Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Get Accepted Into A Good College

Go about the admissions process correctly, and get that large acceptance packet in the mail!








If you want to get accepted to a good college, kudos for doing some research. The fact that you care enough to put out effort to try to get into a good college is a positive sign. The definition of a good college might vary depending on whether you have hopes of attending an ivy league college or a highly rated private college. Tailor this advice to your circumstances so you can increase your chances of getting into the school you rated number one.








Instructions


1. Keep you Grade Point Average (GPA) at least above a 3.0 and ideally above a 3.5. Your GPA is calculated by the grades you receive in high school. If your GPA is above a 3.0, that means that you are an A student. Being an A student shows admissions counselors that you have a driven personality and want to succeed academically. They will also take into account what percentile in your class you are. Being in the top 30th - 15th percentile of your class is ideal. You can be in the top percentile of your class if you are competitive with the grades you receive. Avoid taking simple classes to get your GPA to be higher. They notice whether you take Advanced Placement classes, and they want to see that you are stretching yourself intellectually.


2. Set a goal to get an ACT score above 30 and an SAT score above 1200. Those scores meet the average requirements for the majority of good colleges. According to a collegeplanningsimplified.com article called "Tips on Getting into a Highly Selective College," you should try to get a 700 or 800 on each part of the SAT to get into a highly selective school. If you do not meet your goal scores, do not panic. ACT and SAT scores are only part of the admissions process. Buying an ACT/SAT preparation book helps many students know what the tests cover. You can also take a course on taking the ACT and SAT to help you practice. Plenty of practice tests starting your freshmen year of high school might get you to go above your goal score.


3. Make your participation in extracurricular activities count. Joining several different types of clubs shows admissions counselors that you have varied interests. For instance, consider joining a language club, student government, and a sport. Having academic, political and athletic goals is a strong sign to admissions counselors. Since you want your participation to be worth speaking about in college interviews, you might not want to join too many clubs. Avoiding overexerting yourself gives you time to focus on grades too.

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