what do admissions look for in college essay

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College admissions

Course: college admissions   >   unit 4.

• Writing a strong college admissions essay
• Avoiding common admissions essay mistakes
• Brainstorming tips for your college essay
• How formal should the tone of your college essay be?
• Taking your college essay to the next level
• Sample essay 1 with admissions feedback
• Sample essay 2 with admissions feedback
• Student story: Admissions essay about a formative experience
• Student story: Admissions essay about personal identity
• Student story: Admissions essay about community impact
• Student story: Admissions essay about a past mistake
• Student story: Admissions essay about a meaningful poem

Writing tips and techniques for your college essay

Pose a question the reader wants answered, don't focus exclusively on the past, experiment with the unexpected, don't summarize, want to join the conversation.

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What Do Colleges Look for in an Essay? Examples & Tips

What is a College Essay?

The college essay is an essential element of the college application process. It presents an opportunity for students to personalize their college application, beyond grades and scores. It can also be one of the more nerve-wracking parts of the application process. 

If you are reading this article, you are like applying to college and taking the process seriously. The quality of the college you attend will have a big effect on your entire life, and taking a few hours to make your application the best it can possibly be may be the most lucrative time investment you will ever make.

What do colleges look for in an essay from applicants?

So, what do colleges look for in an essay? The answer is similar to what colleges look for in an applicant. To hit the right notes, you need to consider the perspective and even the mission statement of the college, which of course values intelligence, a good work ethic, and the type of personality that will represent the school. 

Therefore, the core aspects that admissions officials at any institution look for in an essay are:

·         Intelligence

·         Strong communication skills

·         Ambition and goals

·         Creativity

·         Proactivity and self-direction

·         Interest in education and self-betterment

These elements are not based on any abstract moral consideration–colleges want students who will make their institution stronger. They will look for evidence of these traits in your personal essay, as grades only reflect a few of these core aspects and abilities. 

Beyond these considerations, remember that an admissions officer (an actual human being) will read your essay and respond to it both rationally and emotionally. In many cases, that emotion is boredom. Keep in mind that these officials read hundreds of application essays each admissions season. But if your essay can successfully win them over, then you’ll be getting a letter that begins with a “We are delighted to announce…”

Qualities Colleges Look for to Include in Your Essay

Most achievements that colleges are looking for will be reflected in your college application, and therefore, these have been left off of the list below. The achievements showing your passion and drive, as well as your internal and external motivations, will be the ones to include in your application essay. 

Challenging extracurricular activities

Colleges want to see students who stretch themselves beyond the limits of the classroom. The kinds of activities you choose say a lot about your personality and even your morals. Whether or not you stick with your chosen undertakings exhibits your ability to commit to important projects in the long term.

Volunteer and work experience

Any experience you have that shows true commitment, leadership qualities and an interest in community is beneficial to your application. Include the organizations or companies you worked for and what your responsibilities were at each one. If you received any promotions or special recognitions, be sure to mention those as well.

Talents and passions

More colleges are moving away from accepting students who did the most “stuff” to looking for those who focus their energy in specific areas that they’re passionate about. Schools want to see what makes you special and how hard you’re willing to work at the things you care about.

Obstacles or challenges you have overcome

One of the most important aspects of a good college student is their ability to learn from mistakes and overcome challenges in order to achieve success. This is especially true for Common App Essay prompts . In your essay, focus on what exact difficulties or challenges you faced, how you overcame them, and what you learned from this experience. After all, admissions officials are more impressed by a student who came from an adverse situation and still achieved success than they are with a student who had every advantage handed to them and skated by on position and intelligence.

What is a well-written essay?

Admissions officers read a lot of essays, and a well-written one can make a refreshing change. Students should check their essays to make sure they clearly meet these criteria:

• Does the essay provide a direct answer to the essay question?
• Does it have a strong opening paragraph that captures the reader’s interest?
• Does it put forth a comprehensive argument or narrative? Does the student make a point and stick to it?
• Does it have a natural style that’s comfortable for the student and appropriate for the subject matter?
• Did the student use effective word choice, syntax, and structure?
• Does it contain correct grammar, punctuation, and spelling?
• Is it succinct? Did the student pay attention to the recommended length?

How to Write About Positive Qualities in an Application Essay

The rule of thumb here is always “Show–don’t tell.” When writing a college essay, skip generalized information. Instead, provide real, specific examples to support your statements. Your attention to detail will help make you more memorable to an admissions officer who has to read hundreds, if not thousands, of essays. 

For example, instead of “I love hiking,” you could say, “After reaching the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro, I decided my next adventure would be climbing Mt. Everest.” What’s the difference between these two sentences? The first says you like something, while the second one illustrates that you do—but not only that, it also shows your level of commitment and your desire for challenge. Of the two example sentences, which do you think maximizes your use of words and would be more interesting to admissions officers?

Bad example: Claim without proof My teacher once told me that I was the most skilled and intelligent student she’s ever taught, and I believed her. When I set a goal, there’s no stopping me. I’ll work at it until it’s achieved—even if it’s to my own detriment.

Good example: Showing with concrete evidence In sophomore year, I decided to set a goal to raise more money for Relay for Life than any other student involved. I asked my neighbors, family, teachers, and even my paster, who sat through my 20-minute prepared speech about why donating to this campaign would be the best use of his money. I spoke to community groups. I did three straight weekends of door-to-door fundraising. And in the end, my efforts paid off—I succeeded in raising over $500 more than any other student.

Showing initiative and ambition

Initiative and ambition are top qualities that colleges look for in an applicant. Students who exhibit these traits will bring a positive and driven attitude with them to college, where it will help them contribute to the campus and succeed in their academic endeavors.

The college essay should always show how you took some kind of action—it shouldn’t just include things that happened to you as a passive individual. For example, rather than simply writing about how it was emotionally difficult when your older sibling got sick, discuss specific coping strategies you developed during that time or ways that you contributed to helping your sibling and family.

Showing self-reflection and growth

Personal growth is one of the most popular topics to write about since it represents what the admissions essay is all about: helping the college gain better insight into your personality and character. Some schools ask targeted questions — “What was the most challenging event you have ever faced, and how have you grown from it?” — while others leave the topic open: “Describe an event that has had great meaning for you. Explain why and how it has affected you.”

One of the most successful strategies is to use a past event as a lens through which you can assess who you were and the person you became, how you have grown and changed, and your transformation. Most children are curious, but were you the one who asked your teacher what caused the change of seasons of the year and then created a solar system model and explained the concept to your classmates? Though you may think that your topic needs to be bold and unique, this is not necessary to craft an effective essay. Instead, success lies in painting an accurate and vivid picture of yourself — one that will show admissions officers that you have much to offer their school.

Structure your essay with a clear beginning, middle, and end

When you include the basic plot elements of setting, introduction, conflict, and resolution, not only will your essay be more fun to read, it will be easier to write. And when writing is easier, you are usually having more fun and pouring more of yourself into your writing. You will find that this often translates into a more compelling story as well since passion and interest are hallmarks of any good story told to a friend or included on the page of an adventure or romance novel. When structuring your narrative arc, include the lessons you have learned from these experiences: How did you change? What did you learn? What did/do you plan to do differently because of these experiences? Anyone can write about how they won first place in a competition or spent a fantastic vacation in Europe. The important stuff is not in the itinerary, but rather in the diary–what you learned from the experience and how it impacted you.

Essay Introduction #1: Focus on Your Personal Qualities

One approach when beginning your application essay is to start by describing positive character traits you possess and then showing examples of times you demonstrated those traits.

Starting with your qualities A student wants to show that he is determined and tenacious. He thinks about times when he went above and beyond what was necessary to succeed in high school. He thinks of how he became the only student at his school to participate in three or more AP classes while also being involved in multiple sports and extracurricular activities. He also thinks of his volunteer work with his church at a local homeless shelter, where he made friends and connections with shelter guests and high-profile members of the community. These are the qualities around which his essay is focused.

Essay Introduction #2: Focus on a Personal Story

Another way to approach your essay topic is to start with a story and then work show examples that demonstrative your positive qualities.

