How Well Do You Know What Trended in Search This Year
What looks good on a college application? It'southward the question nearly every loftier school student will ask at some point while applying to college. Simply is in that location a clear reply? Fortunately, the answer is yep! Read on to learn what colleges expect for in applicants, what looks actually good on a college application, and what kinds of myths there are about skillful things to put on a higher application. Everyone applying to college has wondered, "What exactly are colleges looking for in applicants?" In other words, what looks expert on a college application? While all colleges are different, of course, with some valuing sure qualities or skills more than or less than other schools, all colleges generally wait for smart, studious, ambitious, and passionate students. Therefore, your college application should emphasize your best, most impressive qualities. For example, if you play the violin and want to study music in college, you'll want to impact this involvement you take in different areas of your application. A good higher application will as well showcase your sincere interest in the schoolhouse. You wouldn't exist applying to a college unless you had a reason to want to go there, correct? Make certain to explain (especially if you need to write a "Why This College" essay) exactly how y'all became interested in the school and why yous remember it's a good fit for yous and your goals. Yous don't need to be the next Marie Curie or Stephen Hawking, but you lot should be open to new opportunities and willing to challenge yourself. Overall, the bones point of a higher awarding is to make you stand out from other applicants in a positive, memorable, and unique fashion. This fact is especially important in low-cal of how many showtime-twelvemonth applications colleges receive each year. Co-ordinate to the 2019 report by the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC), the number of get-go-twelvemonth applications received past U.s.a. colleges increased by 6% from fall 2017 to fall 2018. The written report plant that "the boilerplate number of applications for each admission role staff member (excluding authoritative staff) for the Fall 2017 access cycle was i,035 for public institutions and 461 for individual institutions." These trends indicate that your application will definitely demand to get out a lasting impression on the admissions committee if you lot promise to get into that school. The degree by which you must stand up out from other applicants will depend on how selective a particular school is. In general, the more selective a college is, the more impressive and unique your application will have to be. Finally, what looks expert on an application will vary depending on the college and what the college values. For instance, at colleges that don't place a big emphasis on standardized tests, a high SAT score probable won't exist much of a cistron in admissions. This is only a general overview of what colleges expect for in applicants. Then what looks really skillful on a college awarding? Upward next, we look at the specific qualities y'all should strive to include on your application so you lot can raise your chances of getting accustomed. In add-on to fundamental personality traits, such as ambition, passion, genuine interest, and academic marvel, what looks really good on a college application? In general, a smashing application will have most or all of the following elements: Information technology's OK if you lot don't accept every single quality listed above, but if you do, your chances of getting accepted to the college of your dreams will go fashion up! Now so, allow's accept a wait at each of these qualities in more detail. The outset important part of the college application is the transcript, which consists of your GPA and the names and types of classes yous've taken in high school. Near people believe a high GPA (the definition of which tin vary at unlike colleges) will make an application stronger. And this is true! According to NACAC, 75% of colleges ranked grades in loftier schoolhouse classes considerably of import. In fact, this factor was ranked the almost of import of any in the report. What'southward truly important, though, isn't that you just have a high GPA overall but rather that you have a GPA that's higher than the average GPA of admitted students at the higher you're applying to. To find a college's average GPA, search "[School Name] PrepScholar admission requirements" on Google then click our database link to that school. This page will testify you what the schoolhouse'south average GPA is, in improver to other admission requirements. For case, if you desire to utilize to Notre Dame, you would search for "Notre Dame PrepScholar access requirements" and click the link to our Notre Dame access reqs page, which looks similar this: Every bit you tin can see, Notre Dame's average (weighted) GPA for admitted applicants is iv.06. Equally a result, if you lot're applying here, you'll want to have a GPA of at least 4.06, preferably higher then you lot will be an in a higher place-boilerplate bidder. It'south not just nigh getting a high GPA, though; you must also take a range of challenging courses throughout loftier school if you really wish to impress an admissions committee. This means you'll want to take not merely basic-level classes just