| America's colleges and universities no longer have | | | | includes Honors and Advanced Placement (AP) |
| enough room to accommodate all the qualified | | | | classes. Electives such as Art, Physical Education, |
| students who apply. As a result, schools are | | | | Music and Computer Programming are of less |
| forced to reject far more applicants than they | | | | importance and should only be taken in |
| accept. The goal of admissions committees is to | | | | conjunction with the core subjects. |
| weed out the qualified masses and fill their halls | | | | Students should take as many Honors and AP |
| with resourceful, well-rounded acceptable students. | | | | classes as possible. The risk/reward ratio comes |
| In today's highly competitive college admissions | | | | into play here. Colleges are looking for students |
| process, knowing how to present a student to be | | | | who take risks and challenge themselves |
| acceptable not only substantially increases the | | | | academically and otherwise. The bonus for earning |
| chances of being admitted, but is an essential | | | | an 'A' or 'B' or even a 'C' is that it adds extra |
| factor for success after college. | | | | points to the GPA and gives the student that |
| No one knows exactly how every school goes | | | | all-important edge in admissions. |
| about the acceptance and elimination process, and | | | | Receiving an 'A' in a non-honors class is not as |
| no two schools follow exactly the same guidelines. | | | | impressive as earning a 'B' in an Honors or AP |
| However, it's safe to assume that they go about | | | | class. It demonstrates that the student took a |
| their arduous task something like this: | | | | risk and therefore a greater accomplishment is |
| First, the admissions committee assembles around | | | | perceived. Admissions officers are as impressed |
| a large conference table. Everyone is handed a | | | | by the challenge taken as they are with the result. |
| huge pile of folders containing student transcripts, | | | | I'm certainly not suggesting that any student |
| applications, essays, and countless letters of | | | | become stressed out by taking classes they are |
| recommendations. No more than 15 to 20 minutes | | | | not capable of doing well in, or working beyond |
| is likely spent on any one applicant! They then | | | | reasonable limits. However, for families with an |
| begin to eliminate unqualified students - those | | | | exceptionally bright child, it is highly recommended |
| deficient in the numbers. | | | | that they take as many advanced courses as |
| Next, they look for professionally prepared | | | | they can comfortably handle. An outstanding |
| applications with thought provoking, interesting, | | | | academic record has always been and is still the |
| and grammatically flawless essays. They are most | | | | greatest bargaining chip. |
| impressed with student resumes dating back ten | | | | Students should also pursue extracurricular |
| years, detailing academic life, extra curricular | | | | activities such as clubbing, not to be confused |
| activities including community service hours, and a | | | | with staying out all night partying. Membership in |
| cleverly written special essay, perhaps entitled, | | | | the Debate Club, Student Council, Key Club and |
| "Why I Must Attend The University of..." | | | | the like is one of the absolute necessities to |
| Admissions committees are ever on the alert for | | | | becoming a well-rounded, acceptable student. Even |
| uniquely talented students in the arts, or those | | | | more beneficial, the student should hold office or |
| having demonstrated exceptional athletic potential. | | | | take on a leadership role in as many of these |
| These factors all weigh heavily in the final decision. | | | | clubs as possible. Leadership demonstrates taking |
| You cannot give birth to an acceptable student, | | | | a risk and assuming responsibility. |
| nor can you adopt one, and I've never seen one | | | | Even students who are super athletes need some |
| listed in any mail order catalogue I've ever read. | | | | diversity, as sports alone is not enough. Students |
| Acceptable students are made, not born, by | | | | need to avoid the impression that they are |
| families determined to see their children successful | | | | one-dimensional, and do whatever is necessary to |
| in life. To create one; to insure pre-high schoolers | | | | portray themselves as multi-faceted. |
| have every possible advantage to succeed and | | | | Early on, students must also begin to accumulate |
| go on to their college of choice, the stage must | | | | community service or volunteer hours. However, |
| be set early in preparation for the high school | | | | don't confuse extracurricular activities with |
| years. | | | | volunteer work. I define extracurricular activities |
| If the student's home is a circus, and not | | | | as in-school participation. Community service takes |
| conducive to studying, it's time for some major | | | | place outside of school, i.e. scouting, working for |
| changes. Students must have access to a | | | | one's house of worship, working with AIDS and |
| comfortable place to study with virtually no | | | | or Alzheimer's patients, seniors, hospice, |
| distractions. A bare minimum of 1½ to 2 | | | | involvement with the handicapped, and |
| hours each night should be devoted to | | | | environmental work such as cleaning up beaches |
| schoolwork, and students should maintain a normal | | | | or highways. |
| daily routine including a healthy diet and eight hours | | | | By participating in volunteer work with financially, |
| of sleep. | | | | emotionally and/or intellectually challenged people, |
| Ideally, college-bound students should not be left | | | | students demonstrate their compassion and |
| alone without supervision for long periods of time, | | | | empathy for others, and this will make them shine |
| certainly no longer than 24 hours! They should not | | | | with admissions officers. Working with those who |
| spend more than 15 hours each week on | | | | are less fortunate also gives the student a much |
| non-academic activities, and would be ill-advised to | | | | broader idea of how life is outside their own |
| regularly burn the midnight oil. The benefits of a | | | | environment. |
| good night's rest cannot be overstated. | | | | Every college-bound student needs an edge in the |
| All students should begin by electing to take | | | | admissions process whether they apply to |
| courses with college in mind. By the time they | | | | Harvard or their local state college. Competition is |
| enter the 12th grade, they will have created the | | | | fierce, and the painful truth is - no one really cares |
| right posture to make admission committees | | | | about any student's education except the student |
| stand up and take notice. | | | | and their family. It would be ill-advised and |
| Four years of the core subjects are what all | | | | unrealistic to expect any favors or kindly 'ole |
| colleges are most interested in, unless the student | | | | educators to bend over backwards to ensure the |
| has a special ability as an athlete, vocalist, | | | | success of any student. Academic achievement is |
| musician, or artist. English, Math, a Foreign | | | | rarely an accident, and creating the acceptable |
| Language, Science and History make up the core | | | | student is the sole responsibility of the student |
| Grade Point Average (GPA) or CGPA. There is | | | | and their family. |
| also the Honors Point Average (HPA) which | | | | |