First and foremost, let me just say that not everyone needs to go to a four-year university and it is 100% okay if that is not your end goal.
Whether you choose to go to a 4-year, community college, trade school, the military or join the work force, ALL OF THESE ARE GREAT PATHS.
Now that that's out there, many of our students are certainly interested in attending a four-year university after high school so it's necessary to know what colleges look for so that you can be you're on the right path. This is especially important for students who may be on the fence about what they want to do after graduation. It's better to be prepared so that you have as many doors open to you as possible rather than shutting off some of those doors too soon.
Here is a break down of the quantitative and qualitative information colleges are looking for:
To be perfectly honest, I do believe the biggest factors a lot of the more selective colleges will look is mostly going to fall under quantitative data and the types of courses you are taking. Colleges want to see that you're making the most of the rigorous courses offered to you and that you're able to succeed in these courses. Therefore, that doesn't mean take all AP's... it just means challenge yourself to the best of your ability in a level where you will still be successful.
But don't discredit qualitative data - it still matters too and can help you stand out beyond the numbers.
A Closer Look at Qualitative Data
Types of Courses Being Taken This takes into consideration some of the following questions: -Are you taking the most challenging courses we offer? -Is there any kind of reasoning behind the classes you've chosen? (such as a future engineering major taking STEM courses) -Are you challenging yourself appropriately or taking the easier route with less work?
Extracurricular Commitment The big thing here is QUALITY OVER QUANTITY. Don't just go out there and join a ton of clubs or sports and don't spread yourself too thin. Colleges want to see that you're committed and involved in your extracurriculars. Seek out leadership positions and actively participate. Same with volunteering, don't even bother listing a volunteering experience on your resume if it was something you did ONE time for a few hours.
Letters of Recommendation This is one where many college representatives have said that they actually don't really look at the letters of recommendation unless the letters are required. So for schools where this is optional, chances are the admissions officers may never even look at this.
If you're applying somewhere that does require a letter, it's always a good idea to have a teacher write on your behalf but choose that teacher wisely. You're going to want someone who has known you in a greater capacity; someone who can write about your character and someone who has maybe seen you overcome struggles or demonstrate leadership. This doesn't always have to be from a teacher whom you earned an A in their class. It might be a teacher who has taught you in the subject related to your major, a teacher who saw you work really hard to earn your grade or a teacher who has taught you over several years.
Sometimes counselor recommendations are also required. Therefore.... SET UP A MEETING WITH ME! As I'm working with a caseload of roughly 500 students, it's a lot harder for me to get to know you as well as your teachers do since they get to see you every day. I love when students reach out and take the initiative to set up a meeting with me and I especially enjoy meetings where the student just wants to tell me a little bit more about them. Whether you're coming down for a simple question or not, I will have a lot more to write about for a student I have met with several times than I will for a student that I am just meeting right when it's time for college applications.
Essays and Personal Statements Essays and personal statements are one of the few opportunities you have to truly tell colleges about yourself beyond what is reflected on a transcript or on a score report. This is where your voice comes in and this is where you can tell them all about something that is really important to you, whether that's a transformative experience in your life or a time you overcame a challenge. Definitely spend a lot of time and care on your essays. Proofread over and over again, and even ask your friends, parents, English teachers, etc. to proofread. I am also more than happy to read over college essays and provide my own feedback as well.
Unlike optional recommendation letters, I say to ALWAYS do optional essays. Sure, there's a chance the college might not actually look at this but it never hurts to have this additional supplemental information for them. This is especially the case if they're having a hard time deciding whether to accept you, defer you or deny you. The optional essay provides them with that extra bit of valuable information to help with their decision.
Demonstrated Interest This refers to just how much interest you're showing to a college, including going on college visits, being informed about the college, speaking with an admissions officer, etc. A big example of demonstrated interest is applying early decision for a college. Early decision is a binding agreement that you will attend this school if you are accepted and so if you apply somewhere early decision, the college understands that you really want to go to this school. *Only apply early decision somewhere if you are POSITIVE you want to attend there over anywhere else you apply.
College Prepared vs. College Ready
The above information (the quantitative and qualitative information) all falls under being college prepared. Just because you're college prepared does NOT mean you're necessarily college ready. Let's take a look at the differences between these two:
College Prepared
You have met all of the North Carolina graduation requirements
You have taken at least two years of a consecutive foreign language
You have the desired GPA to get into your target school
You have taken the SAT and/or ACT and have test scores that you can send to schools
You are involved in organizations, clubs, sports, arts, etc.
College Ready
You know how to advocate for yourself, ask questions and seek help for yourself as needed
You know how to be a leader and a follower
You have good time management skills, organization skills, and study skills
You are able to make responsible decisions on your own
You know how to healthily manage your stress
You know how to manage conflict resolution
College Ready does not mean that you are perfect at all of the soft skills listed above. It just means that you are actively working on building these skills. You will grow SO much in college so it's okay if you need to improve on some of these things. It's just important to recognize that you DO need to work on these things, and high school is the perfect time to do so.
Quick Statistics: 1 out of 3 students drop out of college. Only about 19-36% of students graduate within four years. Over 50% of students take up to 6 years to graduate from college. 28% of students drop out of college before reaching their second year.