Starting with a story A student’s sibling has been fighting cancer for the past three years, and he feels that this is an important experience that has shaped who he is today. He considers how the difficulties of this experience have changed him and help distinguish him from other applicants. 

From introducing his story at the beginning of his essay, this applicant can tie in the positive qualities he exhibits with the finer details of his personal story: 

• He is independent, as he needed to deal with taking care of a loved one in a serious and sustained way that his peers did not need to deal with.
• He is focused, as dealing with regular medical emergencies has not deterred him from achieving good grades and being part of his community.
• He is empathetic, as he understands personally how hard times can impact people.

Whatever essay topic you choose, your essay should provide admissions officers concrete evidence that you are an ideal candidate for their school. Your essay should have a memorable introduction that grabs the reader’s attention and guides the rest of your essay.

Repeat Your Qualities in the Essay Conclusion

Although your essay introduction is crucial in starting your essay off in a clear and impactful direction, how you end your essay is also important as it is the last thing that will remain in the reader’s mind. One surefire way to write a strong essay conclusion is to repeat the important qualities you discussed earlier. Recall details about your personal story or repeat the qualities you introduced at the beginning of the essay. Here is an example of what a good conclusion can capture what colleges are looking for in an essay: 

Concluding your essay by repeating your qualities During my high school years, my qualities of leadership, initiative, and hard work have help shape me to become the strong student I am today. As the head of our school’s volunteer group, I showed that even a teenager can make a big impact. As a student achieving high grades in all three of my AP courses, I demonstrated my dedication to education about all. Finally, as a daughter of working-class immigrant parents, I have used my value of hard work to achieve things my parents never thought possible. These values have contributed to making me the conscientious and successful student and person I am now, and they will surely continue to assist and guide me in my academic and professional career.

Interesting Essay Topics to Write About

There are hundreds of resources available online about writing college essays (including How to Write the Common App Essay ). And while you can find dozens of interesting and fruitful essay topics that have worked, here are just a few more that are not too specific and can be molded to fit your unique profile and personal story. 

1. A unique extracurricular activity or passion 

2. An activity or interest that contrasts heavily with your profile

3. A seemingly insignificant moment that speaks to larger themes within your life 

4. Using an everyday experience or object as a metaphor to explore your life and personality 

5. An in-the-moment narrative that tells the story of an important moment in your life

Additional Tips for Writing an Essay Colleges Will Love

Choose a strong essay topic.

First, whichever structure you will use, you need to ask yourself what you actually want to accomplish in life (esp. in terms of career) . This gives you your goals. You need to choose a program that helps you reach these goals—otherwise, you should seriously reconsider whether you should even be applying!  

If you are using the “Story” structure…

The story is going to be your topic, so make it an engaging tale… but remember you are not here to show that you are the next Shakespeare. There are three ways to go here: a story/description about yourself that shaped who you are and shows who you are. A story/description of something completely different that inspires you or is a metaphor for who you are.

If you are using the “Conveying passion for a subject” structure…

In this case, you have your topic (the subject you are passionate about), but remember the essay should be about what it means to you (don’t get bogged down in describing the subject itself). Use each subsequent paragraph to illustrate how you show passion for the subject or topic you have chosen. Be sure to use concrete details within the paragraph, but begin each paragraph with a “mini-thesis statement” that gives the reader a clear and concise summary of how you demonstrate your passion in a particular way.

Engage the Reader with Your Essay’s Narrative

The admissions officer will not be interested in a mere list of your personal qualities, extracurriculars, or accomplishments. This information is included elsewhere in your application. Instead, focus on showing who you are in your essay through a narrative that includes concrete details. 

But how can you plan the topics included in your narrative essay? First, grab a pen and jot down important experiences that spring to mind. Your experience could be something negative that eventually turns out to be positive or vice-versa. The most intriguing part of a negative experience is how you handled it and, hopefully, came out on top. Give your reader a setting to help them feel like they’re a part of your story and experience this moment of change with you.

Focus on what you care about most

Consider this a kind of brainstorming exercise. Close your eyes and imagine what drives you, motivates you, excites you, and inspires you to pursue great things (or at least fantasize about doing them). This might include a hobby, a genre of music, an important person in your life, a pivotal memory or experience, a book—anything meaningful that you consider part of your identity or that defines you. 

Start by listing these items and creating a word web of other relevant or secondary aspects of this one idea, person, object, or experience. Write some brief sentences about exactly why it is important to you. Once you have your list and a few sentences written, it should be a bit easier to narrow your topic to just one or two things at most.

Essay Editing for College Application Essays

One thing all schools look for in an essay is a document that is free of errors in grammar, punctuation, mechanics, and style. Admissions essay editing services are ideal for international students who struggle with English or simply want to take their essays to the next level. Students should take care to choose a company that’s reputable and employs highly qualified editors .

Check out Wordvice’s array of professional English editing services and proofreading services , including essay editing services, to learn how our editors can improve your essays and help you get into your dream school.

Frequently asked questions

What are colleges looking for in the essay.

In your application essay , admissions officers are looking for particular features : they want to see context on your background, positive traits that you could bring to campus, and examples of you demonstrating those qualities.

Frequently asked questions: College admissions essays

When writing your Common App essay , choose a prompt that sparks your interest and that you can connect to a unique personal story.

No matter which prompt you choose, admissions officers are more interested in your ability to demonstrate personal development , insight, or motivation for a certain area of study.

The Common App essay is your primary writing sample within the Common Application, a college application portal accepted by more than 900 schools. All your prospective schools that accept the Common App will read this essay to understand your character, background, and value as a potential student.

Since this essay is read by many colleges, avoid mentioning any college names or programs; instead, save tailored answers for the supplementary school-specific essays within the Common App.

Most importantly, your essay should be about you , not another person or thing. An insightful college admissions essay requires deep self-reflection, authenticity, and a balance between confidence and vulnerability.

Your essay shouldn’t be a résumé of your experiences but instead should tell a story that demonstrates your most important values and qualities.

When revising your college essay , first check for big-picture issues regarding your message and content. Then, check for flow, tone, style , and clarity. Finally, focus on eliminating grammar and punctuation errors .

If your college essay goes over the word count limit , cut any sentences with tangents or irrelevant details. Delete unnecessary words that clutter your essay.

If you’re struggling to reach the word count for your college essay, add vivid personal stories or share your feelings and insight to give your essay more depth and authenticity.

If you’ve got to write your college essay fast , don’t panic. First, set yourself deadlines: you should spend about 10% of your remaining time on brainstorming, 10% on outlining, 40% writing, 30% revising, and 10% taking breaks in between stages.

Second, brainstorm stories and values based on your essay prompt.

Third, outline your essay based on the montage or narrative essay structure .

Fourth, write specific, personal, and unique stories that would be hard for other students to replicate.

Fifth, revise your essay and make sure it’s clearly written.

Last, if possible, get feedback from an essay coach . Scribbr essay editors can help you revise your essay in 12 hours or less.

Avoid swearing in a college essay , since admissions officers’ opinions of profanity will vary. In some cases, it might be okay to use a vulgar word, such as in dialogue or quotes that make an important point in your essay. However, it’s safest to try to make the same point without swearing.

If you have bad grades on your transcript, you may want to use your college admissions essay to explain the challenging circumstances that led to them. Make sure to avoid dwelling on the negative aspects and highlight how you overcame the situation or learned an important lesson.

However, some college applications offer an additional information section where you can explain your bad grades, allowing you to choose another meaningful topic for your college essay.

Here’s a brief list of college essay topics that may be considered cliché:

• Extracurriculars, especially sports
• Role models
• Dealing with a personal tragedy or death in the family
• Struggling with new life situations (immigrant stories, moving homes, parents’ divorce)
• Becoming a better person after community service, traveling, or summer camp
• Overcoming a difficult class
• Using a common object as an extended metaphor

It’s easier to write a standout essay with a unique topic. However, it’s possible to make a common topic compelling with interesting story arcs, uncommon connections, and an advanced writing style.

Yes. The college application essay is less formal than other academic writing —though of course it’s not mandatory to use contractions in your essay.

In a college essay , you can be creative with your language . When writing about the past, you can use the present tense to make the reader feel as if they were there in the moment with you. But make sure to maintain consistency and when in doubt, default to the correct verb tense according to the time you’re writing about.

The college admissions essay gives admissions officers a different perspective on you beyond your academic achievements, test scores, and extracurriculars. It’s your chance to stand out from other applicants with similar academic profiles by telling a unique, personal, and specific story.

Use a standard font such as Times New Roman or Arial to avoid distracting the reader from your college essay’s content.

A college application essay is less formal than most academic writing . Instead of citing sources formally with in-text citations and a reference list, you can cite them informally in your text.

For example, “In her research paper on genetics, Quinn Roberts explores …”

There is no set number of paragraphs in a college admissions essay . College admissions essays can diverge from the traditional five-paragraph essay structure that you learned in English class. Just make sure to stay under the specified word count .

Most topics are acceptable for college essays if you can use them to demonstrate personal growth or a lesson learned. However, there are a few difficult topics for college essays that should be avoided. Avoid topics that are:

• Overly personal (e.g. graphic details of illness or injury, romantic or sexual relationships)
• Not personal enough (e.g. broad solutions to world problems, inspiring people or things)
• Too negative (e.g. an in-depth look at your flaws, put-downs of others, criticizing the need for a college essay)
• Too boring (e.g. a resume of your academic achievements and extracurriculars)
• Inappropriate for a college essay (e.g. illegal activities, offensive humor, false accounts of yourself, bragging about privilege)

To write an effective diversity essay , include vulnerable, authentic stories about your unique identity, background, or perspective. Provide insight into how your lived experience has influenced your outlook, activities, and goals. If relevant, you should also mention how your background has led you to apply for this university and why you’re a good fit.

Many universities believe a student body composed of different perspectives, beliefs, identities, and backgrounds will enhance the campus learning and community experience.

Admissions officers are interested in hearing about how your unique background, identity, beliefs, culture, or characteristics will enrich the campus community, which is why they assign a diversity essay .

In addition to your main college essay , some schools and scholarships may ask for a supplementary essay focused on an aspect of your identity or background. This is sometimes called a diversity essay .

You can use humor in a college essay , but carefully consider its purpose and use it wisely. An effective use of humor involves unexpected, keen observations of the everyday, or speaks to a deeper theme. Humor shouldn’t be the main focus of the essay, but rather a tool to improve your storytelling.

Get a second opinion from a teacher, counselor, or essay coach on whether your essay’s humor is appropriate.

Though admissions officers are interested in hearing your story, they’re also interested in how you tell it. An exceptionally written essay will differentiate you from other applicants, meaning that admissions officers will spend more time reading it.

You can use literary devices to catch your reader’s attention and enrich your storytelling; however, focus on using just a few devices well, rather than trying to use as many as possible.

To decide on a good college essay topic , spend time thoughtfully answering brainstorming questions. If you still have trouble identifying topics, try the following two strategies:

• Identify your qualities → Brainstorm stories that demonstrate these qualities
• Identify memorable stories → Connect your qualities to these stories

You can also ask family, friends, or mentors to help you brainstorm topics, give feedback on your potential essay topics, or recall key stories that showcase your qualities.

Yes—admissions officers don’t expect everyone to have a totally unique college essay topic . But you must differentiate your essay from others by having a surprising story arc, an interesting insight, and/or an advanced writing style .

There are no foolproof college essay topics —whatever your topic, the key is to write about it effectively. However, a good topic

• Is meaningful, specific, and personal to you
• Focuses on you and your experiences
• Reveals something beyond your test scores, grades, and extracurriculars
• Is creative and original

Unlike a five-paragraph essay, your admissions essay should not end by summarizing the points you’ve already made. It’s better to be creative and aim for a strong final impression.

You should also avoid stating the obvious (for example, saying that you hope to be accepted).

There are a few strategies you can use for a memorable ending to your college essay :

• Return to the beginning with a “full circle” structure
• Reveal the main point or insight in your story
• Look to the future
• End on an action

The best technique will depend on your topic choice, essay outline, and writing style. You can write several endings using different techniques to see which works best.

College deadlines vary depending on the schools you’re applying to and your application plan:

• For early action applications and the first round of early decision applications, the deadline is on November 1 or 15. Decisions are released by mid-December.
• For the second round of early decision applications, the deadline is January 1 or 15. Decisions are released in January or February.
• Regular decision deadlines usually fall between late November and mid-March, and decisions are released in March or April.
• Rolling admission deadlines run from July to April, and decisions are released around four to eight weeks after submission.

Depending on your prospective schools’ requirements, you may need to submit scores for the SAT or ACT as part of your college application .

Some schools now no longer require students to submit test scores; however, you should still take the SAT or ACT and aim to get a high score to strengthen your application package.

Aim to take the SAT or ACT in the spring of your junior year to give yourself enough time to retake it in the fall of your senior year if necessary.

Apply early for federal student aid and application fee waivers. You can also look for scholarships from schools, corporations, and charitable foundations.

To maximize your options, you should aim to apply to about eight schools:

• Two reach schools that might be difficult to get into
• Four match schools that you have a good chance of getting into
• Two safety schools that you feel confident you’ll get into

The college admissions essay accounts for roughly 25% of the weight of your application .

At highly selective schools, there are four qualified candidates for every spot. While your academic achievements are important, your college admissions essay can help you stand out from other applicants with similar profiles.

In general, for your college application you will need to submit all of the following:

• Your personal information
• List of extracurriculars and awards
• College application essays
• Transcripts
• Standardized test scores
• Recommendation letters.

Different colleges may have specific requirements, so make sure you check exactly what’s expected in the application guidance.

You should start thinking about your college applications the summer before your junior year to give you sufficient time for college visits, taking standardized tests, applying for financial aid , writing essays, and collecting application material.

Yes, but make sure your essay directly addresses the prompt, respects the word count , and demonstrates the organization’s values.

If you plan ahead, you can save time by writing one scholarship essay for multiple prompts with similar questions. In a scholarship tracker spreadsheet, you can group or color-code overlapping essay prompts; then, write a single essay for multiple scholarships. Sometimes, you can even reuse or adapt your main college essay .

You can start applying for scholarships as early as your junior year. Continue applying throughout your senior year.

Invest time in applying for various scholarships , especially local ones with small dollar amounts, which are likely easier to win and more reflective of your background and interests. It will be easier for you to write an authentic and compelling essay if the scholarship topic is meaningful to you.

You can find scholarships through your school counselor, community network, or an internet search.

A scholarship essay requires you to demonstrate your values and qualities while answering the prompt’s specific question.

After researching the scholarship organization, identify a personal experience that embodies its values and exemplifies how you will be a successful student.

A standout college essay has several key ingredients:

• A unique, personally meaningful topic
• A memorable introduction with vivid imagery or an intriguing hook
• Specific stories and language that show instead of telling
• Vulnerability that’s authentic but not aimed at soliciting sympathy
• Clear writing in an appropriate style and tone
• A conclusion that offers deep insight or a creative ending

While timelines will differ depending on the student, plan on spending at least 1–3 weeks brainstorming and writing the first draft of your college admissions essay , and at least 2–4 weeks revising across multiple drafts. Don’t forget to save enough time for breaks between each writing and editing stage.

You should already begin thinking about your essay the summer before your senior year so that you have plenty of time to try out different topics and get feedback on what works.

Your college essay accounts for about 25% of your application’s weight. It may be the deciding factor in whether you’re accepted, especially for competitive schools where most applicants have exceptional grades, test scores, and extracurricular track records.

In most cases, quoting other people isn’t a good way to start your college essay . Admissions officers want to hear your thoughts about yourself, and quotes often don’t achieve that. Unless a quote truly adds something important to your essay that it otherwise wouldn’t have, you probably shouldn’t include it.

Cliché openers in a college essay introduction are usually general and applicable to many students and situations. Most successful introductions are specific: they only work for the unique essay that follows.

The key to a strong college essay introduction is not to give too much away. Try to start with a surprising statement or image that raises questions and compels the reader to find out more.

