When it comes to the college admissions process, there are a number of factors that go into deciding whether to send an acceptance letter or a rejection letter. For most college hopefuls, you would much rather be accepted than rejected, which is why it is so important to know what some of the criteria is during the decision process. After you turn in your essay and application, it is all in the hands of the college admissions officer – all you can do is sit back and anxiously wait. And whether you are getting Case Western University’s masters degree in social work or New York University’s degree in film, it helps to understand how you can use some of these deciding factors to your advantage. Here are five factors that influence college admissions decisions.
- 1. Grade point average. One of the most common deciding factors is your grade point average. Depending on what school you are applying to, you will usually need to have a high grade point average to be accepted into some of the best colleges. While it used to be that you needed a high ranking in your class – as long as you have a high grade point average, that’s all that matters.
- 2. Admission essay. It is also important to spend time on your essay, because this is a huge deciding factor. Your college admissions essay can say a lot about who you are and why you want to go to a certain college. Without meeting each and every student, the college essay is kind of like a brief introduction, so it is important to do incredibly well on your essay and to answer the questions accurately – you don’t want to be caught not reading the essay prompt carefully.
- 3. Family collegiate history. Another factor that goes into the decision process is whether your family has a strong history of college attendance. However, what some college admissions offers are really looking for is candidates that are the first in their family to go to college. This shows an admissions officer that you are really serious about getting a degree and making new opportunities for yourself. So, when you are applying to various colleges, make sure to mention this fact, because it could play a huge role.
- 4. Extracurricular activities. College admissions officers are looking for applicants who have an active role in their school and they community. Undertaking a series of extracurricular activities shows a tremendous amount of initiative, which colleges look for, because they want students that won’t only be students – they’ll also be pillars of the collegiate experience. So, when applying for colleges – make sure to mention all of your extracurricular activities in your application.
- 5. Letter of recommendation. Depending on who you get your letter of recommendation from, it can be a golden ticket in some scenarios. So, you may want to start developing relationships early with people in your chosen field. At the end of the day, being motivated and ambitious is all you need to gain the recognition of certain people and it can greatly increase your chances of getting accepted to the college of your choice.