Applying to the college of your dreams can be a nerve-racking experience. It’s a time when you can finally highlight all your hard work to move on to the next step of your dreams - college! But what happens once you’ve sent in your college application? Does it sit in a pile somewhere collecting dust?

After submitting your application, it goes to the college admissions office. College admission officers then review your application along with other factors, essays, and recommendations to learn more about who you are and what you’ll bring to their school. Your main goal is for your application to stand out so that you’re the first to get your letter when it comes time to offer admission.

College Admissions Criteria Depends On The School

Every school's college admissions process is different, including the importance of what factors they use to admit students.

“Colleges want what they don’t have,” says Dr. Jed Macosko, Professor of Physics, molecular basis of muscles at Wake Forest University. “For example, a school like Harvard or MIT can attract any student they want to attend their relatively small admittance pool. So they can quickly fill their open slots with the best academics and go from there. Or, they could just be the one best mathematician and the one best writer and then have 998 other spots for every other kind of attractive "best student" they can find.”

You should also look at what the school is building and creating. These colleges aren't spending millions on facilities and programs "just cause". They're doing it to attract students in a niche they think they can compete against other colleges in.

For example, Tulane recently built a Makerspace - and spent millions doing so. They want to see this space used by their students. If you're applying to the school of Engineering and have a goal to use this space, it will really shine on your application since you're filling a need the school wants.

Factors College Admissions Officers Consider

While every school has its own specific admissions criteria, all college admissions offices consider the following factors when assessing your application.

Academics

Your college journey starts in your freshman year of high school, by course selection. The classes you take during your high school career should align with the classes that are required by the college you are applying to. Most schools require at least four years of math and English, followed by history, government, science, fine arts, and language classes. These classes may be different than the classes you’ll need to graduate.

Besides looking at what classes you’ve taken, college admission officers look closely at your GPA. Your GPA demonstrates how well you’ve mastered the course material. A higher GPA usually indicates a greater understanding and less likelihood you’ll need to take remedial classes in a particular subject, or worst-case scenario, drop out. Schools also use test scores from standardized tests such as the SAT or ACT to gauge your understanding of certain subjects nationally.

Extracurricular Activities

When it comes to getting into your preferred college, what you do after school hours matters. Extracurricular activities can help you become the student you want to be. You'll learn skills that you can apply to your college courses or in the workforce.

You may be tempted to participate in several different extracurricular activities, but it’s not necessary. Picking one or two activities or clubs and then sticking to them can show commitment to teamwork and deepen your understanding of a subject. Some extracurriculars can help you land a spot at a school or a college scholarship.

Characteristics

Many colleges list characteristics they want their students to have, just like an employer might include in a job application. Like employers, schools will review your application to see whether you took the time to understand what they are looking for before applying. Colleges also look for stuff that makes you stand out.

Instead of focusing on being "well-rounded" to get into an elite school, you might be better off being the best at something interesting to an admissions officer, such as the best crossword creator or documentary filmmaking student the school doesn't already have. Academic factors such as your GPA, coursework, and testing scores can weigh in on the final decision, but always focus on what makes you “you.”

Essays and Letters of Recommendation

Essays and letters of recommendation complement the rest of your application. Besides your GPA and a list of your achievements, this is how the admissions committee finds out who you are, what your goals are, and how the school can help you achieve those goals. This is your chance to become memorable so that admissions officers can describe you briefly and to the point.

Dr. Macosko uses the following example to point out how clear and concise your essay must be regarding your goals and what you are setting out to accomplish.

“If you are a pre-med wanting to use your skills in computer science to improve medicine for your fellow rural community members, you want the admissions officers to say to one another, "Let's admit this student because she is A [rural student who has a paid job coding in Python for a university biology professor and who wants to apply her coding skills to improve healthcare access for rural communities] and don't have one of those yet.”

In other words, you want to show the admissions officers what they’ll get by adding you to their student population.

Along with sticking to your essay’s theme and telling your story, your recommendation letters should also bolster the story you’re trying to convey. To get a strong recommendation letter, be selective on who you ask to write it.

Based on the scenario above, you’d most likely want your biology teacher to write you a recommendation letter. Also consider anyone who has benefited from your coding or your passion for medicine. Along with picking the right person, let them know who the letter is for and when it's due. Clear instructions will help secure a recommendation letter that shines you in the best light.

Demographics

Admission officers also consider demographics when deciding who to admit. A school's student body must reflect the population in which its students will graduate. All races and ethnicities must be reflected in a school's admissions, including students of different religions, abilities, and socioeconomic backgrounds.

Types of admissions

Once the college admissions officers have decided who to admit, they will send out their offers of admission via letter or sometimes email. There are three main types of admissions that a school will offer:

Accepted

An acceptance letter usually arrives with a pack of other information, such as your financial aid award and room and boarding options. Your confirmation of attendance is typically due by May 1st of that application year, but depending on your school and program, you may be automatically enrolled as a student. It’s essential to confirm your attendance as soon as you can so you can take advantage of the resources available before they are gone.

Deferred

A deferred admissions letter means that you are not accepted or denied. There are various reasons for deferred admission, such as an overwhelming amount of applications, missing paperwork, or your financial aid still being processed. If you receive this letter, take care of anything needing action steps to help move your application.

Denied

If you receive a denied letter, it can be frustrating and disappointing. Feeling this way is okay; it may feel like a step backwards. As much as you want to take it personally, please don’t. As we’ve gone over, many different factors go into the decision-making process for college admission officers each year. Some are entirely out of your control. If you are denied, you can ask the admissions department for feedback to be better prepared should you apply again. You can also take a gap year or enroll at a different college entirely to avoid falling behind.

Final Thoughts

Knowing what a college admissions office is looking for when admitting students is critical. Thankfully, there are many ways you can ensure your application stands out from others, without having to pay the high prices most college admissions counselors charge. With some hard work and proper planning, you can build a college application that will increase your chances of being accepted to your preferred school.