Applying to Competitive Colleges
John Baran
Gifted Resource Teacher
Monticello High School
What are competitive colleges?
• High student selectivity based on acceptance
rate, high school class standing (top 10%), and
SAT scores.
• To be ranked nationally, schools have high
student selectivity, high academic reputation
as rated by academics and industry, faculty
resources, student graduation and retention,
and financial resources.
Top 10 Most Selective Colleges
School
Fall 2013 Acceptance Rates
Stanford
5.1%
Harvard
6.0%
Yale
6.3%
Columbia
7.0%
Princeton
7.4%
MIT
7.9%
USNA
7.9%
Brown
8.7%
Cal Tech
8.8%
U Chicago
8.8%
Competitive Colleges in VA
• Public institutions
considered competitive:
UVA, William and Mary,
JMU, Virginia Tech (in
areas such as
Engineering).
• US News also ranks
stellar regional and
small independent
schools such as Hollins,
Randolph Macon
Women's College,
Hampden-Sydney,
Washington and Lee,
Roanoke College,
University of Richmond.
Resources
• Big Future by the College Board
• State Council of Higher Education in Virginia
• National Center for Education Statistics
Other Perspectives
• "Why Your Kid's Shouldn't Go to Harvard (Even
If They Could Get In)” by Marty Nemko
• Don’t Send Your Kids to the Ivy League by
William Deresiewicz
• Who Needs Harvard? By Gregg Easterbrook
• Looking Beyond the Ivy League by Loren Pope
– Available from the IS Lab lending library
What are competitive colleges
looking for in a student applicant?
(1) Rigor in Program
• Students should take the
most rigorous and
challenging program
available to them at their
high school (Honors or
AP).
• Why? Recent DOE study
showed that the single
most important predictor
of success in college was
the rigor of their
secondary education
program.
• "try first, adjust when
needed."
– Students should enroll
in the highest level
classes, work with
teachers and guidance
on planning & work
strategies, and assess
the workload impact on
their lives after
attempting the program.
Rigor in Program (cont…)
• Most competitive colleges
prefer AP classes to dual
enrollment classes (unless
those dual enrollment
classes are taken locally at a
competitive college such as
UVA.)
• Competitive colleges view
the nationally developed
curriculums of the College
Board as more rigorous that
the typical community
college course.
• Students should retain rigor
throughout their high
school career, including
their senior year, carrying
core courses at the highest
level offered and electives
that show challenge and
interest.
Core Course Paths for Students
Targeting 4-year Competitive
Colleges
Note: Commas denote options (“or”),
Slashes denote taking courses in
successive semesters (“and”)
UVA
2014 AVG
# pinnacle
classes
UVA
5.89
2013 AVG
# pinnacle
classes
5.85
CHANGE
0.04
2014
MODE
6
W&M
2014 AVG
5.93
2013 AVG
5.75
CHANGE
0.18
2014
MODE
6
VT
2014 AVG
5.88
2013 AVG
5.48
CHANGE
0.40
2014
MODE
6
JMU
2014 AVG
5.33
2013 AVG
5.11
CHANGE
0.22
2014
MODE
6
(2) Initiative
• Students should be able
to show by their
involvement in
extracurricular activities,
community involvement,
intern/work, or summer
study/work that they are
interested in expanding
their mind. However,
over-involvement - or
"joiners" may be frowned
upon.
• Competitive colleges look
for leadership capabilities
in their students. This
does not mean all
students should be
president of their student
bodies, but that they
show commitment and
follow-through in areas of
talent and interest.
• Summer Opportunities
(3) Written Communication
• Written communication skills are highly valued. Competitive
colleges DO read the essays, and the essays are a factor in
admission.
• They are not looking for glitzy, commercially polished pieces.
They are looking for real, communicative writing that show
insight into the applicant's life and views.
• 2014 College Essay Lesson
(4) Tests Scores, GPA, & Class Rank
• Although competitive
colleges view test scores
(SAT and ACT) as indicators
of ability, they often do not
have firm "cut-off" scores.
Test scores are viewed as
"part of the package" in
looking at the overall
suitability of the applicant
for the college.
• “Test optional” or “test
flexible”
• MHS sends weighted and unweighted GPAs to schools.
Weighted GPAs factor in Honors,
AP, and dual enrollment courses
on a 5-point scale (as opposed to
the regular 4-point scale).
• Monticello High School and
Albemarle County Public Schools
eliminated class rank with the
2014-2015 school year.
Admission officers have indicated
that a substantial number of
school districts no longer rank
students.
Should my child take the SAT II exams? If
so, which ones and when?
• Many competitive school require one or two
(or more) SAT II "subject" exams, but the
requirements vary widely. Check with
prospective schools.
Students should take the SAT II subject exams
immediately following completion of the
course.
Contact Information
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Room: P101 Office: P101A
Extension: 61381
Direct Line: (434) 244-3121
Fax: (434) 244-3104
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: http://tinyurl.com/JCBGRT