The introduction of your college essay is the first thing admissions officers will read and therefore your most important opportunity to stand out. An excellent introduction will keep admissions officers reading, allowing you to tell them what you want them to know.

You can speed up this process by shortening and smoothing your writing with a paraphrasing tool . After that, you can use the summarizer to shorten it even more.

If you’re struggling to reach the word count for your college essay, add vivid personal stories or share your feelings and insight to give your essay more depth and authenticity.

Most college application portals specify a word count range for your essay, and you should stay within 10% of the upper limit to write a developed and thoughtful essay.

You should aim to stay under the specified word count limit to show you can follow directions and write concisely. However, don’t write too little, as it may seem like you are unwilling or unable to write a detailed and insightful narrative about yourself.

If no word count is specified, we advise keeping your essay between 400 and 600 words.

Colleges want to be able to differentiate students who seem similar on paper. In the college application essay , they’re looking for a way to understand each applicant’s unique personality and experiences.

You don’t need a title for your college admissions essay , but you can include one if you think it adds something important.

Your college essay’s format should be as simple as possible:

• Use a standard, readable font
• Use 1.5 or double spacing
• If attaching a file, save it as a PDF
• Stick to the word count
• Avoid unusual formatting and unnecessary decorative touches

There are no set rules for how to structure a college application essay , but these are two common structures that work:

• A montage structure, a series of vignettes with a common theme.
• A narrative structure, a single story that shows your personal growth or how you overcame a challenge.

Avoid the five-paragraph essay structure that you learned in high school.

Campus visits are always helpful, but if you can’t make it in person, the college website will have plenty of information for you to explore. You should look through the course catalog and even reach out to current faculty with any questions about the school.

Colleges set a “Why this college?” essay because they want to see that you’ve done your research. You must prove that you know what makes the school unique and can connect that to your own personal goals and academic interests.

Depending on your writing, you may go through several rounds of revision . Make sure to put aside your essay for a little while after each editing stage to return with a fresh perspective.

Teachers and guidance counselors can help you check your language, tone, and content . Ask for their help at least one to two months before the submission deadline, as many other students will also want their help.

Friends and family are a good resource to check for authenticity. It’s best to seek help from family members with a strong writing or English educational background, or from older siblings and cousins who have been through the college admissions process.

If possible, get help from an essay coach or editor ; they’ll have specialized knowledge of college admissions essays and be able to give objective expert feedback.

When revising your college essay , first check for big-picture issues regarding message, flow, tone, style , and clarity. Then, focus on eliminating grammar and punctuation errors.

Include specific, personal details and use your authentic voice to shed a new perspective on a common human experience.

Through specific stories, you can weave your achievements and qualities into your essay so that it doesn’t seem like you’re bragging from a resume.

When writing about yourself , including difficult experiences or failures can be a great way to show vulnerability and authenticity, but be careful not to overshare, and focus on showing how you matured from the experience.

First, spend time reflecting on your core values and character . You can start with these questions:

• What are three words your friends or family would use to describe you, and why would they choose them?
• Whom do you admire most and why?
• What are you most proud of? Ashamed of?

However, you should do a comprehensive brainstorming session to fully understand your values. Also consider how your values and goals match your prospective university’s program and culture. Then, brainstorm stories that illustrate the fit between the two.

In a college application essay , you can occasionally bend grammatical rules if doing so adds value to the storytelling process and the essay maintains clarity.

However, use standard language rules if your stylistic choices would otherwise distract the reader from your overall narrative or could be easily interpreted as unintentional errors.

Write concisely and use the active voice to maintain a quick pace throughout your essay and make sure it’s the right length . Avoid adding definitions unless they provide necessary explanation.

Use first-person “I” statements to speak from your perspective . Use appropriate word choices that show off your vocabulary but don’t sound like you used a thesaurus. Avoid using idioms or cliché expressions by rewriting them in a creative, original way.

If you’re an international student applying to a US college and you’re comfortable using American idioms or cultural references , you can. But instead of potentially using them incorrectly, don’t be afraid to write in detail about yourself within your own culture.

Provide context for any words, customs, or places that an American admissions officer might be unfamiliar with.

College application essays are less formal than other kinds of academic writing . Use a conversational yet respectful tone , as if speaking with a teacher or mentor. Be vulnerable about your feelings, thoughts, and experiences to connect with the reader.

Aim to write in your authentic voice , with a style that sounds natural and genuine. You can be creative with your word choice, but don’t use elaborate vocabulary to impress admissions officers.

Admissions officers use college admissions essays to evaluate your character, writing skills , and ability to self-reflect . The essay is your chance to show what you will add to the academic community.

The college essay may be the deciding factor in your application , especially for competitive schools where most applicants have exceptional grades, test scores, and extracurriculars.

Some colleges also require supplemental essays about specific topics, such as why you chose that specific college . Scholarship essays are often required to obtain financial aid .

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What Do College Admissions Look For in an Essay?

Sarah farbman.

• August 23, 2023

A college essay isn’t just an abstract writing assignment. It’s a piece of writing that you undertake for a very specific purpose: to give college admissions officers the evidence they need in order to admit you to their school. In order to write the most compelling essay that you can, it is crucial to ask:   what do college admissions look for in an essay. And what are they not looking for?  

In order to tackle these very important questions, it will help to first understand why college admissions look for an essay in the first place!

What do college admissions look for in an essay?  

Four things: growth, critical thinking, engagement, and self-direction. But first, why is the essay required?

Why do college admissions require an essay?

The truth is, essays aren’t important for all colleges. Even if the college uses the Common Application , colleges may make the essay optional, or they may not give you space for an essay at all. Those colleges will be looking more seriously at other factors, such as your transcript and GPA. 

However, many colleges ask for an essay because they are trying to create a diverse, interesting, intelligent college class full of students who are, well, diverse, interesting, and intelligent. Colleges want to understand what it is that you would be bringing to the campus community if you were accepted. They already know about your academic achievements, since they have your transcript, academic awards/honors, and test scores (if they are required and if you choose to submit them). They know the bare bones of your community involvement, since you have to tell them your extracurricular activities, and they have some idea of the role you play in the classroom and school community, thanks to your letters of recommendation. 

But what’s missing from all of that is, well, you. Your voice, your values, your perspective. Your college essay is your opportunity to advertise to colleges, in your own words, what qualities, values, and perspectives you would be bringing with you to college. What niche will you fill in the campus community? What role will you play? 

Your essay is only 650 words, so you don’t have room to tell your whole life story or try to hit upon every possible attribute that you would bring to a college. As you look through this list of what college admissions look for in an essay , consider which of these points you would best be able to showcase or you feel most proud of in yourself.

The best essays show growth

Many people think that, since this is an application, it is important to only show their strengths and to hide any weaknesses they may have or mistakes they may have made. That is not a good strategy. College admissions look for essays that show that you are capable of reflection and growth. Colleges aren’t looking for people who are perfect, and they certainly aren’t looking for people who stubbornly think they are perfect. Colleges are looking for students who can grapple with challenging new ideas. They are looking for people who are aware and humble when they make mistakes and are not afraid to take ownership of those mistakes and learn from them. If you are afraid to be vulnerable on the page, it will be quite difficult to show that awareness, humility, bravery, and growth. 

Don’t be afraid to be critical!

College is school, after all. Colleges are looking for people who will engage with challenging ideas and offer new perspectives, both in the classroom and outside of it. One way to show that you have an analytical mind is by offering some sort of critique of society. Instead of just writing a story about how you ran for prom king, for example, try weaving that story together with a critique of the very notion of prom and prom royalty. 

Your essay will be even stronger if you can tie your story and critique back to some sort of book/article you’ve read, podcast you’ve heard, or show you’ve seen. Remember: the ultimate goal of education is to train your brain to think critically about the world around you. You can show that you have the potential to be a strong critical thinker by applying  your analytical skills to your own life, your own values, and your own experiences, in order to draw interesting (but perhaps imperfect—see point above) conclusions from those experiences.

