Dear Mr. Bradshaw,
I am in the second semester of my freshman year in high school. I have straight As, and I am active in several extracurricular clubs. My grandmother cuts out your columns and sends them to me. She pointed out that you stress early planning for those of us who are eager to get into an elite college or university. What do you suggest that I do to strengthen my chances of admission to a top school?
Sincerely,
Freshman
Dear Freshman,
It is always best to begin your college search with your school counselor. Ask for their assistance in planning a program that reflects your academic and career interests. Inevitably, there will be difficult decisions to make about what courses to take and how to balance your schoolwork and your extracurricular pursuits. Be honest with yourself when deciding among your high school courses. Are you choosing a particular course because you are truly excited about the course content or are you motivated by a desire to avoid a more difficult subject?
I suggest that you take an inventory of your academic interests and work with your counselor to design a program that will “feed” your interests. It is highly unlikely that top-tier schools will downgrade an application simply because of the absence of a particular advanced placement class. However, transcripts that reflect a broad range of interests (including extracurricular) that have shaped a student’s intellectual curiosity and personality will resonate with the admissions folks. Colleges review high school transcripts as a whole and add to that personal recommendations, test scores and extracurricular activities. They consider each application as a comprehensive overview of a particular student.
Schools look for consistency and intellectual rigor. The best way to show your commitment to academics is by taking the most challenging classes and a full course load all four years of high school. If you push yourself to excel through your senior year, it is a good sign you will do the same in college.
It might surprise you to know that many top colleges do not have specific entrance requirements. It is best to thoroughly research each school you might wish to attend. For example, Yale does not require a foreign language in high school, but, as a general rule, their admissions people look for prospective students who try to take courses each year in English, science, math, the social sciences and foreign languages. Yale offers the following advice to high school students planning their class schedules:
Ask yourself if:
* you are taking a well-balanced academic program that will provide you with a good foundation for college?
* you are preparing yourself to take college-level math, writing and science?
* you feel challenged by the courses you are taking?
* you are seeking a challenge or avoiding it?
* Your four-year high school program is among the most challenging available at your school?
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Keep these questions in mind when planning your high school schedules, and always strive for academic excellence.
Remember that a healthy balance between course work and extracurricular activities will be looked upon favorably by all top colleges.
Consider making college visits beginning in your sophomore year and start planning your SAT test sittings then as well. You can take the PSAT as a sophomore and by getting an early assessment of your strengths you can address any weaknesses before sitting for the SAT.
Gerald Bradshaw is an international college admissions consultant with Bradshaw College Consulting in Crown Point.