also some AP, honors, and/or IB courses, especially in subjects you lot are good at and might desire to go along to study in college or major in. The 2019 NACAC report institute that a whopping 84% of colleges ranked an applicant's rigor of curriculum moderately or considerably important. Think most it: though a perfect four.0 might look great at an initial glance, if y'all got this high GPA by only taking the easiest classes bachelor and didn't challenge yourself with higher-level coursework, your transcripts aren't likely to impress college admissions officers that much. Even if you started high school with lower grades, an upwards grade tendency is a nifty indicate to emphasize on your application. This suggests that you're capable of billowy back from whatsoever difficulties you lot might face up and are willing to put in the work necessary for excelling in college. Examination scores, mainly Sabbatum/ACT scores, are another key office of college applications (unless, of course, you're applying to colleges that don't crave test scores). On the NACAC report, 83% of colleges believe admission test scores are at to the lowest degree moderately important. This is why it's vital that you try to get every bit high an Sat/Act score every bit yous can, ideally 1 in at to the lowest degree the 75th percentile for your colleges. The 75th percentile means that 75% of admitted students at a item school accomplished this score or lower. Reaching (or surpassing) this threshold means that you're scoring higher than most other admitted applicants are—and well above that college's boilerplate score. To discover the middle 50% (that is, the 25th and 75th percentile Saturday/ACT scores) for a schoolhouse, search on Google for "[School Name] PrepScholar admission requirements." Click the link to our page for the school to run into its requirements, including its average Sabbatum/Act scores. For example, say yous're planning to apply to NYU. Here'due south what the SAT scores section on NYU's PrepScholar access reqs page looks similar: Hither, nosotros can see the average Sat score for NYU is 1440—that's pretty high, in the 96th percentile! To really stand up out as an applicant, though, yous'll want to aim for at least the 75th percentile. For NYU, that'southward 1510, which corresponds to the 99th percentile, or the top ane% of test takers. Since you're probable applying to more than than only i school, you'll demand to set an SAT/Deed goal score, that is, a score loftier enough to get yous into all the colleges you're applying to. To set a goal score, beginning by making a chart of all the schools y'all're applying to. You lot can make your own chart or download a blank template. Below is a sample SAT goal score chart: School Proper name 25th Percentile Score 75th Percentile Score Next, look upwards the 25th and 75th percentile Saturday scores for each of the schools you're applying to using our PrepScholar access requirements pages. (Follow the steps above for NYU to acquire how to do this.) Once you've got these scores, write them in your chart as so: Schoolhouse Name 25th Percentile Score 75th Percentile Score At present, expect at all the 75th percentile scores in your chart. The highest score will exist your goal score, as this is the one near likely to get yous into all the schools you're applying to. With our case chart, the highest score is 1480, or the 75th percentile score for the University of Illinois and UW Wisconsin. By getting a 1480 or college, you'll be getting an impressive score non just for these two schools school simply also for Marquette and MSU, thereby raising your chances of getting into all colleges you lot're applying to. The majority of higher applicants are high schoolhouse seniors, and most of the college awarding communication out in that location is aimed at them. But what exercise you do if you don't autumn 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 demand to know, from the coursework you should take nether your belt to how to get letters of recommendation when you're not a high school senior. The personal statement is an important part of your college application equally information technology's one of the only areas where you tin can really showcase your personality. According to the 2019 NACAC survey, 56% of schools consider application essays moderately or considerably of import. While some colleges don't require essays, those that practise commonly place at to the lowest degree moderate importance on them. Then how can you ensure your essay will impress the admissions committee? Generally, colleges are looking for three chief qualities in a personal essay: Beneath are some steps y'all can accept to guarantee that your essay will have all 3 qualities. What you write about for your college essay will vary depending on the prompt(s) you're given from your school or the prompt you choose (for example, the Common App and Coalition App allow you to cull from among several prompts for your essay). In general, you'll desire to option a topic that meets the following criteria: The side by side step is to actually begin writing your essay. Don't worry too much near grammar and menses at this betoken; just get downward your ideas and first deciding which details and examples might work well in your essay. Every bit you lot write, remember to channel your inner phonation. This essay should sound similar the real you, not an