College Admissions Officers: No longer in power!

Which school is the best match for me? This is a question that haunts most students going through the college admissions process. Choosing a college is one of the biggest decisions students have to make. What makes a college a good match? Many factors can be mixed and matched in considering which school would be the best fit for each individual student: academic programs, sports programs, social scene, extra-curricular activities, and school credentials. Each student needs to evaluate his or her own personal education needs to make sure the correct choice is made.

For example, each student should not only look at the college as a whole, but take a closer look into the specific field of study that interests him or her to see if that smaller community within the college would meet the specific needs of that particular student. A school’s credentials might be important to someone who is looking ahead to medical or law school. Bigger name schools with higher credentials are more accepted by these specialty schools than are smaller schools.

If students need to take all of these issues into account when thinking about college admissions, why shouldn’t colleges do the same when deciding which students to accept onto their campuses? College admissions offices in the past have only looked at grades and test scores to determine which students they wanted at their school. But students should be more than just a number. There are many factors for students to consider when picking a school; similarly, there are many factors schools should consider when picking students.

Well-rounded students are more likely to succeed in the real world after college than those who are only focused on school and academics. Grades and test scores don’t show enough about students to determine who is well-rounded and who isn’t. College admissions offices around the country have been looking for new ways to evaluate applicants.

When I was going through the college admissions process, the big thing in applicant evaluation was interviews and weekend retreats. I spent an entire weekend with a bunch of other prospective students participating in a variety of activities, including an interview. During this weekend retreat, college admissions officials watched us very closely to see how we interacted with the other prospective students in different situations. The interview portion of the weekend was to see what our attitudes and views about college and education were. They took their observations, our interview answers, and our grades and test scores, and based upon all this data, they made their decision as to who would be admitted to their school and who would be forced to look elsewhere.

College admissions processes are still a work in progress. Many schools nationwide are looking for new ideas to improve the way they deal with college admissions, trying to find a way to make prospective students more than just grades and test scores. With so many applicants, it makes it very difficult for college admissions offices to look at each student in depth. A quicker way to filter through student applications would be an ideal way to better the process.

Modern technology has helped to ease the stress of college admissions for both students and colleges. Online applications have made the process much easier for students. It is also widening the horizons for college admissions offices in their search for fresh new ways to look at applicants.

Larissa Luke is an independent writer for ioVentures, Inc. You are more than a test score. Simplify the college admissions process at Zinch.com. It’s not your average college search. Create your own online portfolio and showcase yourself to any college in America. Find a college today.

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