Use your essay to show engagement with your community

Colleges want scholars, yes, but they are also trying to cultivate a thriving community. Every community needs people of different sorts who bring different skills, abilities, perspectives, and backgrounds to the party. Communities need contributors: people who will jump in to solve problems, to expand opportunity, and to generally be helpful citizens. Education is about training you to be a change-maker in the context of some sort of broader community. Your essay is an opportunity to demonstrate what kind community member and citizen you are and will continue to be on campus and in the world. If you are someone who genuinely values being engaged with your community, whether that community consists of your classmates, your neighbors, your teammates, or another sort of group all together, use your essay to explore that side of yourself.

What college admissions look for in an essay is self-direction

There is certainly nothing wrong with showing up to school, work, practice, or a volunteer position and following the instructions given to you in order to achieve some sort of goal. People tell you want to do, and you do it. A teacher gives you an assignment, and you complete it to the best of your ability. You learn the rules, and you follow them.

However, as you shift from high school to college, your notion of success will (hopefully!) begin to shift as well. Instead of receiving some sort of external reward for faithfully following directions, you should begin to craft your own vision and plan for what you want to achieve and how you’ll know when you’ve been successful and work toward achieving it on your own terms. 

What do college admissions look for in an essay?  It’s the wrong question

Many students wonder what college admissions look for in an essay. The better question to ask is what do college admissions look for in an applicant . Colleges want students who will be successful on their campus both academically and socially. They want students who are hungry to learn and who will bring a unique perspective to the institution, students who will care about their classmates and invest their time, energy, and emotions into making the campus community stronger. If your college essay can show that you are that type of student, you are off to a very good start.

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Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, what do colleges look for in application essays.

Alright, so I’m at the point where I'm ready to tackle my college essays, and I'm trying to figure out what exactly colleges are hoping to see in them. Do they want creativity, a demonstration of skills, personal growth stories? If anyone's got some insider knowledge or tips on what makes the admissions officers' hearts tick, I'm all ears!

Application essays are your chance to speak directly to the admissions committee. They're looking beyond grades and scores for a sense of who you are and how you'd fit into their community. They do value creativity, but authenticity and self-reflection are even more crucial. They want to see how you've grown or handled challenges, sure, but they also appreciate when you can make connections between your experiences and your future aspirations. They look for an engaging narrative that provides insight into your character and values.

Just remember, an effective essay is one that only you could have written—it showcases your unique voice and perspective. Keep your writing focused; rather than attempting to cover too many topics, explore one aspect of yourself in depth. And don't underestimate the power of a well-structured story with a clear beginning, middle, and end.

Lastly, essays without grammatical errors are a given, but also aim for fluency and readability. Taking a risk with an unconventional format or topic can pay off when done well, but clarity should never be sacrificed for the sake of novelty.

About CollegeVine’s Expert FAQ

CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.

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Your chancing factors

Extracurriculars.

What do Colleges Look for in Applicants?

What’s covered:, academic index, recommendation letters and interviews, cultural fit, demographics, what are my chances of admission.

To many high schoolers, college admissions feels like a secretive process in mysterious rooms behind closed doors. What actually goes on? What distinguishes a good applicant from a bad one? What are admissions officers looking for? 

If you are like any other high schooler, these thoughts have probably ran through your head more than once. We are here to put a stop to your endless hours of wonder and anxiety surrounding college admissions. In this post, we will explain exactly what colleges are looking for in applicants so you can feel more confident going into the process and best position yourself to stand out among thousands of other applicants.

What Do Colleges Look for in Applicants?

When most people think of getting into a highly selective university, their first thought is probably that they need stellar academics. However, your class grades and test scores are only a part of the admissions decision. In fact, many colleges use your academic performance as a benchmark to see if you make it pass their cutoffs, and then place a larger emphasis on other aspects of your application. In order to determine if you pass the threshold, admissions officers use something called the Academic Index.

The Academic Index streamlines the process of sifting through students’ academics by aggregating their GPAs, class rank, and test scores into a single numerical score. Every school has a different Academic Index threshold they use, so your AI score might pass a less selective school’s screening process but not a highly selective Ivy League’s. 

The good news about the Academic Index is that your grades and scores don’t mean everything when it comes to your admissions chances so you don’t necessarily need a perfect 4.0 or 1600 to get into college. That being said, since colleges use AI scores to see if you meet academic cutoffs and determine if they should read your profile, if your AI score is too low, the rest of your application might not be reviewed. If you’re a freshman or sophomore, you can work on boosting your GPA to get a higher AI score. If you are a junior or senior, you should focus on improving your test scores to maximize your AI score.

Learn more about the Academic Index.

Extracurricular activities are another huge factor in your college application. Admissions officers are looking for engaged, motivated students both inside and outside the classroom, and extracurriculars showcase the latter. Some factors that influence the weight of an extracurricular are the length of time you’ve participated in them, the time commitment you devote, the leadership experience you’ve developed, and the prestige of the activity. 

You might hear people say that you need to display a diverse array of interests and join every club offered at your school; this is not necessarily correct. The common misconception when it comes to extracurriculars is that admissions officers are looking for well-rounded students, when in actuality they are looking for students with a highly developed interest in 2-3 areas. 

For example, consider which applicant sounds more impressive. A student with an interest in playing piano and working with kids has competed in state competitions, played with the local symphony orchestra in their city, started and is president of a club at their school to connect high school band students to elementary students learning instruments, and volunteered with the Girl Scouts to help girls get a music badge. Alternatively, another student is interested in government but wants to be well-rounded so they are a member of the debate team, Model UN, Model Congress, the school newspaper, JV basketball, and JV baseball. The second student is so concerned with joining everything that they don’t hold any leadership positions and can’t fully commit to any one of their clubs.

The key to standing out in college admissions is to look more like the first student. You should discover your niche and explore those 2-3 interests deeply. It’s even better if you are able to connect your separate interests in a unique way—a student who enjoys nature and coding might develop an app to let people scan plants and flowers and figure out what type of plant it is.

When it comes to understanding your extracurriculars, there are 4 tiers you should understand:

• Tier One Extracurricular Activities 

Tier one activities are the rarest, but most impressive activities you can have. They demonstrate significant time commitments over the course of high school and exceptional achievement or leadership. 

Tier one activities might be things like being a highly recruited soccer player or obtaining national attention for math/science competitions. Winning prestigious national academic prizes such as the United States of America Mathematical Olympiad (USAMO) or an Intel Award are examples of tier one achievements. 

• Tier Two Extracurricular Activities  

Tier two activities are also fairly rare and highly desirable. However, they typically require less time and fewer requirements than tier one activities. They show dedication and a history of commitment to an area of interest. A typical student may have one or two tier two extracurriculars in their high school career. 

Holding a leadership position in a well-known club like the Model UN, debate team, or Science Olympiad is an example of a tier 2 activity.

• Tier Three Extracurricular Activities  

Tier three activities are more common and students are expected to have a few extracurriculars that fall into this category. They are not as time consuming as tier two activities, but they are still important when applying to colleges as they show a complete picture of how you spent your time in high school.

Tier three extracurricular activities include being a member, or holding a minor leadership position, of a club such as Model UN, debate team, or Science Olympiad. Athletes who receive player of the week awards or play in regional teams would fall into this category as well.

• Tier Four Extracurricular Activities  

Finally, tier four activities are the most common and every student will probably have 3 or 4 tier four activities on their application. These are the clubs you were a general member of and didn’t put in a huge time commitment for.

Some sample tier four activities include being a member of a club like Model UN, debate team, and Science Olympiad. Athletes who played a sport throughout high school but didn’t earn any special distinctions would be in tier four. Volunteering often falls into tier four—unless you planned a large-scale fundraiser or raised lots of money for charity, in which case you would be in a higher tier. 

While it differs for every student, you should aim to have 1 or 2 tier one and tier two activities, 2 or 3 tier three activities, and 3 or 4 tier four activities. This will show admissions officers the breadth and depth of your extracurricular interests.

Learn more about the 4 tiers of extracurriculars.