false of what you think colleges desire to hear. So if you're the sarcastic type, yous might want to include a joke or 2, for case. Don't forget that the essay is a manner for the admissions committee to learn more about y'all, and so don't shy abroad from your true self! On that same notation, it's OK to become artistic here. The essay isn't an academic essay you'd write for English form—it'southward a story. Feel gratis to inject your writing with diverse literary techniques, such equally a non-chronological arrangement, realistic dialogue, and memorable imagery. Lastly, brand sure y'all're sufficiently answering the prompt and are constant past all technical requirements (such as length). You tin bank check a college's essay requirements by referring to its awarding requirements page or by reading the instructions on the Common App, Coalition App, or Universal College App websites (if submitting your application through one of these platforms). An essay that's too long might get cut off when you submit information technology electronically, so exist sure information technology adheres to all the requirements. Once y'all have a rough draft of your college essay, information technology's time to polish it up for submission. The best way to edit is to put your essay away for a few days. This volition give you lot some distance abroad from your writing, allowing you lot to look back at your essay afterwards with a fresher perspective. As you reread your essay, marking any areas in it that are unclear, awkward, or irrelevant to the main point you're trying to brand with information technology. You should also correct any obvious typos or errors, such as mistakes in grammar, spelling, or punctuation. Once you've done this process a few times, give your essay to someone to read. Ideally, this will exist a person you lot trust, such as a parent, teacher, counselor, or tutor. Have the person you choose offer clear feedback on your essay and bank check that yous've met all requirements. Edit your essay as needed in accordance with the comments you lot get. After you've finished all of this, y'all should now have a perfect college essay to submit with your application! Virtually every college will want to know what kinds of extracurricular activities you do or have done in your spare fourth dimension. Indeed, 49% of colleges surveyed regard students' extracurricular activities moderately or considerably important. Ask yourself: what are your interests outside of school and how do you engage in them? The trick here is to provide not a list of all the random activities you lot've done simply rather a detailed overview of ane to two of your almost passionate interests and any big achievements yous've made in them. In other words, you demand to figure out what your "fasten" is, a concept which PrepScholar co-founder and Harvard alum Allen Cheng describes in his expert guide on how to go into the Ivy League. To put it simply, a spike is deep accomplishment in and cognition of a particular field. As an example, say y'all plan to major in biology. Y'all'll stand out every bit an bidder if yous have tons of biological science- or science-related experiences under your chugalug. Maybe you're function of your school's biological science club, or maybe you volunteered at a local research lab, which taught you the basics of handling lab equipment. In improver to having a variety of experiences and sufficient background knowledge in the field, you want to highlight whatsoever relevant major accomplishments yous have. For instance, maybe you lot won a science fair your sophomore year of high school; nigh recently, you submitted an award-winning invention idea to a national contest As you can see, this concept of the spike is the reverse of being well rounded, which about students assume they need to be (read the next section to acquire more than about this myth). If you're not sure what your spike is but yet, take some time to try out new activities and explore whatever interests you lot accept, both in and outside of school. Over time you lot should start to get a experience for what you're passionate about and what you can see yourself committing to in the future. Nigh colleges crave at least 1 letter of recommendation from either your high school counselor or a loftier school teacher (or both). The 2019 NACAC survey indicates that 54% of colleges consider teacher recommendations at least moderately of import, while a higher 55% consider counselor recommendations the same. Therefore, we can say it's pretty important to secure nifty recommendation letters for your application. If yous're asking for a letter of the alphabet from a teacher, make sure to choose someone whose class you got a high form in (ideally an A) and who is familiar with your abilities, ambitions, and interests. Typically, you lot'll need to submit at to the lowest degree ane letter of the alphabet from a instructor who taught a core form (so math, English language, science, or social studies/history). It's a good idea to as well get a letter from a instructor who works in the field yous programme to major in. Then if y'all got an A in AP English language and program to major in English, asking that teacher for a recommendation letter would give a bully boost to your application. While you don't have to be all-time buddies with the teacher you ask, they should definitely know y'all well, beyond the