It is easy for students to look at their grades and expect an acceptance or a rejection to their desired colleges. When I was looking at my credentials in comparison to the stats at many of my desired colleges, I almost didn’t even apply. However, there are a lot of factors that go into the admissions process that many students seem to neglect.

• Admissions officers are looking for people to fit their campuses, not robots

I’ve seen people with perfect SAT scores and loads of extracurricular activities under their belt get rejected from some of the nation's most prestigious institutions. Likewise, I’ve seen students with average test scores get accepted to these same institutions. The reason being, your resume alone will not get you into these schools. Colleges are looking for smart students who mesh well with the culture of the school. They will not automatically press the ‘yes’ button on your application because you fit the school’s average stats. You may get rejected just due to the fact that you would fit well with the school, and there is nothing wrong with that. There are plenty of other colleges who are able to get you where you want to be in life while catering to your specific needs and character. 

• The College Process is COMPLETELY holistic

Back in my junior year, when I became completely obsessed with the idea of attending Pomona, I plugged in my test scores and GPA into one of the generators that notifies you of your chances of attending a college. When the generator came back to me saying 3% I wanted to cry my eyes. Yet, here I am a year later on a full-scholarship there :) What the generator failed to account for was my extracurriculars as well as my essays. In many cases, your essays are what will get you accepted, or off of the waitlist.

• Conclusion

It is important to be realistic, and not cynical, during the application process. Don’t approach application season automatically expecting to fail, but don’t expect your essays to make up for a less-than-acceptable ACT score. Be confident and do not doubt your skills and abilities!