Colleges' requirements almost unchanged

Q: I am a 12th-grader, and I'm worried I will be rejected by the colleges that I really want to attend. Can you give me some advice?

A: This time of year, I think almost all college applicants are nervous. It seems like your fate is in the hands of some faceless admissions committee sitting around a table haphazardly deciding who will be accepted to their wonderful school.

However, this is not the case. Colleges and universities take their admissions responsibilities very seriously, and there is some method to their madness.

Although every year colleges' needs may change slightly (this year College X may need a power-hitting shortstop, next year College X may need a trumpet player for the marching band), for the most part colleges are looking for the same attributes in their applicants.

These attributes include, but are not limited to, a strong high school transcript, good SAT or ACT scores, dedication to extracurricular activities, an excellent application essay and strong letters of recommendation. Obviously the required strengths of these attrib

utes vary with the admissions standards of the colleges.

A strength in one area, for example, may make up for a weakness in another area; grades that are considered mediocre for an Ivy League school may be more than sufficient for a lesser-known college.

Hopefully, you met with a college counselor and put together a list of colleges to apply to that included some reach schools, some target schools and some safety schools. If you did this, you shouldn't have too much to worry about. And for all those 11th-graders out there (or parents of 11th-graders), I would recommend meeting with a college counselor now to begin the college admissions process and hopefully alleviate some of the stress that is felt around this time of year by those applicants who may have haphazardly applied to colleges.

Additionally, a healthy way to view college admissions is that everything happens for a reason. If you are not accepted to your first-choice college, maybe you just weren't meant to go there. The reasons may not seem obvious now, but they will probably become obvious as you mature and learn more about this process. Maybe being rejected by your first-choice college will open your eyes to another school that you didn't really consider, but that might be a better choice for you.

When the decision letters arrive, realize that the colleges do not have all the power. If you truly don't like any of the schools you've been accepted to, take a gap year and reapply next year.

In the meantime, try to keep your stress level down - do yoga, hang out with your friends, read, go to the movies, anything to keep from obsessing about college admissions. My observation is that the main determinant of success is the student, not the college.

http://www.paloaltodailynews.com/article/2008-3-22-on-college
Reprinted by permission, Palo Alto Daily News. Jason Katz ©3.22.2008 All rights reserved. This article may be printed for your personal use, but may not be reprinted in whole or in part in any publication or website without permission. www.jkatzcollegecounseling.com