classroom, so they can effectively explain to admissions committees what makes you special, that is, what makes y'all worth albeit. For example, if y'all did research with a detail teacher, are role of a club this teacher coaches or leads, or helped out this instructor with a project, this would be a good person to enquire to write a letter for y'all. Once you've secured a recommendation letter writer, exist sure to provide them with any materials or information they might demand to assistance them craft a compelling letter. Colleges love it when an applicant has not but volunteered but has also fabricated a measurable impact with their volunteering efforts. What does this hateful exactly? If you take volunteered somewhere or for an organization, your aid should have resulted in a noticeable, positive change to the grouping, community, or area you were aiming to help. For instance, say you volunteered at a local library. Maybe the library was struggling to go funds to continue operating, and you came upwards with the idea to concord a 24-hour reading marathon in society to enhance money. The fundraiser concluded up making more than $5,000, a effigy that would be a concrete indicator of the positive impact your service had on the library. With your college application, then, y'all could specifically mention how your initiative immune the library to remain open up. Note that y'all don't need to have assumed a leadership part in order to have fabricated a positive bear upon through your service. That said, college admissions committees are oft very big fans of students who show prove of their budding leadership skills. Although you're certainly non required to piece of work a part-time job in loftier school, having some work experience on your college applications, peculiarly whatsoever jobs that are related to what you desire to study or practise professionally, will assist you stand out in a positive way. Even if your job isn't connected to a long-term bookish or career goal yous have, any (part-time) work experience you have will be great to put down on your awarding because it emphasizes your sense of responsibleness, maturity, and willingness to work for your goals, key qualities that are unremarkably considered of import for success in college. Likewise, if you lot have whatever room on the application to elaborate on your task, I propose explaining why y'all initially took the job and what values or skills it'southward taught you, such as the importance of responsibility or how to work with sure equipment that you'll likely utilize again in the future. What looks really expert on a college application? Many students think they know, but the truth is that there are a lot of myths out there about what you should include on your application. Beneath, we introduce to you lot the top 4 myths about what looks proficient on college applications. 1 of the about pervasive myths out there near what looks good on a college application is the thought of being well rounded. Many students assume they'll need to take tons of extracurricular activities on their applications; this, they believe, volition emphasize their array of interests as well every bit their cognition of a diversity of fields. Merely all this actually tells admissions committees is that you're stretching yourself too thin and (nearly likely) lack focus on a specific effort in your life. What colleges actually desire to see is a spike, that is, a single passion. This allows colleges to become a clearer experience for who you are, what you're interested in, and what your goals are. Having a fasten lets you stand out in a truly meaningful way, whereas being well rounded will brand you forgettable and seem besides similar to other applicants. Spikes are specially important at highly selective colleges and universities, such as Harvard, Yale, and other Ivy League-level schools. Yous can read more than about how to develop a fasten in our guide to getting into the Ivy League. Alternatively, if you're interested in pursuing education at a liberal arts school, bank check out our commodity on how to figure out what to get to college for. After Time published a 2014 article on why college awarding essays don't actually affair all that much, students began to fright that all their hard work on their statements wouldn't hateful much in the end, if at all. Just while some colleges don't crave personal essays, nearly colleges do require at least one or two essays—and volition identify a decent amount of accent on information technology, especially if it is beingness used equally a deciding factor between 2 otherwise equally qualified applicants. Even though you should arroyo the essay seriously, it's even so more often than not rare for an uncommonly well-written essay to brand upwards for tons of low grades and poor test scores. On the flip side, if you have a great application but a badly written essay, that essay alone could go you rejected! Therefore, make sure that you are following all the steps listed above so you can craft the perfect statement for your application. Many students believe information technology'southward improve to stick to the classes you know y'all'll get As in, but this piece of advice is misguided when it comes to college applications. In general, colleges prefer students who challenge themselves by taking an array of difficult classes, such as AP and honors classes. And you don't