WHAT KIND OF STUDENT DO THE COLLEGES WANT?

When you are considering what colleges are seeking in their prospective students, realize that the more selective schools typically receive many, many more (sometimes thousands more) applications from qualified students than they can possibly accept. This means that these colleges are denying admission to "acceptable" students: many with high SAT scores and near-perfect grade point averages.

Most admission offices think not in terms of a large applicant "pool," but in terms of many smaller applicant "puddles," all of which have their demanding college constituencies. High grades and test scores mean better statistics in the next issue of U.S. News and World Report, and that makes the President happy. The coaches are looking for good athletes. The band director needs a new clarinet player. The development office is reviewing the applicants for hidden fortunes. The minority student population is not large enough and diversity is important. Perhaps you are applying to a college one of your parents attended. You will be put into a special pool for legacies. The examples of divergence from the "usual" process could go on and on.

Having acknowledged that there are, then, always special factors coming into play, one can nevertheless consider the following several factors which are considered in the admission process at most colleges. They are discussed in more detail in the following sections.