Assessing Your Credentials

If you've really read through all that precedes this section, you're probably truly convinced you want to attend college. Let's see what you have to offer a college so that it will be interested in admitting you to study on its campus.

Course Load: Perhaps the most important factor is sometimes hard to measure, and always somewhat subjective. Have you challenged yourself during high school by taking appropriate courses and/or levels of work that made you think and work hard? Have you chosen a full schedule and gone as far as you can go in the five academic areas and other courses that interest you?

Grades: What is your GPA? Review your transcript and calculate your three-year grade point average. This will be helpful information when researching colleges. You will receive an official weighted and unweighted GPA in your senior year. Some colleges will choose to recalculate your GPA based on their own criteria.

How well have you done in admissions testing?: The SAT I: Reasoning Test or its "rival" test the ACT, is required for admission to most colleges. About one-fourth of the more selective colleges also require one or more SAT II: Subject Tests (formerly Achievement Tests) in specific subject areas. How have you done in relation to other students and to the average scores of students admitted to the colleges you like?

What have you done outside the classroom?: If your standard academic credentials don't quite measure up, a strong activity picture may help make up the difference. Also, if you aspire to go to a most competitive college, you are expected to have one long-term involvement in an extracurricular activity. When evaluating activities, it is quality and depth of involvement that count, not quantity and variety.

Has a member of your family attended the college you are applying to?: This "legacy" status can tip the balance in your favor.

Work history: Colleges view work experience similarly to extra curricular activities.