take to get perfect grades in them. If you get a B in a tough AP form, for example, this will emphasize to the admissions committee that you are willing to take on new challenges and test your limits, traits that are necessary for succeeding in and after college. On the other hand, getting As in all piece of cake classes, though non totally unimpressive, is not nearly as interesting to colleges, as it suggests y'all're unwilling to push yourself and further hone your college-level critical thinking skills. All of this being said, endeavour to avert getting very low grades in any classes y'all have (regular or honors/AP). C and D grades obviously won't look great to an admissions commission, even if y'all got these grades while challenging yourself in AP classes. If you lot tin't get at to the lowest degree a B or B+ in a difficult course, it'll probably exist better for you to drop it and switch to either the regular version of that class or an entirely different grade altogether. Many students assume that if they have one little flaw in their application, such every bit a below-boilerplate exam score or slightly low grade in a course, their chances of getting admitted to college will exist slim to none. This just isn't true. Yes, a very low test score or a very poor transcript may crusade you to get rejected from a college, but many colleges use a holistic admission procedure, meaning they look at and consider each private applicant equally a whole. And so even if your application has a not-then-stellar component on it, this doesn't necessarily mean you'll be a reject. In fact, at particularly selective colleges, such as the Ivy League, you'll oft hear of cases in which ostensibly "perfect" applicants got rejected. This is nearly likely because they didn't have a spike in their applications (i.east., something that made them stand out). Overall, just effort your all-time to produce the all-time application you lot can, and then hope for a good result! Applying to college is tough, and knowing what to put on your applications to brand yourself stand out is even tougher. What looks actually skillful on a college application? More often than not speaking, colleges want to meet your passion, intellectual curiosity, willingness to challenge yourself, and academic accomplishments. More specifically, though, colleges typically prefer applicants who accept most or all of the post-obit characteristics: Finally, as you utilize to college and effort to recall of good things to put on a college application, brand sure you're aware of the post-obit truths about the application process: A keen college awarding will become you admitted. Use our college acceptance calculator to get an estimated percentage of your take chances of getting into your dream school, based on your SAT or Act score and GPA. I matter a great college application can accept is a high Sat or Deed score. Get expert tips in our guides on how to get a perfect 36 on the ACT and how to get a perfect 1600 on the SAT. Need help figuring out which colleges to apply to? Our guide teaches you how to narrow down your higher choices and so that you're applying to the all-time schools for y'all. Want to build the all-time possible college application? Nosotros can aid. PrepScholar Admissions is the globe's best admissions consulting service. We combine globe-class admissions counselors with our information-driven, proprietary admissions strategies. We've overseen thousands of students get into their top selection schools, from state colleges to the Ivy League. Nosotros know what kinds of students colleges want to acknowledge. We desire to become y'all admitted to your dream schools. Learn more about PrepScholar Admissions to maximize your chance of getting in. 
What Are Colleges Looking for in Applicants?
What Looks Good on a Higher Application? 7 Key Elements
#1: Fantabulous Grades in Challenging Courses
#2: Loftier Examination Scores
Marquette University University of Wisconsin—Madison Michigan State University University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Marquette University 1150 1320 University of Wisconsin—Madison 1300 1480 Michigan State University 1120 1310 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign 1220 1480 
#3: Sincere, Specific, and Well-Written Essays
Footstep 1: Brainstorm Meaning Moments From Your Life
Pace ii: Write Your Essay
Stride 3: Edit and Proofread Several Times
#4: A Spike in Your Extracurriculars
#five: Compelling Messages of Recommendation
#half dozen: Volunteering Experience With Measurable Affect
#7: (Relevant) Piece of work Experience
four Myths Almost What Looks Skilful on a College Application
Myth one: Beingness Well Rounded Is Critical for Success
If you lot aim for well rounded, you lot'll start to look like everyone else. Myth two: Essays Aren't That Important
Myth 3: An A in an Easy Class Is Better Than a B in a Hard Class
Myth iv: Just Perfect Applicants Get Admitted
Takeaways: What Looks Proficient on a College Application
What's Next?
Hannah received her MA in Japanese Studies from the University of Michigan and holds a available's degree from the University of Southern California. From 2013 to 2015, she taught English in Japan via the JET Programme. She is passionate nearly education, writing, and travel.
Source: https://blog.prepscholar.com/what-looks-good-on-a-college-application
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