Colleges' Priorities in Admissions

Shot in the dark here, but does anyone know the most important things that colleges look at when deciding who to accept? Grades, test scores, extracurriculars...which weighs the most?

When colleges review applications, they usually prioritize the following aspects, roughly ordered from most to least important:

1. Academic Performance: This includes your GPA, the rigor of your classes (honors, AP, IB, dual enrollment, etc.), and, at some schools, your standardized test scores (SAT/ACT). Your academic performance in high school is considered the best indicator of how well you'll do in college, so it's often given the most weight. If your school ranks students, your class rank can also be important.

2. Test Scores: Even though more and more schools are becoming test-optional or even test-blind, scores from standardized tests like the SAT or ACT can still play a critical role at some schools. Schools like the University of California and California State University systems are test-blind for the 2024-2025 application cycle, but there are also schools like Harvard University, Yale University, University of Florida, and University of Georgia that will be requiring standardized test scores again moving forward.

For a useful overview of the current standardized testing landscape, I'd check out this blog post from CollegeVine: https://blog.collegevine.com/does-test-optional-mean-test-optional/

3. Extracurricular Involvement: Participation in activities outside of the classroom like clubs, sports, and volunteer work is also significant. Tier 1 and Tier 2 activities are particularly impactful as they showcase exceptional leadership or achievement at a high level. To learn more about the extracurricular tiers colleges use to rank your involvements, and how to categorize your own activities, check out this blog post from CollegeVine: https://blog.collegevine.com/breaking-down-the-4-tiers-of-extracurricular-activities

4. Personal Essay: Admissions officers will look at your personal statement and other essays to get a sense of who you are as an individual. They prefer unique, personal stories that avoid cliche topics, and that reveal something noteworthy about your character, values, or experiences. CollegeVine's blog also has detailed guidance on how to write an excellent personal statement: https://blog.collegevine.com/how-to-write-the-common-application-essays/

5. Recommendation Letters: Especially at more selective schools, recommendation letters are a crucial piece of your application, as they provide firsthand insight into your character, work ethic, and strengths from people who've taught or worked with you closely.

6. Interviews and Demonstrated Interest: Some schools take into account your level of interest demonstrated through actions such as attending campus events. However, most highly selective colleges do not consider demonstrated interest. As for the interview, it can be a nice way to round out your application, but is highly unlikely to be the difference-maker for your application.

7. School-specific Supplemental Essays: Some schools, especially more selective ones, will have their own set of essays, in addition to the main personal statement. These essays are a great opportunity to show your fit for that particular school.

Remember, these factors can carry different weights depending on the school or specific program. The best approach is to strive for a well-balanced, strong application in all areas. If you have any questions about the requirements or priorities at one of the schools you're interested in, I'd contact their admissions office directly - they'll be able to give you the most current, accurate information.

Good luck with your college process!