Colleges with holistic admissions try their best to evaluate each applicant as a complex individual. Rather than focus exclusively on SAT scores, class rank, and high school GPA, holistic college admissions consider additional factors, such as personal statements, supplemental essays, extracurricular activities, student potential, and college letters of recommendation.
While high school GPA and standardized test scores still play a large factor in the admissions process, it is also important to note that — given the rising popularity of test-optional colleges — holistic admissions are now more important than ever.
Colleges want to curate an interesting, diverse student body. This is why college admissions officers are interested in what you have to say about your passions and hobbies. Ultimately, colleges want to admit unique, capable students who will be active, both inside and outside of the classroom. That said, be sure to highlight your interests and personality in your college applications.
So what do college admissions officers look for in an applicant at holistic admissions colleges? Or, in other words, what does a holistic admissions process take into account? There are lots of factors to consider. Most notably, these factors include:
As you can see, some of these factors are hard factors (such as grades and test scores) and some are soft factors (such as passions and interest).
It’s important to note that all factors are not considered equal. Whether or not you receive admission will depend a lot on the specific school and its goals and mission statement.
Grades and test scores are not the only factors considered at holistic colleges. There are lots of other factors to consider. This is why it is important to complete your college applications carefully and thoroughly. Commit yourself fully to each aspect of the application.
Take extra time to polish your personal statement and supplemental essays. Overall, these essays are your best chance to communicate who you are and what you care about.
When you write your college essays, try to infuse your language with a greater sense of your personality. In other words, write the way you speak. Now is not the time to show off your SAT vocabulary. Instead, focus on showing college admissions committees who you are, what you care about, and how you think.
It’s also important to avoid overused college essay topics. Again, your personal statement is your best opportunity to stand out and leave a lasting impression. So try your best to be creative and authentic.
Carefully consider who to ask to write your college letters of recommendation. Ideally, you want to submit personal, highly-detailed letters. Ask someone who knows you well, both inside and outside of the classroom. While teachers are often an obvious choice, it’s okay to think outside the box. You could ask a coach, a mentor, or an internship supervisor.
Letters of recommendation help increase the credibility of your application. In other words, admissions officers want to see that you have people willing to recommend and endorse you as a candidate. They add another dimension to your overall application and help communicate how you are perceived by others. This is especially important when trying to assemble a harmonious incoming class.
Colleges want to admit students who pursue their passions outside of the classroom. They want to admit students who will be involved and engaged in their community. This is why your extracurricular activities list is so important.
Perhaps the most important factor to consider in regards to extracurricular activities is consistency. In other words, college admissions officers want to admit students who fully invest themselves in their passions. Therefore, a student who has participated all four years in an extracurricular activity and holds a leadership role in the club or organization will stand out more than a student who has been involved in a handful of clubs but hasn’t really committed to any one of them.
Cultural diversity must be properly represented in our colleges and universities. In the case of college admissions, diversity may refer to racial background, socioeconomic status, life experiences, personal identities, cultural influences, and more.
Colleges want their students to learn and grow alongside one another. By fostering greater cultural awareness, colleges aim to promote tolerance, provide more balanced access to higher education, as well as help enact social change. After all, education is an equalizer. But only if it can be accessed by all.
Holistic admissions help admit capable students who may otherwise be overlooked, largely due to their low-income or minority status.
At this point you may be wondering, what does “holistic admissions” mean? Or perhaps more specifically, what is “holistic review”? While the general concept may seem straightforward, let’s look at a formal holistic admissions definition.
The Supreme Court defined the term “holistic review” during the 2003 court case Grutter v. Bollinger as a “highly individualized review of each applicant’s file, giving serious consideration to the ways an applicant might contribute to a diverse educational environment.”
In short, holistic review allows colleges to consciously admit diverse students without fear of legal repercussions.
Colleges are eager to assemble diverse, vibrant student bodies. This is easier said than done, however. Schools with holistic admissions admit students according to their individual college mission statements; often these include a desire to foster a greater sense of cultural diversity.
While grades and test scores are hard factors, soft factors — such as student potential and passion — are very subjective. Therefore, to standardize the holistic review process, colleges often employ various models regarding how they review applications. That said, what is a holistic admissions process and what does it look like?
In the past, one college admissions officer may have reviewed a student’s application by themself. The holistic review admissions process, however, often involves several college admissions officers. For example, one admissions officer may review the application and then offer a recommendation, while a second admissions officer makes the final decision. Another process may involve two admissions officers making a recommendation and if their recommendations match, a decision is made; if not, a third admissions officer makes the final decision.
Successfully practicing holistic admissions policies often involves employing diverse admissions panels and offering cultural awareness training. While some colleges have proudly been practicing holistic admissions for over a decade, some colleges are just starting.
The holistic admission process primarily benefits two types of students: students applying to highly-selective colleges such as the Ivy Leagues and students who — for any number of reasons — do not necessarily test well or otherwise have a strong academic background.
Students applying to selective colleges often compete with other equally-qualified students. If the majority of applicants have impressive GPAs and SAT/ACT test scores, how do colleges decide who to admit? The answer is through holistic admissions. Personal statements, supplemental essays, student interviews, college letters of recommendation, and more help students stand out from their peers when applying to Ivy League colleges.
Holistic admissions also benefit low-income and minority students because they consider passion and potential. In other words, a college admissions committee may ask: If this student had access to the right resources, would they be successful? If the answer is yes, college admissions committees may choose to offer this student admission.
The rising popularity of test-optional admissions has reignited an ongoing debate over the fairness of standardized testing. It has also, in many ways, increased the importance of holistic admissions and the many factors they take into account. Many believe that the SAT test and ACT tests give preference to students with privileged backgrounds while discriminating against low-income and minority students.
