How can we tell what they want to know? The admissions application of course! Visit http://www.commonapp.org for a sample college admission application.
Everything on that form has been put there for a reason, they do not want nor need random information.
These are two major factors that admissions officers look for in a candidate.
- Will the student be successful at our school, specifically academically?
- What can the student provide to our school?
Academic Success
- One way to check this is through the GPA, the admissions offices know this is not a perfect system.
- The SAT Exam is another way to measure a students academic competency, they know this is not a perfect system either.
Academic success is fundamental, especially for Asian students and therefore have raised the bar for others.
Unfortunately, some of these students believe this is the most important factor and have become studying robots. This must change.
Admissions officers have realized this that's why they look for other ways the students can contribute to the university.
How do they check for "other" ways?
There are several ways to demonstrate this on the application. Here are a few:
- Extracurricular activities
- The Essay
- Work Experience
- Honors
- The Short Answer
The purpose of these is not to list as many activities or be arrogant. You need to be show off yourself and at the same time be honest, sincere, and demonstrate that you gained something from the experience. Preferably this is where you show your passion for a particular topic.
Most of this information may be obvious- all you have to do is put yourself in the other person's shoes and ask "Why?" I guarantee you there is always a reason, whether it is a good one or not, it not for me to decide.
This is by no means a thorough analysis, but some thoughts that have come from my experiences. I'd like to hear your constructive thoughts and opinions.
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