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Highly Selective
Colleges - Who Gets In?
You are most competitive if you:
Have a HIGH WEIGHTED GRADE POINT AVERAGE 3.8 -4.6
Have HIGH SAT SCORES (700-800 on each test)
Take ADVANCED PLACEMENT CLASSES (English, Calculus,
Physics, US History and others)
Get excellent letter of recommendation from your teachers.
You need to participate in class discussion and show
interest in the class.
Students who get into highly selective colleges have
a long resume of interesting activities in and outside
school. The tend to have high energy and accomplish
a great deal during high school.
You will have a tremendous advantage if you are a
nice kind person and students and teachers respect
you.
Tips From College Admissions Representatives:
Stanford University looks for intellectual vitality
with a love of learning and interaction with teachers
and fellow students. They are looking for the most
compelling students, not the most competitive. 75%
of the students who apply are qualified. They must
look elsewhere for more information. The essay and
teacher letters of recommendation are very important.
Respect for others is also important.
Yale is looking for a unique student. Explain your
passion and engage in your classes in high school.
Brown is looking for self-motivated, active thinkers
and learners. You need to have a passion about something.
Do you have intellectual curiosity?
Harvard is looking for well-cultivated interests,
specialists and focused students who are involved.
Princeton is looking for students who challenge themselves
and bring a unique viewpoint to campus. The essay
needs to fit with you and show your true voice.
Dartmouth wants to know what you will bring to the
college. Peer recommendations are important.
University of Chicago is interested in who you are
as a thinker.
IT HELPS IF YOU…
Are an outstanding ATHLETE (NCAA Division I or II
level)
Have special TALENT (art, music, etc.)
Have a strong commitment to one or two ACTIVITIES:
Sports, pubic speaking/debate, journalism, clubs &
organizations, leadership, job, youth groups, volunteer
service or other creative activities.
Have interesting SUMMER EXPERIENCES: College classes,
foreign exchange program, community service, job,
internship or other activities. Pursue your interests
Have good LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION from two teachers
in academic courses during the last two years of high
school
Write an EXCELLENT ESSAY in your own words. Personalize
your essay. Never let others write your essay. You
need to keep the 18 year old in the essay. It is very
easy to spot essays that adults have edited.
ALUMNI CONNECTIONS. If your parents or grandparents
attended the college, you do have an advantage. It
is not a guarantee.
WHAT ELSE CAN I DO?
Read College Profiles. You need to ask for this information.
High schools normally receive the profile with the
admitted class information.
Prepare an academic resume with your activities, honors
and awards. Some students will submit several pages
(Sample Below)
Read college guides
Attend the college visits at your high school in the
fall
Check out the college web site.
Participate in meaningful summer activities. Foreign
exchange programs, community service in another country,
create your own community service project in your
community, study on a college campus in your area
of interest, participate in an unpaid internship.
Demonstrate interest in your potential college major.
If you want to be an architect, volunteer at a local
architecture firm. If you wan to be a doctor or nurse,
volunteer at a local hospital. If you want to be an
engineer, volunteer at a local engineering firm. Try
to be creative and follow your passion.
Request information from each college
Attend area college visits in your community. If you
contact the college during summer, you will receive
an invitation to many night or weekend programs with
admission officers
Listen to the college announcements at your high school
Visit your high school college/career center
Attend College Fairs in your community
Talk to other students who are now attending selective
colleges. What did they do that was unique?
Read the college profile to see if you fit the profile
Ask lots of questions
How To Reduce Stress in the College Process:
During summer between the juniors and senior year,
you could do the following:
Write a personal essay for your college applications.
Check the essay topics on the Common Application at:
www.commonapp.org
Apply online during summer if the website application
is available. Many applications are available in June
or July.
Select one email address for all your college correspondence.
Make sure the email address is appropriate.
Try a college search program and read some college
planning guides to help you narrow down your choices.
Make a list of your activities,sports, work experience,
travel experiences, awards and honors.
Good Books To Read:
The Fiske Guide to Colleges by Edward Fiske
The Best 368 Colleges by Princeton Review
The Insider's Guide to the Colleges by Yale Daily
News
Colleges That Change Lives by Loren Pope
Admissions Matters by Sally P. Springer & Marion R.
Franck
The Gatekeepers by J. Steinberg
College Unranked by Lloyd Thacker
The K&W Guide to Colleges for Students with Learning
Disabilities by Kravetz and Wax
Recommendations on the Colleges by Frederick E. Rugg
EARLY ACTION/EARLY DECISION
Early Action:
Some colleges offer an opportunity to apply early
and receive an answer early
Normally the student applies in November and would
receive a response in December
With an Early Action plan, the student does not need
to reply until May 1.
Early Decision:
With an Early Decision plan, the acceptance is binding
and the student must attend if accepted in December
and withdraw all other applications
Often the most competitive students apply Early Action
or Early Decision
Who should apply Early Decision?
A student who is happy with his test scores from the
junior year
A student who has decided on the number one choice
A student who is happy with his grade point average
A student who is not dependent on financial aid
The student should have visited the college and be
knowledgeable about the college
Positive Aspects of Early Decision
It’s over. The student gets accepted and does not
need to fill out any other applications.
The student is obligated to contact the other colleges
and withdraw the application.
The colleges often take a higher percentage of students
early
The student’s application may be deferred to the regular
pool of applications later in the year. (often in
April)
Negative Aspects of Early Decision
The student could receive a rejection in December.
If the student had waited, he would have an opportunity
to submit the seventh semester (senior year) grades
or new information such as awards or honors received
since the application was filed.
The most competitive students often apply early. Do
you fit in that category?
Not every student knows where he wants to attend college
early in the fall.
The student must be organized and get all the paperwork
in early.
Stanford University Profile 2007-08
Top 10% admit rate: 11% 92% of admitted class
High School GPA:
4.0 and above 78% of admitted class
3.8-3.99 14% of admitted class SAT Critical Reading
800 19% of admitted class
700-799 46%
SAT Math
800 22%
700-799 47%
SAT Writing
800 13%
700-799 50%
SAMPLE ACADEMIC RESUME
Name
Address
Phone Number
E-mail
SCHOLAR
XYZ High School (9-12)
National Merit Semi-Finalist
Life Member Honor Society
Junior Classical League Latin National Exam
Summa Cum Laude (11)
Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth (10)
American University in Paris (Summer 2007)
Introduction to Art History
AP Scholar based on high AP test scores
ACTIVITIES & ORGANIZATIONS
Student Body Vice President (12)
Youth Educator: Drug & Alcohol (11-12)
Mock Trial Competition (11)
Girls State Representative (11)
Amnesty International Chapter President (11)
CREATIVE WORK & HOBBIES
Lady Macbeth, "Macbeth" (11)
Set Design "Guys and Dolls" (10)
AP Art Drawing Portfolio
ATHLETE
Swimming (11)
Varsity Letter (9-10)
County Champions, Record Holder (11)
COMMUNITY SERVICE
Girl Scout Gold Award (11)
Habitat for Humanity (9)
WORK EXPERIENCE
Math Tutor (10-11-12)
Childcare (9-10)
Lifeguard, Summer (10-11)
More HANDY ONLINE INFO:
http://www.college-scholarships.com/
http://www.supercollege.com/
