Getting into College - What are Colleges Looking for in an Applicant?

How colleges weight each component of your application

In high school, it seems like everyone has an opinion (and a bone to pick) about what it takes to get into a college. Poor test-takers think the SATs must be the most important thing. Those with lots of extracurricular activities fear that colleges will focus more on "numbers." Those who take difficult courses worry that colleges will only look at grades, and not how they were earned. And so forth.

In the end, the process of getting into college is usually quite fair. With a few minor exceptions, colleges are legitimately looking for the most qualified applicants they can find, and that means sifting through as much information as they have available.

Here are the admissions factors that colleges take into account, along with our estimate about how much weight is given to each one. Remember that colleges look at these components in different ways; specifically, prestigious and smaller schools tend to spend more time looking at "soft factors" such as essays and recommendations, while larger and less competitive schools often focus more on grades and test scores.

High School Record (35-50% of admissions decision)

Your high school record, which includes which courses you took and how well you did in those courses, is the most important aspect of getting into a college. And it should be. This is the best indicator for colleges of how well you'll perform when given a rigorous college workload. Colleges will look not only at your overall grades, but whether you chose difficult courses, whether your grades improved during high school, and even whether you've let your senior year grades slide.

Test Scores (25-40% of admissions decision)

Like it or not, colleges think test scores are important and will continue to use them to evaluate applicants. SATs, ACTs, and other tests show colleges your mastery of problem-solving, reading, and other basic skills. They also give colleges a way to compare applicants from different schools and backgrounds. You need to prep for the SAT, either by taking an SAT prep course or by finding the right SAT prep guide from among the many options.

Activities and Other Accomplishments (0-20% of admissions decision)

Colleges want to know what you've been doing, and how successful you've been while doing it. If you've been involved in the community or taken a leadership role in an activity, it's likely that you'll be similarly active while in college and beyond. That reflects well upon the school and enriches the college experience for everyone else. Come up with an extracurricular strategy as early as possible, and stick to it. Make sure you've considered all of your options and discovered the activities that are best suited for you.

Essays and Recommendations (0-20% of admissions decision)

These qualitative factors fill in the empty spaces of your application. What's important to you? What type of personality do you have? Are you likable? What are you greatest strengths and weaknesses?

When colleges read your essays and recommendations, they're looking to view you as a human being. If they like what they see, your application will become marginally stronger.

Other Factors (usually 0%, but as much as 30%)

Occasionally, issues beyond those mentioned above will play a role in your ability to get into a college. For example, being a member of an under reprented minority group will give you an edge, as will having a parent or grandparent who attended the school.