The Guru on MyCollege Guide.org is a unique college resource that speaks directly to your questions and concerns - no form letter replies and no generalizations. If you have a question or problem concerning college admissions, the Guru can help!
Ask the Guru a question.Understand the Admissions Process
Thanks for taking the time to read my question! I am currently a rising senior in high school. I scored an 1870 on the new SAT, have an unweighted GPA of 3.8 and am very involved in extracurriculars. For example, I am the president and founder of my school's Young Democrats Club and am completing internships under the Speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates and under the local teacher's union. By the time I finish high school, I will have taken 6 AP classes along with 15 honors classes. I have a list of several schools I'm interested in. I was wondering, how many reach schools should I apply to? I'm working with a private SAT tutor to bring up the SAT scores, what other advice would you have for me to make my application more desirable to a school like Georgetown? Finally, would I be considered a legacy at a school if my grandfather attended it?
It sounds like you're doing all of the right things! You have a strong record and should be in the running at a number of fine schools. In response to your specific questions, the only thing I can think of that you could do to possibly improve your chance of getting into a top school is to take the SAT again. You have a very good score, but if you think you could raise it a total of 100 points or so you probably would improve your chances at some of the top schools. It's hard to say how many "reach" schools you should apply to. I think you just need to decide which ones you would really like to go to. A number in the 2 to 4 range comes to mind, but, again, that's a personal choice. I don't know if financial considerations affect you, but, as you know, schools charge an application fee. As far as your legacy question, that depends on the school. Some schools will give a preference to legacies, so you need to check directly with the schools you have in mind.
I just received my AP exam scores in the mail. I got a 3 in U.S. History but only a 1 in chemistry and physics. I realize that colleges are going to look at all of my scores, but if I did well in the actual class (high A's to mid B's), will the scores be a deciding factor for admission? Would I have been better to have just not taken those two exams, or are colleges going to appreciate the risk, even if the outcome was bad? Also, one specific college I am looking at for early decision only accepts 4's and 5's. Next year, should I only take the exams that I feel confident I can receive those scores in? I don't want to take the exam for every AP class I take if it's actually going to hurt me in the long run!
Colleges will give greater weight to your actual grades in the classes than to your AP scores, at least for admissions purposes. (Course placement is another matter; most colleges won’t give credit for anything below a 3.) Having said that, I would recommend taking only those AP exams you feel confident about in the future. It looks much better to have fewer, higher AP scores than a bunch of lower scores. In a nutshell; Don’t worry about the scores you’ve already received, but take only the exams you feel confident about this coming year.
I will be applying to college in the fall, and am nervous about being accepted to my top choice schools. I currently have a 3.8 GPA and am taking AP and honors courses, and I am very involved in sports, Girl Scouts, and the local Boys and Girls Club. My problem is that I have never been very involved with in-school activities because of my commitments outside of school. Is lack of involvement in school sports and clubs looked upon poorly by colleges? Also, I know that the National Honor Society is well respected, but my school's policy on accepting students to it is that you need 72 in-school service hours. As I explained above, I don't have the necessary hours and therefore wasn't able to be in NHS. Should I mention this to the colleges I apply to? Thank you for any help.
First of all, without knowing your test scores, it's hard to say what your overall chances are at any particular school. My own feeling on this is that colleges care much more about the depth of your commitment to outside activities rather than the breadth. They would rather you be involved in just a few activities and devote meaningful time, rather than have more actitivites but not devote much time to any of them. Therefore, I think should be fine with the acitivites you have, assuming you devote some significant time to them (by the way, I also assume that the reference to "sports" means some type of organized league rather than just some "pick-up" games). I probably would mention on your college application that, while you would be eligible for NHS, your commitments to various activities outside of school prevented you from being involved with NHS. Of course, I'd be sure to also tell the colleges about the extent of your involvement in sports outside of school and the scouts and some of the positive benefits you've received from your participation. Good luck!
I have a few questions. When is the best time to find financial aid and where can i find applications for these? Also, when is the best time to tour colleges and is it required to get an interview?
