As most seniors sit down and begin filling out their college applications, the questions begin to arise.
What is this college looking for? Do I have enough extracurricular activities? What is this college really looking for? Who reads my application?
Although every college has a different admissions process, the process usually starts with an admission officer who reviews every aspect of the application. How many people review the application and what they do with it varies with each school.
“Generally at least three to four people will have reviewed an application before an initial decision is rendered,” said Gabriele Santi, Director of Communication in the Office of Admission at Michigan State University.
The process is much different at the University of Virginia however.
“Every application gets two reads; one by one admission officer and one either by the dean or one of his associate deans,” said Carol Wood, Assistant Vice President for Public Affairs at the University of Virginia. “Then admission officers write a summary of each student.”
Despite the different processes, most universities including: The University of Michigan, Michigan State and even Hope College agree that the most important part of the application is the transcript.
“Grades, grades, grades,” said Betsy Erwin, a former director and assistant dean at the J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern and later a Consultant at the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan. “A student’s grades in academic courses are very important.”
Along with good grades, colleges and universities also take the applicants schedule very heavily into account. They want to see students challenge themselves, and show that they are motivated. Many universities said that they would prefer an honors level course with a slightly lower grade than a college prep course with a higher grade.
“MSU strongly encourages students to take a challenging curriculum,” Santi said. “The quality of a student’s curriculum is definitely evaluated, including senior year curriculum.”
Colleges also like to see growth in the students’ education. They look for higher grades and harder classes with each year.
“A student’s curriculum with grades trending upward is strongly considered,” Erwin said.
Schedule difficulty and grades play a role, but there is much more to the admissions process than just the transcript. Standardized test scores, extracurricular activities, and even the essay can make or break admission to a school.
“We take each piece of information into account,” Santi said.
Perhaps the most overestimated part of the application is the test scores. While many students believe that a high test score can get them into any college they want, the reality is that too high of a score can potentially hurt them.
“If a student’s test scores are significantly stronger than their grades, it might suggest the applicant isn’t a motivated student,” Erwin said.
But in most cases, test scores are attributed positively. It gives students a chance to compare themselves with the entire nation, and back up their grades.
“An A in calculus at one school might mean something different than it does at another school,” Erwin said. “But the ACT score in math means the same for all students.
However, not all colleges view test scores the same.
“We look at test scores, but Hope is a liberal arts college so we look at other things with greater importance,” said Bill Vanderbilt, the Vice President of Admissions at Hope College.
Another common misconception about standardized tests is that some universities prefer one test over the other. While most Michigan high school students prefer to take the ACT, every four-year college accepts both tests.
“MSU will accept either ACT or SAT scores,” Santi said.
As for those essays?
“You should assume every essay will be read and will influence an admission decision,” Erwin said.
Despite its difficulty, the essay is a key component of the application. It demonstrates writing ability and gives the university an impression of who the applicant really is.
“We do believe the essay is important, as it is a reflection of an individual's ability to communicate clearly and think analytically,” Wood said. “But it is just one of many factors.”
Every university has a different reason for essays. While Virginia uses it more as a sample of an applicant’s writing, Hope looks at it differently.
“It is a great way to learn about the student,” Vanderbilt said.
“At some colleges and universities it is a critical component of the application, at others it is used to source information relevant to the application that may not be available in other data collected,” Erwin added.
The applicant’s overall resume can also have an impact on admission.
“Extracurricular, community service and employment are important, although typically much less so than grades and test scores unless experience has been exceptional,” Erwin said. “Admissions staff likes to see a demonstrated commitment to an organization or activity and/ or evidence of how the organization benefitted from the applicant’s involvement.”
“MSU looks to see if a student has interests outside of the classroom,” Santi added.
While not all schools require a teacher recommendation letter, such as Hope and MSU, most colleges require a counselor letter.
“The purpose of the recommendation letters is to support everything the student has said in their application,” Seaholm counselor Julie Gould said. “The letters also act as conformation from an adult that the application is truthful.”
Hope College agrees.
“The letter signifies their perspective of the student’s academic capabilities and how well they could fit into Hope College,” Vanderbilt added.
The last, and possibly the hardest, step is to wait and see what each college decides.
“Waiting can be extremely stressful,” Seaholm senior Erica Reich said, “but I know in the end I’ll end up in the right place.”
