Do colleges look at attendance records?

Hi everyone, I'm a junior and I was just curious if colleges actually check your high school attendance records when considering your application. Should I be worried if I've missed a few days here and there, or is it not a huge factor in admissions? Any thoughts are appreciated!

Attendance records typically aren't a significant factor in college admissions. Admissions officers focus more on your academic performance, test scores (if applicable), extracurricular activities, essays, and recommendations. They understand that students sometimes miss school due to illness or personal circumstances.

However, if you have excessive absences that have led to poor academic performance or disciplinary actions, this could potentially be a red flag for colleges. If your attendance has negatively affected your grades or caused disciplinary issues, you might want to address these concerns in your application, either through your personal statement or the additional information section. Providing context for your absences allows the admissions committee to better understand your situation and make a more informed decision about your application.

In general, occasional absences shouldn't be a concern as long as they haven't adversely affected your academic record or resulted in disciplinary actions. Focus on maintaining strong grades, participating in extracurricular activities, and putting together a compelling application, which will be more impactful in the admissions process.