You should start investigating financial aid opportunities, particularly merit-based scholarships and grants, in the second semester of your junior year. You'll probably need to start applying in the first semester of your senior year. Of course, you should follow the specific requirements prescribed for any particular source of aid. With regard to touring colleges, there are basically two approaches to take. One way is to visit schools in the first semester of your senior year and before you apply to find out which schools you might like to attend. Other people prefer to wait to see where they've been accepted before visiting on the theory that there's no use in visiting a school until you know you've been accepted there. Which way you go on this depends on your budget and time constraints, but I think the second approach makes a little more sense. However, it's a personal decision and there's no right or wrong answer except, obviously, to visit a school you're considering before you have to respond to an offer of admission. Also, if you're applying for early decision to a school, you certainly should visit the school before you apply since by applying early decision you're aggreing to accept an offer of admission should it be made. You don't want to agree to that without being sure it's the school you want to attend. As for interviews, most schools do not require them. If you want an interview you usually have to request it. If you're on the borderline with a particular school, an inverview could be something to consider.
I'm a junior in high school. My GPA in high school so far is 4.0. My SAT scores were 1590 but the guidance conselors told me to take the new SAT as well. Do I need to take the new SAT?
I would check with the colleges to which you are applying to see if they accept scores from either the old or new SAT. Many will accept a combination of the new and old. If they accept scores from the old test, there’s no reason to take the new one with such a high score on the old test. But, to be sure, I would definitely check with each school in which you're interested.
I am a high school junior at a public high school in Florida. My GPA is around a 3.0-3.1. I've taken 7 honors classes and 2 AP courses so far. I got a 1070 on my first try on the SAT (just took the new ones yesterday). I'm in the top 50% of my class (of about 560) and have taken all the academic electives I can (psychology, law studies, etc). Though my GPA and testscores aren't exactly spectacular, I have been involved in several extracurricular activities: volleyball team, weightlifting team, track & field team, poetry club, Girl Scounts and Interact (volunteer group). I also volunteer at a local hospital. I've received various awards (e.g, Most Improved Player, Most Valuable Player) in volleyball. I also helped coach a 9 to14-year old volleyball team at the local recreation center. I am 2nd in the conference and 14th in the state for girl's weightlifting. I've had three poems published. I was diagnosed with depression and bipolar disorder about a year ago, though I've had the symptoms since 8th grade (didn't tell my parents). With my grades and extracurricular activities, do I have a good shot at getting into a good public school in Florida? In my personal statement, should I write about my experiences with depression and bipolar, or would that look like a poor attempt at appealing to the judges to make them pity me and thus admit me?
First of all, while no college will admit you because it pities you, they may take into account that your depression and bipolar may have affected your grades. I suggest checking with your high school guidance counselor and the colleges in which you’re interested to see what is required in terms of documentation. High schools will make reasonable accommodations to students who have a condition that affects their ability to achieve to their maximum potential. Unfortunately, it may be too late for this to help you much in your high school classes. The College Board, which administers the SAT, will also give reasonable accommodations to students who have a disability that can be shown to affect their performance. These accommodations may include extra time on the SAT. Again, check with your high school guidance counselor and with the College Board (www.collegeboard.com) to see if you might qualify for such accommodations when you take the exam again (which I would encourage you to do) and which documentation you’ll need.
How is the IB program looked upon even if you don't have the best grades (3.1+-)
If you've succesfully completed the program, colleges will look at it very favorably. Of course, it is best to have good grades of at least a B. However, all in all, it's an excellent way to show your academic ability, particularly since not all high schools offer the programs. If yours does, then that give you a distinct advantage assuming you received at least reasonably good grades (B or better)>
I am a junior in high school and I was just wondering when should I start visiting colleges. Once I have selected my college, when should I start applying for regular admission (not early admission)?
There are two schools of thought on this. Some think that you should visit schools to decide where you want to apply to. Others think you should apply first to the ones you think you might want to go to and then visit those that accept you. I think the second approach makes the most sense. Why spend the time and money to visit a school if you're not accepted? While I don't know that it helps your chances, I suggest applying to schools as soon as you can in the fall of your senior year. Some schools provide "early action" where you are accepted early but have until the spring to make up your mind (unlike early decision where you have to agree to attend if admitted).
My son has a solid and consistent 3.3 GPA and is in his second semester of his senior year. He has been accepted already at Chico and San Jose State Universites, a small private college in Oregon and Colorado State. Despite a lot of help and effort, he got a D- in his first semester in Pre Calculus. He also got 2 B+'s and 2 C+'s. How much should we worry that these schools will rescind their offer of acceptances?
It depends on the school. Most make their approvals conditioned on satisfactory completion of the student's remaining high school courses and receiving their degree. This may involve not getting below a "C" on certain required courses. In general, it is very rare for a college to rescind its offer; however I advise that you check with the school your son wants to apply to and find out the specific requirements after being admitted.
For a high school student planning on medical school, is it better to choose a private or public university for undergraduate studies? Would the honors program at the public university be similar to a private school in terms of medical school admission? How much of a difference does your undergraduate school make in medical school admissions?
