What do you have to do to impress admission officers?

Applying to College
1

<p>Seriously, I’m really confused. Some people say you have to be great in sports, some say you have to be a val, and many say that you have to have a unique EC. Can someone clarify this for me? And what should I do to improve my overall profile?</p>

<p>I am currently a high school SOPHOMORE. The end of the first semester of sophomore year is near and my final GPA is a 3.86. That GPA has lowered my self esteem. =/
Here is what I am taking this year. I live in California (The Bay Area), if that helps.</p>

<p>---------------Colleges----------------------

  1. UC Berkeley</p>

<li><p>UC Davis</p></li>
<li><p>UC Irvine</p></li>
<li><p>Stanford</p></li>
<li><p>Brown (Possiblity)</p></li>
</ol>

<p>-----Courses-----------------------------
Algebra II/Trig
English II- Pre-Honors
Spanish II
Orchestra (I’ve been doing it since 5th grade)
Chemistry I
World History AP</p>

<p>------Stats-------------------------------
GPA: 3.86. (grr)</p>

<p>SAT: Haven’t taken it yet</p>

<p>Class Rank: As of freshman year: 54/594. (OUCH!)</p>

<p>------Extracurricular Activities-------------

  1. Orchestra (planning on doing it for all of high school which is 4 years)</p>

<li><p>Volunteer at hospital ( 200+ hours)</p></li>
<li><p>President of the Asian Club</p></li>
<li><p>CSF/HOSA</p></li>
</ol>

<p>----------Expected course load for junior year----------------------
Honors Pre-Calculus
Honors English III
AP Biology
AP US History
AP Phychology
Orchestra</p>

<h2>Possible GPA for Junior year: 4.86 (Considering I study)</h2>

<p>I am also doing the Princeton Review over the summer to get a great SAT score to compensate for my HORRIBLE GPA. Where did I mess up? What can I do to improve?</p>

<p>If you reply to this; ill chance you.</p>

<pre><code> Thanks!
</code></pre>

2

<p>You stop trying to impress them with things that you think they want to see. Be yourself.
Oh. And your GPA isn’t even bad; shut up.</p>

3

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</p>

<p>Wow, tough crowd. No need for such bluntness. He could very well have had his GPA lowered because of a B or two he didn’t deserve, which is true in my case. </p>

<p>Now, speaking of EC’s and impressing adcoms, I highly suggest you read this article. It will help you understand a lot more in terms of what you should do.</p>

<p>[Study</a> Hacks Blog Archive How to Become a Zen Valedictorian: Decreasing Your Stress Without Decreasing Your Ambition](<a href=“http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/04/18/how-to-become-a-zen-valedictorian-decreasing-your-stress-without-decreasing-your-ambition/]Study”>How to Become a Zen Valedictorian: Decreasing Your Stress Without Decreasing Your Ambition - Cal Newport)</p>

4

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<p>I think xsteven is correct in being blunt. It is obvious from vikram’s posts that he doesn’t understand how admissions work and what committees value. I find it especially amusing that he (like many others on this board) promises to “chance you” back in light of my previous statement. It’s a case of the blind leading the blind. (Now I’m being the blunt one, but vikram you need a wake-up call)</p>

5

<p>Your goal is to find schools that are the best match for you. Adcoms are trying to find the best matches for the school. The intersection of these sets are your acceptances. </p>

<p>Don’t try to impress; it will backfire. Adcoms are way ahead of you.</p>

6

<p>adcoms also like people to be unique. Be a founder of a unique club where you and a bunch of friends go out and do some funny activity/community service. Take up leadership positions wherever offered by your school. Get a job over summer before senior year. Demonstrate interest. Make your college list at the end of your junior year, take a trip with a parent or parents to those schools and request campus tours and interviews at each.</p>

7

<p>^ Great advice, but: Don’t try to become someone you are not. Build on your own strengths. Don’t try to become a leader if you are not one.</p>

8

<p>Follow your own interests, and then apply to the schools that best match you.</p>

9

<p>The UC System, it appears, will continue to play by the GPA + SAT = admission rule book, although they are now allowing applicants to send in extra-curricular profiles, in addition to the two short essays they require. This is more than anything a function of size and resources.</p>

<p>Stanford, Brown, and most privates are going to do a much more holistic review of your application, although with the continuing spike in application numbers, their admissions officers are working incredibly long hours to get the reading done. </p>

<p>It is important to understand how the schools you may apply to review their applications - this may give you a good understanding of what your “chances” may be, although it really is almost impossible to predict nowadays. But you will at least get an idea if you are in the ballpark or not. I firmly believe the admissions process at any particular school is usually representative of the kind of education you will get there - it’s either by the numbers/sink or swim or up close and personal. But, as someone else mentioned, the most important thing is to pursue your own interests and curiosities and keep up the good work in your advanced academic courses. Admissions officers know easily when a student’s interests and activities are sincere and when they are simply for resume-padding. </p>

<p>One thing to keep in mind, though…you are from California, specifically the Bay Area. The UCs and Stanford certainly do not have a shortage of students from this area. If you restrict your search to only CA schools, you will more than likely have fewer options from which to choose. Would you rather have the opportunity to say “no thanks” to many schools or the opportunity to say “yes i’m coming” from a choice of only 2 or 3 schools? Schools do like geographic diversity - applying mostly to schools in your home state/area could restrict your options substantially.</p>

10

<p>What do you have to do to impress admission officers?</p>

<p>To impress a particular school maybe show your high interest in the school. Such as making a school visit, participating in their summer programs, signing up for mailing list, perhaps even know the history of the school.</p>

11

<p>One word: </p>

<p>Commitment.</p>

<p>Oh, and stellar results in the form of national-or local-accolades.</p>

12

<p>write good stuff, be passionate in ECs</p>

13

<p>and get good grades, test scores, etc</p>

14

<p>3.86 is definitely not horrible…</p>