What do colleges look for in an applicant?
While some colleges, generally 2-year community colleges, have clear admission guidelines, most colleges use holistic admissions. This means that they will look at the whole student, not just the numbers that appear on the transcript. Schools using holistic admissions may consider several factors, including: • Test scores – Most 4-year colleges and universities require an ACT or SAT result at a minimum, but they may also require subject specific SAT IIs or other exams. • GPAs – HPSH transcripts include both the weighted and unweighted GPAs, and colleges generally consider both. Some colleges will also calculate more specific GPAs as part of their application review (the GPA of core subjects only, for example). • Rigor – Transcripts will be reviewed for a four-year progression of rigor. Students should not just blindly sign up for all IB classes – getting Ds and Ns in an IB class does not help – but rather select a schedule that is challenging and manageable. This rigor should extend th