The reasoning behind this is two-fold: Many claim that the actual test material — i.e. the topics, reading passages, questions, etc. — is biased towards privileged students. The other factor is financial. While wealthier students often have the opportunity to retake exams, employ a tutor, and purchase SAT and ACT study guides, many low-income students do not have these luxuries. In fact, for many, taking the SATs or ACTs once may be a financial burden.
One of the primary objectives of holistic colleges and holistic review is to create more access to higher education. Cultural diversity is not only academically enriching, but it is also necessary. Students need to be presented with diverse values, opinions, and lifestyles to become responsible, globally-minded citizens entering the workforce.
If you began reading this article wondering what is holistic admissions? hopefully, you’ve gathered some insight. Basically, as you assemble your college applications, do your best to complete each section carefully and thoughtfully. Additionally, keep in mind the various factors considered by holistic review colleges.
If you are struggling with any part of the college application process, or feel you could benefit from professional attention, reach out to learn more about our services. Similarly, if you are set on attending an Ivy League college, many students work carefully alongside a college counselor as they prepare their college application materials.
Colleges that use holistic admissions make every effort to examine each candidate as a unique individual. In addition to SAT scores, class rank, and high school GPA, holistic college admissions evaluate personal statements, supplemental essays, extracurricular activities, student potential, and college letters of recommendation.
A personal statement is not the same as a typical high school essay. You do not need to include a formal thesis statement at the end of your introductory paragraph. Use your personal statement to communicate who you are as a person, and avoid using overly technical or intellectual language.
From studying for the SAT to landing an internship, these are valuable experiences you shouldn't miss the summer before senior year.
Utilizing the summer before your senior year of high school is important. This is the best opportunity for you to prepare all of the right documents for college applications. In some cases, you have to have your applications ready to process before your senior year starts. So don’t forget about your deadlines and keep in mind what you want to accomplish before you finish high school.
In this article, we’re going to be addressing the ten best ways for you to utilize your summer in ways you probably haven’t thought of! Here are the best ways to make your last summer in high school count.
One of the reasons you want to make the most of your summer is because college is right around the corner and there is a lot to do. Ideally, you’ll be preparing all of your college and scholarship applications. Not only that but you will also want to incorporate some fun and good summer vacation. Let’s go over some of the best things to do with the summer before your senior year.
When a student is in High School working a job is the last thing on their mind; however, this is a great opportunity to start building your resume. You don’t have to find a job that you’ll be working at forever. But there are plenty of jobs that are looking for summer employees. This is a great option because you get an opportunity to understand the workforce and then also start saving money of your own.
Consider getting a summer job to build your resume and save money for college or extracurricular activities.
Having a summer internship is also an amazing career-building experience. It is like having a job but you would ideally learn more based on your interests. There are paid and unpaid internships that you can find, either way, they are great experiences.
If you can find an internship that aligns with the major you want to pursue in college that is a step in the right direction. There is a lot of growth that can come from getting a summer internship.
Another popular summer pass time is acting as a camp counselor. There are a multitude of opportunities and growing experiences that come with entertaining and teaching younger kids. A camp counselor not only could have a paid summer job, but you are also learning great leadership skills. If you are looking to work with kids in education, this is also a great learning experience on how to wrangle and keep the attention of younger kids.
Giving back to the community is a highly fulfilling way to spend the summer break. Countless nonprofits rely on volunteers to operate and are always looking for helping hands. Whether it’s helping out at the humane society five days a week or doing community cleanup every other weekend, there are volunteer opportunities to fit any schedule. This is an essential part of demonstrating both civic engagement and compassion on applications, but mostly it is a chance for a student to truly grow in character.
One of the most important things is to get a reasonable score on the SAT/ACT test. Most colleges require either of these test scores upon admission. Getting a good score is important, so make sure you study and achieve the score you want.
If not, there is another chance before your senior year starts and the college admission deadline is here. You especially want to make sure that your applications are submitted if you are registering under early admission.
If you haven’t already, one of the first things to accomplish during your summer break is all the colleges that you will apply to. Make sure to finalize your campus tours and decisions on colleges.
We recommend picking 2 target colleges, 2 safe colleges, and 2 dream colleges. These are all broken down by want and security. Which colleges are the best for you and what is the likely hood of you getting in?
Another thing you will want to accomplish during your last summer in high school is gathering all the required documents for applications. The college admissions office is strict on their deadlines, and you don’t want to be a late applicant.
Don’t forget to have multiple college essays ready for different college prompts. You also have to be prepared for any additional documents they might require of you, so make sure to check all the requirements and deadlines ahead of time.
If you haven’t already, check out the majors that you are interested in for each college you plan on applying to. There are different majors based on the college, and it is important to submit your interest upon applying.
Do some extra research on the colleges and what they offer. If you are still planning on going on tours, ask them about all the opportunities they have to achieve your desired major.
Earlier we talked about being camp counselors, but you also have the opportunity to attend a summer camp yourself! There are camps based on the year of high school you’re in that allow you to gain experience in your passion or hobby.
If you have an ideal college that you want to attend, there are even some that host camps to better acclimate you with the environment and major of choice. Camps can be anywhere from weeks to months long. So reach out and have fun!
Lastly, you want to be able to make the most of your last summer in high school. Make memories with your friends and go on adventures that will better you.
Spend your summer following your dreams and passions. Explore yourself and different hobbies that you have an interest in. You will be a better well developed individual if you follow your interests.
No matter how you choose to spend your summer, make sure that it is what you want to do! Whether that is getting a job and saving money or spending time abroad with your friends. Make sure not to miss any college deadlines, and focus on finishing your senior year with a bang!
If at all you need help with college admissions or want career advice, Prepory is here to help you with it all! Contact our experienced counselors and get on the right path to success.
