Question: What do colleges look for when deciding whether or not to accept a student?
Answer: Colleges have basic standards for students to apply to their school. These can be found in the college’s handbook. The two main standards are your teen’s grade point average and their SAT scores. If your teenager matches the college’s standards in these two areas, they are welcome to fill out an application.
Colleges then look for memberships in organizations, community service, sports participation, job history, etc. There is often a written essay on debatable topics that will not only tell the college about your teen’s writing skills, but also a little about your teenager’s values and beliefs. Colleges do not want students who will have their nose in a book 100% of the time. In order for the college to be successful they need students that will be active in clubs and events. They want students who will be involved in the campus community. Colleges actively look for these students and accept them into their school.
