What do admissions officers look for

Again, rather than getting involved at the surface level in dozens of activities, you choose to dive in deep and make true change and lasting impact.

Admissions officers and schools want you to know that you are interested in them. In other words, if you applied to a particular school but do not really want to go to it, the college or university will take note. Essays that launch out of the gate with a compelling narrative make an impact. I put my hand to my bedroom door, then jerked it back. The sound of crackling, splintering wood cut through the shrill fire alarm. But how? The only way through was my bedroom door, and smoke was billowing under it like some sort of demented, ethereal entity nobody on earth would ever mistake as friendly.

Heck, touching the doorknob was out of the question. But my baby sister was across the hall, and our home was engulfed in a California wildfire. Well, I would keep reading. You may think you have nothing to write about. In that case, you are probably lucky that nothing this dramatic has ever happened to you!

Many of my clients have applied to selective universities without submitting test scores. However, it is important to remember unless they are completely test blind, colleges and universities will still look at your test scores if you choose to submit them. Compass Education Group is nationally respected for their test prep and academic tutoring services.

I have been able to have them present to my Independent Educational Consultants Association IECA regional group for the past couple of years to stay apprised of the test prep changes. Interestingly, test scores mattered significantly for applicants, especially to highly selective colleges, in the application cycle. Check out the video below to learn more how test scores were a major admissions factor for applicants submitting scores. So, what is crucial in this changed admissions environment?

You better have great recommendation letters as part of your application. Application letters can give college admissions officers a more robust, in-depth look at your personality, ambitions, and future goals. Applicants with outstanding letters of recommendation always have a competitive advantage.

How are you coming across as an applicant? Admissions officers can learn a lot about applicants from their territories admissions offices split up students into different areas of the country based on their essays and other quick summaries. If you come across as mean, arrogant, selfish, or another undesirable characteristic, try writing your essay again. Ask someone you trust for his or her honest opinion as to how they would rate you based on your essay.

Why not go for humor, charm, or show your obvious love of service to others? Colleges and universities even at the most competitive schools need students who will serve as teammates with their classmates and excellent community members.

How can you give admissions officers the best possible glimpse of your personality? Try to inject it throughout your application and essay so you become so compelling that they cannot help but admit you. It works!

As I mentioned before, I have had the pleasure of getting to know dozens of admissions counselors over the years. In my support of clients, I can honestly say that when the students follow these golden rules from admissions counselors, they significantly help their odds of being admitted. Need help putting together the best package possible for admissions officers? It is accepted by more than 3, institutions in the US. Exclusive access to admission professionals and top business schools.

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Get instant feedback on your speech from proprietary artificial intelligence technology. Learn more. American Collegiate University of Missi Mississippi College View all. Schools Resources Blog. Date Of Birth. Gender Female Male. Phone Number. Messaging App Username. Even if you make a good case for yourself on your application, you still might not get in.

Schools need to develop a well-rounded class. What this looks like can vary school-by-school and year-by-year, but balance is important in developing a strong freshman class. Imagine if UChicago only admitted engineering applicants. The school would cease to be "UChicago" — it would be a pre-professional school! The other departments would be irrelevant, and the humanities faculty would have to be let go.

Obviously this doesn't happen, so consider what new perspectives you could add to a school, department, and incoming class. If I read an admissions essay, and the student came off as arrogant, entitled, mean, selfish, or, on the flip side, funny, charming, generous, witty, I wrote that exact trait in my notes.

It's not enough just to be smart at top schools. Students must also show that they'll be good classmates and community builders.

You're more than your grades, test scores, and even your activities. You're a whole person! And you should think critically about how to present some of your softer qualities — your sense of humor, your deep curiosity, your ability to empathize with others — through the written parts of your application.

Schools don't just want "smart" students, they want to build a class of individuals who will make good classmates, roommates, teammates, leaders, and friends. There is a slightly higher admit rate for those applicants who take advantage of the interview.

A college interview is your chance to bring some more color and personality to your application. Conducting a great interview can give your application momentum and potentially push you into the "accepted" pile.

Not even easy ones the website could answer! That tells me a lot about the student, not much of it good. A sit-down with an AO is only awesome for a student's candidacy if the student is awesome too, and has used that meeting thoughtfully to leave a big impression of enthusiasm for ideas general or specific , a program or particular aspect of the school, or a big add to campus in terms of personality.

Many AO's won't even consent to sit-downs with individual students anymore, for precisely the reasons outlined above. Whether it's in the admissions office, during an interview, or on your application, indicating interest in a school is essential. Taking advantage of opportunities like meeting with an admissions officer or writing a "Why this school? Do your research, ask good questions, and demonstrate your fit for a school. Admissions officers are always taking notes!

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