Here's what Admissions committees won't tell you about your GPA, class rank, and SAT scores: above a specific level, IT DOESN'T MATTER.
College admissions is a game - and there are rules that many high school students just don't know. As a former Admissions Officer at a Top 20 school, I've had plenty of experience seeing what matters to a student's admissions chances, and what doesn't.
With your GPA, class rank, and SAT, there are only 2 rules that you need to know - following these rules will SAVE A LOT OF TIME during the college admissions process.
1) As long as you're in the top 3-5% of your class, you're fine. Of course, being valedictorian helps - but not as much as you think. There are too many valedictorians these days, and admissions committees value other areas equally if not more
This varies depending on school. If you're at a tougher school, you'll have more latitude.
2) As long as your SAT is above 2100, you're fine. Of course, a perfect SAT score helps. But again - college admissions officers value other areas equally
Now, don't just AIM for a 2100 only. You should aim for a 2400. But my point is that your time and energy can be better spent elsewhere - for instance, in your tennis competitions, your Science Club, and your student government role
As another caveat, it's important to take every AP class and AP test that your school provides. College admissions looks at your transcript - and if it looks like you're not challenging yourself academically, it will hurt.
Follow the rules above, and you'll have a great chance getting into the school of your dreams.
Finally, as I tell everyone and describe in detail in my Hopeless to Harvard book, it's all about telling a great story. You do this not through your test scores, but through your EC commitments, your essays, and so on. - 22783
College admissions is a game - and there are rules that many high school students just don't know. As a former Admissions Officer at a Top 20 school, I've had plenty of experience seeing what matters to a student's admissions chances, and what doesn't.
With your GPA, class rank, and SAT, there are only 2 rules that you need to know - following these rules will SAVE A LOT OF TIME during the college admissions process.
1) As long as you're in the top 3-5% of your class, you're fine. Of course, being valedictorian helps - but not as much as you think. There are too many valedictorians these days, and admissions committees value other areas equally if not more
This varies depending on school. If you're at a tougher school, you'll have more latitude.
2) As long as your SAT is above 2100, you're fine. Of course, a perfect SAT score helps. But again - college admissions officers value other areas equally
Now, don't just AIM for a 2100 only. You should aim for a 2400. But my point is that your time and energy can be better spent elsewhere - for instance, in your tennis competitions, your Science Club, and your student government role
As another caveat, it's important to take every AP class and AP test that your school provides. College admissions looks at your transcript - and if it looks like you're not challenging yourself academically, it will hurt.
Follow the rules above, and you'll have a great chance getting into the school of your dreams.
Finally, as I tell everyone and describe in detail in my Hopeless to Harvard book, it's all about telling a great story. You do this not through your test scores, but through your EC commitments, your essays, and so on. - 22783
About the Author:
John Dorian Chang was a B+ student who got into Harvard, Stanford, and Yale. He then spent 3 years in the Admissions Office. Hopeless To Harvard is my how-to guide on how you can do it too. Click here to discover secrets to Ivy League schools. Discover how to go to Harvard now!
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