College Admissions Q & A

SPAN Mental Health Action Team members recently talked with two Boston area college admissions officers. 

What are admissions officers looking for in high school students? 

We look for a background that prepares a student to be successful. We look at both in school work (grades, projects, presentations) and how time is spent out of school. One type of activity is not valued over another but rather, we look at how do students spend their time in their community. How do they make contributions? Independent or entrepreneurial activities show a contribution to the community. 

How do they work with their peers? We look at students’ home environment and their engagement with their family. 

At a test optional school, a high stakes exam does not always serve as the best indicator for someone’s ability to do well in college. 

We are not looking for perfection, for students to be “finished products.” We consider what type of student they will be in college. Will they be engaged, making contributions? Is the environment at our college a good fit, a place where they will be happy and a place where they can succeed? 

Academics:  

The grade point average tells only a quarter of the student’s story. More important are the courses a student selects across high school. Has the student shown improvement over the years? Students can add context to their transcript, for example, sharing the reason why they couldn’t take a class. 

The college essay: Keep in mind you have no idea who is reading it. Never assume the reader isn’t interested in the topic. Make sure it is about you, a situation or a person who inspires you and contributes to who you are. 

Creating a college list: 

Does the school offer a major the student is interested in? Over 50% of college students change their major in college. 

What type of classroom experience does the student want? Consider what opportunities a school offers for experiential learning and the school’s average class size. 

Consider a school’s location. Students are not moving to a campus but to a community. 

Every school has different application requirements: students have to be organized, plan ahead and do their research. Take time to read over their application, review a school’s portal requirements. 

Parents: about half the process is out of a student’s control. About 50% is determined by college goals and priorities which change every year.  

Remove school rankings. Be open minded to all schools, not just the high-ranked ones. Don’t look at just the acceptance rate as it is often attached to a certain program.