGES LOOK AT
The Illinois Association of College Admission Counselors outlined what colleges look at when making admission decisions.
- Progress – have grades improved since the Freshman year?
- Course Pattern – has the student taken college preparatory classes?
- Grade Clusters – are grades mainly in A’s and B’s or C’s and D’s?
- Difficulty level – does the student have honor or AP courses, how many and how did he/she do?
- Rank, Grade Point Average, Test Scores – how does the student rate against his class and other students nationally (ACT)?
- Writing Ability – is the essay or personal statement well written and does it answer the question?
- Dual Credit – has the student taken college courses?
- Commitment – is the student passionate about one or two things outside of academics and has that demonstrated depth of involvement and leadership over the years?
- Recommendations – are they strong?
- Attendance – has the student attended school regularly?
Not all colleges require students to interview, but they do take note of when you visit their campus!
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