Most colleges want to know how you think, what you believe in, and who you are as an individual. The essay is one of the most important parts of your application when applying to college because it represents who you are as a person. It allows you to express yourself in ways that you cannot do in other parts of your profile.

For more selective colleges, you should expect to submit 1) a personal statement and 2) school-specific supplemental essays. Some colleges might not have any supplements, while others might have upwards of 8 to 10! 

Writing your essays might seem like the hardest part of applying to college, but remember that this is your real chance to showcase your personality, goals, and achievements to colleges. All you need to do is be honest and true to yourself. Admissions officers want to know what makes you unique. Here are a few tips to keep in mind when crafting your essays:

• Know your audience and their motivations. Why are you applying to this college?
• Find a unique topic that can be developed in multiple ways without sounding repetitive.
• Keep the tone conversational, but serious. It should not sound like a novel or essay from English class, but it also needs to be formal enough to convey your knowledge and intelligence.
• Keep your essay succinct. Colleges are looking for applicants who can communicate effectively through their essays, but they also don’t want people to ramble on about the same idea over and over again.

Learn how to write your college essays with a step-by-step guide.

Compared to other aspects of your application, your recommendation letters and interviews are not as crucial. The rule of thumb is normally a good letter or interview won’t affect you, but a bad or stellar one might push you one way or the other if admissions officers are on the fence.

When it comes to recommendation letters, most of the work is out of your hands, but it is up to you to pick teachers who will write the best letter possible. You want your letters to showcase your academic drive and achievements, as well as personable characteristics like your persistence, creativity, compassion, thoughtfulness, etc. The teachers that write your letters should ideally be teachers you had in your junior or senior year—or a teacher you’ve had for multiple years who can comment on your growth—and you should have a good connection with them.

Learn more about recommendation letters and the process of asking for one.

Interviews generally have very little impact on your chances of admission. Colleges are mainly interested in how you interact with others and if you can carry yourself professionally. While a good interview might not help you, a bad interview may hurt you, so take your interviews seriously. Be sure to look professional (business casual is best), but still be friendly and personable. Some helpful interview tips include:

• Be confident, not cocky. Colleges want people who will be able to contribute positively to campus life, not know-it-alls who think they’re better than everyone else.
• Be yourself. Colleges are looking to see if you have what it takes to fit in with their campus community and engage with their school. 
• Be prepared for questions about yourself, your high school experience, and why you are interested in attending their college. You don’t want your answers to sound rehearsed, but have one or two things in the back of your mind so you don’t get flustered answering questions.

Learn more about how to stand out in your college interviews.

Another thing admissions officers take into consideration when reviewing your application is if you will fit into campus life. They get tens of thousands of applicants every admission cycle, so it’s important to them that they only accept students who genuinely want to attend and would mesh with other students. 

Typically, your cultural fit and interest in a school are showcased through your essays. You can display the values that you hold, discuss certain programs or resources that align with your interests and goals, and demonstrate the unique perspectives you would bring to the campus. In addition to essays, some colleges also track demonstrated interest through things like visiting the campus, attending information sessions, going on alumni interviews, and even applying EA or ED.

Colleges want to see that you will do more than just work hard in the classroom. They want applicants who are eager to engage with the campus community and experience everything college has to offer.

Learn more about what it means to find a college with the right fit for you.

Colleges are looking for a diverse campus community. Having diverse perspectives in classrooms and dorms allows students to learn from each other and develop skills like communication and empathy.

While your demographics don’t play a large part in your admissions decision, officers might take them into consideration to ensure they have a well-balanced class. When it comes to your demographics, colleges could look at your race (the most common factor often addressed in the media), your gender (usually for STEM departments that are historically male-heavy fields), your state of residence (for public colleges), and your legacy status (mainly for private colleges).

Unfortunately, this is the one area of your application that is out of your control, but luckily it doesn’t have as large of an impact on your admissions chances as factors that are in your control like your grades, extracurriculars, and essays. 

After reading through all the different factors that impact your admissions decision, there might be a big question looming on your mind right now: what are my chances at my top schools? Have no fear because CollegeVine is here! 

Our free chancing engine will make your admissions process easier by calculating your chances of admission to hundreds of colleges using your profile. To help you understand your chances and whether you’re meeting colleges’ expectations, our engine takes into consideration your grades, test scores, extracurriculars, demographics, and more. Sign up for your CollegeVine account  today to get a boost on your college journey.

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What Admissions Officers Look For In Your Essay

By Brianna Burrows

There are many requirements to apply to college, such as your SAT score or TOEFL score. There is one element to the application process that can be the most difficult for students: the essay. Your essay, or personal statement, is a key deciding factor in your application. A majority of colleges and universities believe the essay to be of considerable or moderate importance to determining your acceptance. Many students wonder though, what do admissions officers look for in my essay? Here are some elements that admissions officers look for in your essay.

What Makes You Unique?

You are competing with a lot of other students who have similar test scores and grades. Therefore, your essay or personal statement is your opportunity to showcase what makes you stand out from others. This is your chance to humbly brag about your life. Admissions officers look for unique experiences beyond traditional education such as volunteer work, travel, or overcoming personal adversity. Make sure to pick one specific experience to write about. You don’t want to write about your whole life story as your transcripts, grades, and test scores already cover a wide extent of your life.

Can You Write?

In college, you are going to be spending a tremendous amount of time writing. Your essay provides insight into your ability as a writer. Writing is an essential skill with most professions today. Writing is going to be involved whether you’re writing emails or writing a report. Your writing should be organized well with proper structure and syntax. Also, make sure to have no grammar and spelling mistakes. Your writing should be meaningful and appealing to your reader. The voice of your writing should be similar to the way you speak. If you talk like a smart 18-year-old, then write with vocabulary that an 18-year-old would use. You shouldn’t be trying to use your SAT vocabulary words in your essay.

What Will You Contribute to the Community?

Admissions officers want to know how you will enhance your community if accepted. Colleges are increasingly aware of the value of cultural diversity in the student body. If you are an international student, simply saying you are not from ‘here’ is not enough. How will you bring your culture to the community and share it with students? This ties into what makes you unique. Be specific about your cultural experiences and how you might share them with the campus and surrounding community.

It’s important to  remember that some undergraduate and graduate programs may not require a personal statement . It is best to check your specific department’s requirements. If you spend a fair amount of time working on your essay or personal statement, you’re bound to impress your readers.

Brianna Burrows

Brianna Burrows is a freelance marketing specialist and alumna of Northeastern University. She specializes in event management, social media management, and content branding. Follow her on Twitter   here .

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College Admissions

Applying to college soon? Curious about what colleges are looking for in applicants, especially when it comes to SAT or ACT scores? Not sure how you stack up against other applicants at your dream school? 

If you feel like you have more questions than answers about what colleges look for in admissions, you're note alone. The college admissions process can be very confusing, and it's easy to feel lost and frustrated. In this article, we'll tell you what colleges look for in admissions and how to make your application the best it can be. We'll cover: 

• What colleges look for in applicants 
• Why SAT and ACT test scores are important 
• How understanding college admissions criteria can help your own college admissions process

Let's dive in! 

What Do Colleges Look For in Applicants?

When colleges look at applicants, they're hoping to find students who will succeed in college and beyond. Most universities are looking for students who will excel in their classes, but will also contribute to the on-campus community in their own unique ways.  

So how do colleges identify these amazing students? Colleges use your scores (SAT/ACT scores, GPA/transcript, class rank, and other test scores) as well as your extracurriculars, application essays, and letters of recommendation to judge your readiness to attend their school. They want to know that you'll be a good student, but they also want to ensure you'll add to their college community both now and as an alumni. 

How Do Colleges Judge Applicants?

Now that we have a basic overview of what colleges look for in applicants, we'll address each part of the application and discuss how the college judges you based on that particular section. 

SAT/ACT Scores

The main value of SAT/ACT scores is that they provide colleges with a standard way to judge students. Every applicant will have a varied background: they've attended a different schools and/or and taken different classes. However, nearly every applicant will have taken the SAT or ACT. 

