What the Best Colleges
and Universities Want in Their Applicants
By Trung Le
College Admission
Consultant
http://www.BayAreaCollegeConsulting.com
Why are some colleges and
universities so competitive for admission? The best colleges and
universities cannot accept every single student that applies simply due to a
finite amount of spaces and resources. Therefore, they want the most
qualified candidates and they reject the rest.
What exactly do these
colleges and universities look for? Parents and students often think that a
high (or even a perfect 4.0 GPA) is good enough. This is simply not the
case. These colleges are not only looking for students with book-smarts,
they are also looking for students with a strong extra-curricular background
and leadership background. These are determining factors that will tell the
college admission committee as to whether the candidate, if they are
admitted, will benefit the campus community. They want students who will be
active on their campus and someone who others can benefit from. They also
want students who are more likely going to give back to society once they
graduate from college.
High school students should
spend at least two to three years building up their profile to be a more
competitive applicant. Every student should build up his or her academic
background, extra-curricular background, and leadership background.
Academic background
Having an impressive
academic record does not simply mean maintaining a high GPA throughout high
school. The admission committee wants to see the candidate enrolled in
challenging courses, such as high level math, honor courses, or AP (Advanced
Placement) courses. It is, therefore, not advisable for students to take
easy courses simply to maintain a high GPA to impress colleges. Students can
also attend major universities such as Stanford University, UC-Berkeley, UC-Davis,
Columbia University, and Harvard University during the summer prior to their
senior year. What most parents and students do not realize is that these
prestigious universities are open to the public during the summer term. It
is open to all high school students in their junior and senior years,
contingent upon good academic standing and a recommendation from the high
school counselor. Summer programs are also open to visiting college students
(students from other colleges). This is a great way to show the admission
committee that you took a college level course at a prestigious institution
and that you can do well in the college setting.
Extra-curricular
background
The admission committee also
wants to know if the applicant is actively involved outside of academic
life, especially community service. An active student is a well-rounded
student. Extra-curricular activities include volunteer work, such as
volunteering at a local hospital, homeless shelter, or animal shelter. Other
activities includes being involved in sports or personal hobbies such music,
art, dancing, and clubs such as academic clubs or social clubs. Volunteering
at your local church also counts. Students should spend as many years as
possible to develop this area of their application. The longer the
involvement and the higher the number of hours devoted to these activities
will show the admissions committee a higher level of commitment. Students
should not wait until the months of September, October, and November of
their senior year to build up their extra-curricular background.
Volunteering for 3 hours a week at a homeless shelter for 3 months is not as
impressive as volunteering for 3 hours a week for 3 years. Students must
show that they are committed.
Leadership background
The admissions committee
also wants candidates who can take initiative and possesses leadership
skills. They do not want candidates who have the herd mentality – students
who just follow what other people are doing.
The best colleges and
universities want to graduate students who will give back to society by
becoming the next politicians, entrepreneurs, inventors, intellectuals,
philanthropists, and others who will contribute to society in a significant
way. Students can build up their leadership skills by being the President of
a club on campus, creating a web site that can benefit the local community,
or being the Editor-in-Chief of a student or community newsletter or
journal. These various activities involve taking the initiative and playing
the management role by overseeing other people. High school students who
lack a leadership background will likely be rejected by the best colleges
and universities even if they have a strong academic background and
extra-curricular background.
It is important that high
students start early rather than waiting until their senior year. The
duration of involvement shows the admissions committee the candidate’s level
of commitment. Sophomore and junior years are the ideal years to work on
these, but high school students can begin as early as their freshman year.
Senior year is not the year to slack off either. Seniors must
continue with a rigorous academic course schedule and their extra-curricular
and leadership involvements, at least until all of their applications have
been submitted. Would Barack Obama become the President of the United States
if he delayed his presidential campaign until 3 months prior to the November
general election? Of course not, and therefore, students should not wait 3
months prior to the November 30th application deadline to build up their
extra-curricular and leadership backgrounds either.
About the
Author
Trung Le is a college
admission consultant in the Bay Area, helping high school and college
students build up their academic, extra-curricular, and leadership
background to gain admission into competitive colleges and universities. He
also assists students with the general college application process,
including personal statements. Mr. Le is also a faculty member at De Anza
College in Cupertino, CA and Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill, CA. He
has taught over 1,000 students and has read over 20,000 pages worth of
college-level assignments. Mr. Le is also a member of the Western
Association of College Admission Counselors (WACA).
More information can be
found at
http://www.BayAreaCollegeConsulting.com or by calling 1-800-718-1865.
|
