Testing For College Admissions Essay

Thus, even if he was a legacy, admission counselors will carefully look at your application based on the standards given: Academics (GPA, Extracurricular activities, rigor of curriculum); extracurricular activities; essays; and other factors.

Three major traits that college admissions look for is a student’s GPA, ACT score, and class rank. These are also three common requirements for scholarships. These three qualifications are what have cost me from being eligible for many full tuition scholarships. How is it possible for a college to know whether or not I am good enough for full tuition only based on these three traits?

The admission requirements for University of Southern California are rigorous, fastidious, and highly competitive. The admission process takes into a consideration of factors. In addition, only 18.02% of student applications are accepted out of 51920 each school year. Surprisingly USC doesn’t have a preferred GPA range for their applicants but, their average GPA is 3.8 (Naviance). Many students who applied to USC were in the top 10% or at least top 20% of their high school class. Thus, concerning SAT scores, the lowest combined score was a 1910 with the highest being a 2225, and lowest combined score for the ACT was a 29 with the highest being 33 (Naviance). Among other things, an essay is required to be admitted, something that can be taken very serious because it can make or break if you are accepted or not (USC). Along with doing essays, you also need letter of recommendations, its best to get them from

Going to college not only helps you but also the individuals around you. A person works hard to make sure that their application is presentable to the college. Angel B. Perez tells us that we should learn to fail, if we want to go to college. This comes as a shock to many people however, he is correct. As a student we assume that colleges look for an “A+” on a transcript rather than a “B-”. Though they do not. In other words, you don’t have to have 4.0 gpa to get into college.

Colleges have a plethora of ways to judge if a student is going to be successful in their establishment. Bryant University, Holy Cross, and the University of Texas at Austin represent a minute group of schools that have an optional SAT admission, with a thriving student population (Turner 1). These colleges focus on the application,

While applying to colleges, Abigail Fisher had relatively average academic qualifications. She finished high school with a 3.59 GPA and an 1180/1600 on the SAT. Because her GPA did not place her in the top 10, she was forced the compete in the holistic application review process. In this process, her Personal Achievement Index was calculated (as described in a previous section) and compared to other applicants that weren’t admitted under the top 10% rule. However, her PAI was relatively low compared to other applicants. For the 2008 entering class, 81% were admitted under

For students to get accepted into most institutes, they must pass the admissions requirements that school has placed. Most likely having a decent SAT/ACT score and a good standing GPA is required, along with recommendations and sometimes an essay. However, should colleges really rely on standardized test scores to determine a student’s success in college? One single test should not determine how well a student would do in college or determine whether they should get accepted into that college. Instead, they should remove the requirement for SAT/ACT scores and rely on the student’s high school grade point average. Students build their GPA within four years, and that can determine their effort, focuses, and diligence, as stated by Jada Bah, “SAT/ACT Scores Alone Should Not Predict College Success.” A four-hour test should override a four-year grade.

For many years, standardized tests have been a pillar of college admissions. Students are persuaded to take the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) or the American College Test (ACT) because colleges believe the scores can predict an applicant’s academic success after high school. However, an increasing number of colleges have made reporting test scores optional due to inconsistencies with the tests, many of which have been emphasized by students. These inconsistencies and other problems with test distribution have led to increasing demands for standardized testing to be reformed or become optional in the admissions process. Standardized testing should be eliminated as a criterion for college applicants because the tests have made education less significant, have made scores vary among students with similar academic abilities, and have not contributed a noticeable improvement to children’s intelligence.

Eric Hoover, in “What Colleges Want in an Applicant (Everything)” explains that the college admissions process is very problematic. Many feel the process isn’t fair, focusing too much on testing, financial concerns, alumni status, and other factors that don’t show the type of person each student really is. In fact, several universities, such as Olin’s College of Engineering, have attempted to improve the problem, but for some it seems nearly impossible, or perhaps unnecessary. The hope is to make changes in higher, Ivy League colleges in order to disperse changes beyond.

This chart reveals that Marcela has a chance people with high GPAs and mediocre SAT/ACT scores are accepted. Marcela is a very hardworking and high achieving student who is an excellent student and a vigorous

Imagine a test capable of making or breaking a student's chances of getting into his or her dream college. Imagine a test score that can be easily influenced, but only through thousands of dollars worth of coaching. Now imagine that same test but biased towards certain crowds of students while also being incapable of accurately predicting their futures. Is this the test you want for colleges to use in order to distinguish students? This is the SAT—famous for the unnecessary pressure it presents to students as well as the unfair disadvantages it presents to many others. Since these SAT scores are extremely artificial, SAT tests are not an accurate predictor for future success.

When people are applying for college there is often a misperception; That the applicants think all colleges are looking for is perfection, outstanding grades, and perfect attendance. But in reality colleges are often looking for ones imperfections; the things they are not good at, the subjects they are not strong in, and the not very good

One of the leading proponents of this theory is William Bowen, an economist and former president of Princeton. In a 2009 book called “Crossing the Finish Line,” Bowen and his coauthors found that the harder-to-get-into colleges that they studied had higher graduation rates for all types of students, even those the admissions office might have worried about admitting in the first place.

Creativity is necessary in the world. Creative thinkers are what help push the world forward. Scientists, artists, journalists, are all creative thinkers, yet today’s standardized tests don’t accurately reflect the creativity that students possess. In fact, standardized tests such as ISTEP, ECAs, PSATs, ACTs and SATs, drive students to the breaking point. College requirements are getting stricter, so high school students are forced to buckle down and work harder. But what if you are very creative but yet a poor test taker? Some colleges only accept students based on how well they did on their SAT scores. This rising issue stresses high school students out every year. Colleges need to use various admission criteria other than standardized tests to determine whether or not to accept students.

Admissions decisions are based on overall performance that includes high school GPA, course schedule and ACT/SAT scores. Those who are eligible for regular admission as freshman must have a minimum GPA of 2.5 in high school and an ACT score of 20. Applicants who do not meet these minimum standards will be reviewed for admission on an individual basis. Students who gain admission will enjoy participating in The Huntingdon Plan that includes a free laptop, cheap travel-study, fixed tuition rates and special learning options. These include work-study, internships, preparation programs and student-faculty research opportunities.