Colleges use your SAT/ACT score as an indicator of whether you're ready to attend their school. To show you're academically prepared, you'll need to have a score within the average SAT/ACT score range for admitted students to that school ... or perhaps even higher. To give yourself the best chance of admission, you should aim for a score at or above the 75th percentile SAT/ACT score for admitted students.  (We'll talk more about how to find this range a little later.) 

It’s important to note that some schools don’t make taking the SAT or ACT an absolute requirement for admission. These schools , for instance, have a “test-optional” admission choice for prospective students. In addition, because of cancelled or rescheduled test dates due to the COVID-19 pandemic, some schools have chosen to go test-optional for 2021 and 2022 ...and some may continue that policy in the future (like the University of California schools ). 

GPA/Transcript

Colleges are looking at your GPA and transcript for two major reasons:

• To see what classes you chose to take.
• To see how you did in your classes.

Colleges want to see what classes you took in high school and how you performed in them  to ensure you're prepared to attend their college. Based on your GPA/transcript, admissions counselors can gauge whether you're ready to take on the courses offered at their school. 

To gauge your own academic preparedness, we recommend you check out the admissions profile for your dream school. See what the average GPA is for admitted students at that college. You can find it by conducting a Google search for "[College Name] + GPA + PrepScholar." That will bring you to our admissions page for that school.

Once you've figured out what the average GPA range is for admitted students, try to get your GPA into a similar range to give yourself the best chance of admission.

For s tudents interested in competitive colleges ( Ivies , Stanford , Vanderbilt , etc.), when admissions officers look at your transcript/GPA, they're hoping to see that you opted to take the most difficult classes at your high school and that you did very well in them.

So if you hope to be accepted to a top tier school, and your school offers IB/AP courses , you should be working those classes into your schedule. Top college admissions officers typically say that they'd rather see that you got a B in an AP or IB course than an A in a regular non-AP/IB course (when IB/AP courses are offered). If there are no IB or AP classes offered at your school, obviously admissions officers don't expect you to have taken any.

All that being said, what can you do to make your GPA/transcript strong? First things first: work hard and keep your GPA up. From there, take the  hardest classes that are offered at your school and do well in them. (And of course, all of this requires lots of hard work!) 

You'll always have a higher grade than G!  

Your class rank is tied to your transcript and GPA. The higher your grades are (and likely, the more A P and/or IB classes you take and get As in), the higher your class rank will be. And your class rank will be an important admissions consideration if you plan to apply to super competitive schools. 

Top tier colleges ( Harvard , MIT , UPenn ) really only want students who are ranked in the top 10% of their high school class. One student we talked to did a high school summer program at one of the Ivies. The program he took part in was known to accept almost all participants into the college. He was not admitted. When he asked why, he was told that it was a big deal to them that he was not ranked in the top 10% of his class.

Class rank also matters when it comes to admission to state schools, too. In some states, like Texas , students who graduate in the top 5-10% of their class are guaranteed admission in state schools. So if you do well in high school, you'll be guaranteed a spot in an in-state public school once you graduate

If you're hoping to attend a top tier school or plan to take advantage of in-state schools' admissions policies, class rank matters . Try to take the hardest classes and get your grades up to stay near the top of the class. Regardless of your class rank, however, make sure you're keeping your GPA up. You'll want to make sure it's well above average if you want to get into your dream school! 

Maybe your hobby is fashion-forward jogging. Whatever your hobby is, your potential colleges want to know about it. 

Extracurriculars

So what do colleges look for in admissions when it comes to extracurriculars?

Like we mentioned earlier, colleges are looking for top notch applicants who will add to their campus communities. Extracurriculars are one way colleges can learn more about you and whether you're a good personality fit for their school. All colleges like to see that you got involved in extracurriculars, and they especially like to see that you held a leadership role in them.

Top tier colleges (Harvard, Stanford, Yale) want to see that you have an expertise in some area, and you can build that expertise through your extracurricular activities. It doesn't matter what that area of expertise is, but whatever you choose, explore it deeply. If you like science, try to win the state science fair , compete in science olympiads , and/or intern at a local lab. If you like acting, compete with your debate team in the acting categories (Dramatic Interpretation, Humorous Interpretation, Duo Interpretation), stage a play for free at your local children's hospital, and/or do regional theater.

If you are hoping to attend a top tier school like Harvard—and want to impress them with your extracurriculars—our article How to Get Into Harvard and the Ivy League, by a Harvard Alum discusses this in more depth.

But having great extracurricular activities on your college applications is important for everyone , no matter which colleges you apply to. To learn more about what extracurricular might be good for you, check out this article. 

Letters of Recommendation

Letters of recommendation give admissions officers an important glimpse into how others perceive you as a student, community member, and person. Because these letters are anonymous, t hey're often seen as authentic and honest glimpses into who you are and whether you're ready to succeed in college. 

NOTE: Some colleges don't require letters of recommendation nor personal essays, so make sure to check the admissions website for your target colleges.

You want to have great letters of recommendation that rave about who you are, what your passion is, and how great you are at what you're passionate about. Check out these examples of great letters of recommendation and the breakdown of what makes them so great .

Personal Essays

Like a letter of recommendation, your personal essays (if required) should reveal who you are and what you want from your education and beyond . These essays give admissions counselors more insight into who you are as a person, and how you'll fit into their unique campus.

These are an important part of your college application, so be sure to start them long before they're due. But don't worry: we have tons of college admissions essay resources to help you out! Check out these example college personal essays along with tips to create a memorable one. And of course, don't miss this blog that goes over everything you need to know about writing a personal essay in the first place. 

What about AP/IB tests? How do those scores affect your admissions? 

Other Test Scores

Other test scores include AP/IB exam scores, SAT Subject Tests ( these only apply through June 2021—after that they are being discontinued ), and any other non-SAT/ACT exams that you've taken that you're choosing to include on your application. Just like the ACT/SAT, colleges look at these to evaluate your readiness for their college . Additionally, many schools award college credit or placement if you score high enough on AP or IB exams. 

Colleges use these other test scores to double-check that you're ready for their school. If you got a perfect SAT score but failed every AP exam that you took, then an admissions officer may question if you're prepared for their coursework. Basically, don't let your other test scores be a red flag. T ake your other test scores seriously but know that they won't hurt your chances unless the scores are really low (failing for AP or IB exams).

That said, don’t stress about one not-so-great AP test —your AP test scores will only hurt you if they are all bad. Just try to get the highest scores you can on your AP and IB exams so that your high scores give colleges another reason to accept you!

Why Is Your SAT/ACT Score so Important?

There are two main reasons that your SAT/ACT scores are important to colleges. Let's discuss each reason one at a time.

Reason #1: Your SAT/ACT Score Is How Colleges Compare You to Other Applicants from Around the World

While applicants to one college will come from different backgrounds, will have attended different high schools, will have taken different classes, and will have done different extracurricular activities, all of the applicants will have taken the SAT and/or ACT (at least at non- test optional schools ).

Your SAT/ACT score reveals whether your GPA and transcript are accurate representations of your preparedness for higher education. Colleges use your SAT/ACT score to figure out if your high school grades were inflated or accurate. For example, if you have a 4.0 GPA with a perfect SAT or ACT score, colleges will likely be impressed and think your GPA is reflective of your academic potential (since your scores were so high). However, if you have a 4.0 GPA with 1000 SAT score or 20 ACT score, colleges may think your course grades were inflated.

Additionally, a high SAT/ACT score can also make up for a lower GPA. If you have a 3.0 GPA with a perfect SAT/ACT score, colleges may be willing to overlook your lower GPA and consider your SAT/ACT score as an indication that you're prepared for college.

As mentioned above, some schools don’t require applicants to have taken either exam. But, even test-optional schools may use SAT and ACT scores to compare applicants. For instance, if you have a 4.0 GPA but no test scores, but another prospective student has a 4.0 GPA and high test scores, this student has provided more proof of their academic potential than you (and may get chosen instead). So, your best bet is to take the SAT or ACT, even if your target school is test-optional.

Colleges use SAT/ACT scores to compare apples to oranges ... or, you know, students to other students!

