Admissions Criteria at Selective Colleges

Wendy Thompson , Bowdoin College

When exploring your interest in applying for a selective college, keep the following in mind:

·        Selective colleges receive many more qualified applicants than they have spaces for

·        Many use a Common Application plus a supplemental essay on a specified topic such as a teacher who has had a significant, positive influence on you

·        Early Decision deadlines are in November, you will hear from the college in mid December.  Some will offer another deadline in January.  At some institutions, approximately 35% of entering class will be accepted during this time.

Criteria

·        Transcript – expect very rigorous courses taken plus performance to match

(First year students typically have taken 4 years each of English, math, social studies, foreign language & 3-4 years of lab sciences)

·        School profile – grading system, courses offered (# of AP-s, honors), average test scores of seniors; helps us understand what applicant took in terms of what was available to take

·        Rank - ¾ of enrolled students who submitted ranks were in the top 5-10% of their high school class

·        Essay – look at content and form; great deal of writing at most selective colleges, so need to see strength in that area

·        Recommendations – 2 teacher; 1 junior, 1 senior year; choose these teachers carefully, as what we are really looking for here is a sense that the teacher has a very strong sense of you as a learner and scholar and can speak to this; what is less helpful is when teachers list your many activities as this information we can get from your application, itself.

·        Interview – recommended, not required; over 100 alumni interviewers nationwide whose interviews carry equal weight with ours

Ø      Offers students yet another opportunity to present themselves and their strengths

Ø      No reason not to interview

Optional SAT policy: 

Why?  Academic program taken, achieved is the best indicator of college success.  Depending on the college, the SAT may not required, but if you submit, colleges will look at it; submit if you think your scores are reflective of you academically

Optional arts & athletic supplements: 

You should submit tapes, videos and/or portfolio, for faculty and coaches to review.

Looking for passionate learners:

Competitive colleges are looking for students who will be involved in class and out, continue to challenge themselves