How College Admissions Work

If you decide you want to go to college, you need to prepare ahead of time. Entering college isn’t an easy process–unless you follow directions well. Even if you do everything the right way it can take awhile to apply and be accepted. The procedure can be time consuming and frustrating. You will need to know what to do in advance, and adhere to the directions of the college of your choice. Following are a few tips on how college admissions work.

A Complex Procedure

The college admissions process is a multifaceted, somewhat complex procedure. In order to be considered for college you will need to be aware of the rules and regulations of the school you’re applying to, and follow those guidelines implicitly. That doesn’t necessarily mean it’s hard to do, you simply have to do it the right way and in a timely manner.

Preparation

Every high school student has heard the term ‘college prep courses.’ What that means is that certain courses in high school, and in some cases even in middle school, are considered mandatory if you hope to get into college one day. So, high school freshmen and sophomores need to be aware of what courses to take for college prep. Talking to your high school guidance counselor is a good place to start. As your high school career advances you need to make sure all your college prep courses, and maybe an advanced placement course or two (college level courses taken in high school), are under your belt. The better prepared you are scholastically, the easier the admissions process will be.

Choose a School

The next step in the process is to choose a school–actually what you need to do is compile a short list of schools, maybe 8 or 10, that you’d like to attend and concentrate on finding out what their admissions process is. This can be done during your junior year in high school. It would be a good idea to be realistic in picking a college to attend. If your grades and SAT scores don’t merit it, you shouldn’t be thinking of attending Harvard or Stanford. Be realistic. If you have to, look at community colleges in order to get a start. If you do well, you can always transfer to a larger school later.

What Is Involved

Each school has a different set of criteria that is required for admission. You should research what tests, essays, etc. your chosen schools call for, and seek to fulfill the requirements. Most schools still need to look at an SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test) score, although some also require an ACT (American College Testing) score as well. Every school will require you to fill out an application, and most ask for letters of recommendation from teachers and/or counselors. Most schools, if not all, require you to write at least one essay. These essays need to be written well, because the admissions board will judge applicants based on the quality of the essay as well as the content.

Non-Academic Activities

Although the major criteria for being accepted at any given college will be your GPA (grade point average) other things are taken into consideration as well. Students who have been actively involved in sports, the performing arts, or have received awards for achievements in or outside the classroom receive special consideration from an admissions committee. If two applicants are equal academically but one outshines the other in extracurricular activities the one with extra credit will usually receive a spot in that particular college while the other one will be left to seek a higher education elsewhere.

Wait and See

Once you’ve taken all your college prep courses, SATsm and ACTs, and filled out the applications to the schools you’ve chosen, the next step is tedious and stressful–you wait and see if you’ve been accepted. Most college applications are due by the middle of January, and a reply is usually received by mid-spring. The interim waiting period is a good time to start trying to lineup financial aid for school in the fall. You also need to make sure you keep your grades up until graduation, because college admission boards pay attention to those who let their grades slip. You could wind up having your admission rescinded if you slack off.

Acceptance

The last and final step of the admissions process is receiving an acceptance letter from a school you’ve chosen. If you’re fortunate, you will receive more than one. Now is the time you must decide which school to attend, and send them a notification that you will be attending their school, along with a deposit check. You should also notify all of the other schools that accepted you that you won’t be attending so they can go down their list to the next acceptable applicant.

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