Reason #2: Colleges Are Judged by Their SAT/ACT Score Ranges

Yes, the SAT/ACT is important to schools because they use it to judge your readiness for college. However, it's also important to schools because if you're admitted, your SAT/ACT score will be incorporated into their yearly SAT/ACT statistics.

Every year, colleges publish their freshman admissions profile (see an example from Princeton). In this profile, colleges provide the data on their admitted students. This data includes either the 25th/75th percentile SAT/ACT scores (sometimes referred to as the middle 50%) or the average SAT/ACT scores of admitted students. The 25th percentile score means that 25% of admitted students scored at or below that score (and therefore 75% of admitted students scored above). The 75th percentile score means that 75% of admitted students scored at or below that score (and therefore 25% of admitted students scored above). The average score is just what it sounds like, an average of all the admitted students scores.

The general public looks at this data to perceive the selectivity of the school (the higher the range, the more competitive or "better" the general public thinks that college is). When you think of top-tier schools such as Dartmouth , Brown , or Columbia , you likely think, "Wow those are good schools!"

But why do you think they are good schools? You might think of their alumni or campuses. However, many lower ranked schools such as Denison have beautiful campuses with famous alumni like billionaire Michael Eisner . You might think of their low admissions rates, but there are other colleges with comparable admissions rates to the Ivies , and their rates don’t necessarily reflect the academic excellence of students they admit. 

One of the main reasons you associate top tier colleges with prestige is because of their published SAT/ACT score ranges and their ranking among other colleges. When doing research on applying to schools, you likely came across the US News & World Report ranking of US colleges. Each year, US News & World Report assembles their rankings based on several categories including the SAT/ACT scores of admitted students.

If you're admitted to the school, your SAT/ACT score will be factored into that school's overall national ranking in US News & World Report . Top tier colleges such as Princeton, Yale, and Stanford want your SAT scores to be good so that it reflects well on them. Even "second tier schools" such as Vanderbilt, USC, and Emory care about this because they hope to continue to rise in the US News & World Report rankings.

What Does This Mean for You?

If admissions officers are judging you so heavily by your SAT/ACT score, you want to get a score that will meet their standards. As I mentioned earlier, colleges are hoping to admit students who are in or above their SAT/ACT score range (or at or above the average).

Here at PrepScholar, we recommend that you try to get your score at or above the 75th percentile SAT/ACT score of admitted students to give yourself the best chance of admission. Let's set that as your SAT/ACT score goal.

Setting a Score Goal

To give yourself the best chance of being admitted to your dream school, you need to set a score goal that is at or above the 75th percentile SAT/ACT score for that school.

How do you find out what the 75th percentile SAT/ACT score for that school is? Here at PrepScholar, we've created a very cool resource to locate each college's 25th/75th percentile score and to calculate your chance of admissions to a given school based on your SAT/ACT score and GPA.

To access this resource , simply Google Search, "[College Name] [ACT or SAT score] PrepScholar." For example, I looked for Emory University page:

The first two search results are both from PrepScholar. The Admission Requirements page give GPA, SAT, and ACT data. The second page only gives information about the SAT and GPA.

Start by looking at our complete admission requirement articles for your target colleges to get a sense of the SAT and ACT scores of admitted students . Here's a sample of our Emory University admissions guide : 

Scroll down, and you'll find the SAT and ACT data:

As we mentioned before, aim for a score at or above the 75th percentile score , so for Emory, that would be a 34 or above on the ACT or a 1520 or above on the SAT. Why aim so high? You want to give yourself the absolute best chance of admission. You want to be in the top group of applicants. You want the admissions officer to see your application and say, "duh, they should get in." Okay, they'll likely say something more eloquent, but you get my point.

You might be thinking, " 25% of admits score below the 25th percentile, can't I just score slightly below the 25th percentile and get in?" In theory, yes, you can. In reality, it's unlikely.

Colleges will admit certain applicants with lower SAT/ACT scores because that college needs that student for some reason. For example, colleges sometimes accept athletes , legacies , or students with another exceptional talent (the #1 ranked debater in the US or a world-class violinist) who have lower SAT/ACT scores. Also, colleges sometimes accept students with lower scores who are the children of significant alumni donors or the children of other wealthy or famous people.

Unless you fall into one of the above, try to aim for a score at or above the 75th percentile score. While these students may not make up 25% of the admitted students, it's better to be safe than sorry. Get your score at or above the 75th percentile to give yourself the best chance!

Planning Your Prep

Now that you've set your SAT/ACT score goal, you need to create a plan to reach it. Check out our guide to planning your study based on the amount of improvement that you're hoping for and based on the amount of time you have to study .

Need a launching off point for your test prep? Check out our complete guides to SAT and ACT prep . Taking the test really soon (within a month)? Check out our cramming guides to the SAT and the ACT.

What's Next?

Interested in learning more about the college admissions process? Learn about how to get a college application fee waiver, learn about the best extracurricular activities for your college app, and plan your college application timeline.

Not sure where you'd like to go to college? Figure out how to find your target school.

Still not sure whether the SAT or ACT is right for you? Let's help you pick the right test for you!

Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points? We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

As an SAT/ACT tutor, Dora has guided many students to test prep success. She loves watching students succeed and is committed to helping you get there. Dora received a full-tuition merit based scholarship to University of Southern California. She graduated magna cum laude and scored in the 99th percentile on the ACT. She is also passionate about acting, writing, and photography.

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College Applications: How to Begin

Find the right college for you..

Applying to college is a big job. It can feel overwhelming. However, you can make the process much easier by breaking it down into small steps. Here's how.

How to Start Applying for Colleges

The good news is that most U.S. universities follow the same standard application process. If possible, begin the following four-step approach several months before the submission deadline.

• Understand the common terminology you'll see during the application process. Learning how to apply to college involves having a good grasp of such things as frequently used acronyms, supporting documents, and government departments.
• Review the appropriate application timeline you should follow when signing up for college. Every school has its own deadlines, but you may have certain milestones to hit during your senior or even junior year.
• Discover the individual components of a complete application . For example, schools usually ask for supplemental application materials like letters of recommendation, transcripts, and written essays.

• Create a real and a virtual folder for storing documents.
• Print a checklist to track your progress on each part of the application.
• Build a spreadsheet to stay on top of submission deadlines.
• Your Social Security number.
• Your high school code.
• A copy of your high school transcript.
• Your score report from a college admission test.
• Make sure you’ve included all required information and that the information filled out on the forms is accurate and spelled correctly.
• Confirm that any required attachments are the correct files and have been properly uploaded.
• Double-check that you filled out all fields and followed all instructions.
• Take a deep breath. Click submit !

Where do I start with college applications?

The first step is to do your research. Knowledge is power. Knowing what to expect from the application process makes a difference. Research the schools you're interested in applying to. Learn as much as you can about their admissions process.

What are the steps in the college application process?

Keep in mind that signing up for college is a multistep process. Among other key steps, you must fill out a standard application, acquire crucial support documents, and write personal essays. Although schools have different requirements, here are the main steps of the college application process:

• Create a list of colleges you're interested in.
• Research and visit schools to narrow down the list.
• Fill out the FAFSA®, and consider finances and scholarship opportunities.
• Get letters of recommendations, if required.
• Take college admission tests.
• Write your college application essay, if required.
• Complete your online application(s).
• If any of your target schools have their own institutional applications, complete those.
• Check and recheck your application documents before submitting them.

What should I do before I fill out my college application?

How do you apply for college without wasting time? Advisers often recommend gathering relevant documents before you begin. You can knock out the informative sections in one go, reducing your chances of making an error. Some of the basics you need include:

• Identity cards and Social Security number.
• School transcripts.
• Test scores.
• List of extracurriculars.
• List of awards and achievements.
• Recommendation letters, if required by the college.
• Application and school portal login credentials.

What are the most important parts of a college application?

College admissions officers consider many factors when reviewing applications. Among the most important factors are your grades and the courses you took.

The best approach to have when completing applications is to treat every part as important. Put your best foot forward in all areas. Make every part shine.

Now you're informed, inspired, organized, and ready to begin. For more on the college admissions process, visit Applying to College: FAQs .

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