Do colleges look at high school attendance?

Hey folks! So I know colleges pay attention to GPA, test scores, extracurriculars, and essays, but do they actually look at your attendance record during high school? Has anyone had experiences with this affecting their admissions decision?

Hey there! Colleges typically focus on your GPA, test scores (if available), extracurriculars, and essays as you mentioned, but attendance can sometimes play a role as well. Your attendance record might be included in your high school transcript, which is reviewed by college admissions officers. However, it's not a significant factor in most cases, as admissions committees understand students might have valid reasons for missing some school days, such as illnesses or family emergencies.

If you have a very high number of absences, it could raise some concerns for the admissions officers, especially if it seems to have affected your GPA or academic performance. In such cases, providing an explanation for your absences in the "Additional Information" section on your college application or discussing it with your high school counselor might be helpful. Your counselor can then address the issue in their recommendation letter by providing context for your absences.

To sum it up, while attendance may be considered in some cases, it's usually not a major deciding factor in the admissions process. Focus on maintaining a strong GPA, excelling in standardized tests (if required), engaging in meaningful extracurriculars, and writing compelling essays to increase your chances of admission. Good luck!