University Selection Process: Main Criteria

Published 08 September 2022 at 13:00

Tickikids Blog Hong Kong >  digest >  University Selection Process: Main Criteria

Students all around the world submit their applications to get enrolled in the universities they want to study at. Once you click on the ‘submit’ button, the most anxious part comes – waiting for the decision. It takes weeks for most universities to decide on who they’ll accept to study with them, which can be a torture for a student. 

At this point, you need to worry about everything including where you’ll apply, what you’ll write in your application, as well as prepare for the challenge that comes with university studies. You are looking at many different subjects, hours of classes every day, as well as endless essays and research paper projects. Thankfully, once you get enrolled in school, you can boost the teacher comments for students’ writing by asking experts for professional university assignment help. Basically, you’ll be using the secret spell for good grades by hiring others to write the tasks you cannot complete on time. 

But, before you start thinking about how professors are grading college papers or what you should do to get on their good side, you need to be accepted in the school of your choice. Even with the best qualification, it can be hard to get selected in, let’s say, the top 5 US universities with the program you like. 

That being said, you should learn everything you can about the selection process at schools and what criteria admission people use to choose the new students. This will help you decide how to apply and impress. We’ll discuss all that here. 

What Are the Most Important Factors in College Admissions?

The National Association for College Admission Counseling states that the top three factors for admissions at universities are high GPA, grades in Advanced Placement, and the complexity of the student’s curriculum.

But, that doesn’t stop here. Your grades or where you studied previously make for just a small portion of the decision of admission officers. Most colleges and universities are looking at a bucket of characteristics, skills and experiences. 

Admission officers today get more applications than ever. That being said, they look further than just grades or good previous education. They are interested to know what you’ve learned and accomplished so far, and even what your story is. The idea is to show them how you can make their university better by studying there. 

That being said, let’s take a look at the criteria that schools are considering these days. 

SAT and ACT scores

Even the less selective universities and colleges these days have the admission tests. These help them eliminate many of the candidates from the start. Depending on the rating of the school, as well as their criteria for the year, you’ll need a certain number of points on these tests. 

This is the first thing to consider. In most cases, your extracurricular and other skills won't even be considered unless you pass the SAT or ACT with the minimum points required. 

Grades and scores remain the number one criteria for university selection. Less selective colleges might not require other details, but in most cases, these scores are used for placement. 

Extracurricular

Schools want to know what you’re passionate about. This shows them if you will be involved in the education they offer to you, and how you can contribute to the university. 

Now, it depends on what program you wish to enroll into when it comes to showcasing extracurriculars. If you, for example, want to study journalism, you might want to talk about your freelancing experience for media outlets like your local newspaper or online sources. 

If you talk about everything you’ve accomplished, even the things that are completely unrelated to the program you want to enroll in, this won’t yield the results you strive for. 

Image Credit: Unsplash

Letters of Recommendation

The more selective universities will require letters of recommendation from professors at your previous school, peers, people you’ve worked with, companies you’ve volunteered or worked at, etc. These can help you become more distinguished in the eyes of the admission officers. Good letters of recommendation show that you are a great candidate and confirm what the officers have read in your application so far. 

Personal Statements and Admission Essays

Many of the universities these days add this in their selection process. You cannot apply to study at these universities without delivering an admission essay, a personal statement – or both. Some might even require admission videos to meet you better and be able to determine if you are a good fit for the school. 

The quality of your admission essay and your personal statement are vital to your success when you apply at more selective universities. Keep in mind that highly successful students apply to study in these schools. The thing that makes one student a better choice than the other is not the grades, but the unique essay and the convincing personal statement that raises interest in the admission board. 

It can be challenging to write these two things since you’d be writing about yourself. These need to be engaging and unique, and still meet the requirements and expectations of a board at a university level. That being said, if a personal statement/ admission essay is required at the schools you want to study at, tackle them all individually – and with utmost care. 

Personal Interviews

Finally, schools can conduct personal interviews face-to-face with the few candidates that are considered best. If you did the things above well, you might get in this circle and be invited for a personal interview.

Keep in mind that, even at this point, your application can still be rejected. Schools have a limited number of spaces to offer to new students, and this is often the final piece of the puzzle they need to make their eliminations. 

Wrapping Up

Now that you know what universities are looking into, you’ll be able to focus on what is important. Prepare for each stage in case it comes up, dedicate time on creating a great application, and good luck!