College Admissions officers try to build a diverse and balanced class of motivated, involved, and qualified students with genuine interests, impressive achievements, interesting talents & experiences, good character and real personalities – with the potential to “fit in” and be an asset to the school.   Passion, intellectual curiosity, maturity, leadership, commitment and energy are particularly important.

The admissions committee looks for evidence of these qualities and achievements in the application, essays, interviews, recommendations, and extracurricular activities.
The most competitive schools have far more qualified applicants than places in the incoming freshman class.   So, it’s critical for even the most qualified candidates to stand out in a positive way.
Here’s what Admissions Officers focus on: