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Nowadays,
a college education -- be it at a two-year institution
or four-year institution -- is considered almost as
essential as a high school education once was. College
is where students expand their horizons and hone their
skills. In many cases, it is viewed as the ticket to a
good job and a comfortable lifestyle.
So what does it take to get into a good college?
According to a recent survey of 562 public and private
college nationwide, here's what college admissions
officers look at:
Day-to-day
performance
Colleges
view the courses students take and the grades they
receive throughout high school as a major indication of
how well they might do with higher level coursework. The
best advice to students is to take the toughest courses
they can handle right form the start. Colleges like to
see students stretch themselves over the four years of
high school. For example, a "B" in an advanced
placement course makes a better impression than an
"A" in a regular Regents-level course. Three
years of Regents math and science are better than two,
and four is best of all.
College
board test scores
Eighty-three
percent of the colleges surveyed say that SAT/ACT scores
can have a big influence on students' acceptance. For
this reason, participation in college board prep courses
can be a plus.
Extracurricular
activities
Although
colleges, particularly larger ones, seem more interested
in grades and less with how students have used their
free time, the benefit of extracurriculars is that
students are discovering what they truly love. They are
also learning to juggle, prioritize and manage their
time -- skills they'll definitely need in college as in
life. Where student activities can play a deciding role
is with some of the smaller, private, or specialized
colleges. However, the emphasis should always be on
quality over quantity -- in other words, a commitment to
one to three activities a students really cares about is
better than superficial involvement in seven or
eight.
Community
service/volunteerism
Volunteering
their time, year-round or during the summer, can help
students identify career interests, gain work experience
and apply classroom learning to the outside world. It
also demonstrates a commitment to others and good
citizenship.
Outside
work experience
This
is especially a plus if students show responsibility by
contributing a portion of what they've earned toward
family and/or college expenses instead of spending it
all on luxuries. The added bonus of a job means work
experience and potential references.
Creative
expression
Many
of the smaller or specialized colleges prefer to see how
students express themselves creatively. An innovative
science fair project, a beautifully conceived mural, a
published manuscript, or an entrepreneurial venture are
all meaningful indicators that round out the picture of
the dedication and passion students bring to learning.
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For
permission to reprint this article, please contact the
Capital Region BOCES Communications Service at (518)
464-3960.
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