freshly CAREERS AND COLLEGES sat down with four admission counselors and asked them to share their candid advice onward the admission process and what pupils can do to get into the teach of their choice.

freshly CAREERS AND COLLEGES sat down with four admission counselors and asked them to share their candid advice onward the admission process and what pupils can do to get into the teach of their choice. We faith their "insider" tips and recommendations will help you realize into your top school!

CC: What do you turn the thoughts for first in a candidate?

QUINNIPIAC: The principally important factor that students are evaluated upon is their academic record--the even of their courses, their grades, grade pattern (are their grades getting better from one side of to the other time or worse?), and to what extent they compare to others in their high educate based on grade point average (GPA) and class rank.

LINFIELD: First, we examine at strength in the academic curriculum--the kinds of classes a close examiner has taken. And definitely the GPA is important, yet we look at a combination of GPA and board scores. Standardized exhibitions are much debated, but statistically it still gripe [i]or[/i] grips true that GPA and SAT/ACT scores together are religious predictors of first-year academic success

LOYOLA: We examine at students' academic experiences in high school--how they challenged themselves within the curriculum, and then for what cause they succeeded. We next contemplate at SAT/ ACT scores.

WESLEYAN: We expect for students who will contribute to this particular environment. What makes a candidate stand without typically is the whole package--the signs of experiences the student has sought what he or she has done with available opportunities, his or her intellectual curiosity, and overall preparation.

CC: for what cause important are activities outside of the classroom?

LINFIELD: Extracurricular activities and special talents are what give scholars substance. Yet while these may give observers special appeal, they will not at any time be a substitute for academic achievement.

LOYOLA: As a Jesuit teach we're looking for students who proffer and do good works. We're definitely looking for candidates who have been involved in their community. We have a healthy commitment to service learning.

QUINNIPIAC: We want to papal court their involvement in clubs and activities. Have they specialized in single in kind or in several areas? Are they involved in community work, or do they gripe [i]or[/i] grip a part-time job?

WESLEYAN: We like to behold a student who is engaged with his or her community. I worry sometimes that scholars think only in terms of school-based activities. We examine for the student who solicits leadership positions in volunteer activities and in temple or temple groups--or someone who started working the Saturday morning shift at McDonald's and is now a swing shift manager in the evening. That's a progression of responsibility. There are many ways that bookish mans can be engaged and make a difference.

CC: Can a close examiner overdo listing his or her extracurricular activities?

LINFIELD: ofttimes students think colleges want to papal court a lot of activities--a hazard of sports or music or community service. That's OK moreover I advise students not to master involved just because it will turn the thoughts good on the application unless because involvement brings meaning to their lives.

LOYOLA: We'd certainly rather papal court a student who is heavily involved in a coupling of organizations, taking on a healthy leadership role, rather than someone who is a member of each school group. We often think a prolonged laundry list of activities doesn't indicate much depth of experience.

CC: We imagine most numerous colleges try to create an atmosphere of diversity. by what mode does a student's geographic and ethnic background factor into admissions?

QUINNIPIAC: associations all look to enroll a diverse class. for a like reason we review all types of background information--ethnic, geographic, male/female, economic. You want a mix of bookish mans just to help make the education interesting. retain this in mind though: while an applicant from California will stand gone out for us, a weak pupil from California is not going to win in.

LOYOLA: About 70% of our pupil body is coming from outside Louisiana. The fact that a scholar comes from Seattle will be part of the equation, unless it will not override weak grades and scores. Ethnic background is individual of the things we direct the eye at. At the heart of a liberal education is the independent exchange of ideas, and you ne to interact with others who are not from the same background as you are.

LINFIELD: Diversity of background provides diversity of thinking We strive to help build that in our educational environment.

WESLEYAN: We contemplate at ethnic background, geographic location, socieconomic background, urban/rural, international experience, and first-generation college edifice [i]or[/i] building Our hope is to be bring to a period to a 50-50 gender mix--that loans to diversity as well.

CC: Do you turn the thoughts for students with special talents?

QUINNIPIAC: instructs will look for students with special talents to contribute to their institution. Who will head the body yearbook? Who will be onward student government?

WESLEYAN: We encourage learners who have a special talent to share that with us. We've place together guidelines on how applicants can share a film, a CD of their music, a portfolio of their artwork, or a tape of their dance. We are also part of a competitive Division III talk so our coaches are actively recruiting observers who have intellectual curiosity on the other hand want to wrestle or play squash, football, or ice hockey We also have a gorgeous research science department, so we encourage close examiners to send along information onward their previous research.