College Counseling FAQ

1. GPA - Colleges review both weighted and unweighted GPA.
2. Rigor - They evaluate the challenge of a student's coursework.
3. Test Scores - ACT/SAT

Take five core academic courses whenever possible:

• English
• Math
• Science
• Social Studies
• World Language
• Academic electives in these areas (see course catalog)

Not necessarily. Choose a schedule that challenges your students while allowing them to be successful. Know your student's strengths.

A hard-earned B in an AP class is something to be proud of. However, colleges that have highly competitive admissions expect an A in honors and/or AP courses.

If applying to highly selective colleges, consider an academic elective if it fits your student's interests and strengths.

Three years is recommended. Four years is encouraged for highly competitive colleges. Majority of colleges in state only require 2 years of a world language

Each college receives our School Profile, which provides context about course offerings, grading, GPA averages, and academic rigor.

Yes. Many colleges are returning to requiring or recommending SAT/ACT scores to help compare applicants.

After completing Algebra II, if possible. Take a practice SAT and ACT first to determine the better fit. Many colleges superscore.

Colleges have many different institution goals that change from year to year depending on a lot of different factors. Some examples are major, athletics, geography and housing.Most of the time this information is not available or known when students are applying.

Quality is more important than quantity. Colleges value commitment, leadership, growth, meaningful contributions, and long-term involvement.

Absolutely! Jobs demonstrate responsibility, work ethic, initiative, and time management, making them an excellent differentiator.

There is not a standard time frame that colleges use to review applications, however for colleges that do a holistic review the allotted time per application is less than 10 minutes. It is important that students take the time to make their applications thoughtful and impactful.

Start early. Visiting a variety of campuses helps students identify the environment that best fits them. Junior year is the most common year students visit as they are identifying the characteristics they want in their college experience. Sophomores who have already identified their college interests might be ready to start exploring college options.

Yes. A dedicated email helps keep college communications organized and prevents important messages from getting lost.

Yes. Coursework and activities that support a student's intended major help create a consistent application story. How it impacts admissions depends on the college. Most of the time students do not know what they want to major in so this is only a factor for those students who know their passions early. 

Plan ahead. Thoughtful course selection beginning in 9th grade helps keep college options open and prevents missed opportunities later.