Whether you go to a public or private school depends on a number of factors, including financial, since private schools are so much more expensive. Putting aside the financial issue, in order to enhance your chances of getting into medical school, I would generally suggest that you try to get in the best schools you can (and also apply, of course, to some "safety" schools). There are more "top ranked" private schools than public schools, and the undergraduate school you go to does make some difference when applying to medical schools, although it's hard to quantify how much. Having said that, graduating from a private school rated higher than a particular public school probably doesn't impact your chances of medical school admissions that much provided that the public school is still highly ranked as well (e.g., among the top 15-20 public schools in the country). An exception would be if you get into one of the Ivy League or one of the other top 15 or 20 highest ranked schools in the country. In that case, the reputation of these schools would make a difference. And, yes, I think the honors program at many of the public universities are considered on a par with many of the highly ranked private colleges. I think you also need to factor into your decision college life issues such as geographic location, student mix, type of campus, etc. Of course, if you do well enough in your undergraduate studies and on your MCAT test, you can go to medical school even if you don't attend one of the top ranked private schools or honors programs at a public university. I hope this helps. Good luck!
I am a senior this year and my number one choice is University of Maryland-College Park. I am now in the middle of the waiting game to hear back from them. I have a 3.2 GPA and did well(above 1200) on my SAT's but these are somewhat below Maryland's expectations. I have heard that big schools such as this can rule out applicants rather quickly. I just was wondering if they would rule me out for admission before looking through the rest of my application, such as the essay I spent a long amount of time writing? Also, my father attended the University of Maryland and I am curious to how much that actually plays into the whole admission process.
If you're a Maryland resident I think you have a shot. I imagine your SAT scores are well within the range of accepted students, although your GPA is probably at the low end of their range. It's really hard to say how good your chances are because it also depends on your extracurricular activities and other accomplishments. I don't think they would rule you out right away if you're a Maryland resident. The essay could help a little, but I don't think it will be that big of a factor. The fact that your father went to the university may help but it's hard to say how much. Most schools do give extra consideration to "legacies" although this has become the subject of some controversy. Last August, President Bush came out against giving any preference to legacies, but it's safe to say that legacies will continue to be a factor for probably quite a while. By the way, the fact that you didn't hear yet probably means that you're being seriously considered and possibly at least put on the wait list. You might want to see if you can have an interview. Good luck!
I believe I heard once that if you receive a certain grade in a AP class college admissions give extra points or boosts the score up? If not, how do they treat them?
Typically, a college gives college credit for AP course exams with a score of 3 or better. The exam part of an AP course is optional, but why take the class if you're not going to take the exam? Each college, though, has their own system for how they treat AP courses. You'll have to find out from the specific college.
It's always been said that colleges are looking for “well-rounded� students. I’m involved in many extra-curricular activities, but have only found time to play basketball. (I was previously on the ski team, but ran into conflicts with student-directing the musical.) How many sports is “enough�? Yes, I know they all differ, but do I need to worry about doing more?
The thing most students don't get is that it is not the quantity of the things you do, but the quality. If you played 10 sports but rode the bench in all of them, I don't think it would speak as highly of you as would playing one sport but being “all-state." College admissions people are on the lookout for "clubbers"-—people who join but don’t do. They want to see passion for a couple of things you really care about. My advice: find the couple of things you really enjoy and try to excel at them.
I am a high school junior currently attending Lowell High School in San Francisco. I really want to attend a prestigious Ivy. However, my grades are not too sterling (around 3.5 unweighted). Also, being Asian I don’t think helps me, considering so many Asians apply each year. Please respond and tell me honestly if I have a shot.
College admission committees look at more than your grades. Among other things, they look at the courses in which you got those grades, your experiences outside of school, the competitiveness of your high school, etc. The fact that you’re Asian might or m ight not play a role in the decision; it really depends on your credentials and the applicant pool at the time you apply. So do you have a shot? Again, that depends on the applicant pool at the time you apply. But it’s worth a shot. You might also consider why it’s so important to you to attend a “prestigious Ivy.” You’d be better served if you considered what you want from college and then looked at schools, both Ivy and otherwise, that provide the best match for your desires. If, for instance, you want to go to medical school, check out the med school admission rate for a number of different colleges. You might discover that a “non-Ivy” will prepare you just as well.
I am a freshman at the University at Albany. I am very interested in transferring to Cornell University for the fall ’96 semester. What do you think I need to have (academically) to make this dream possible?
OK, first, let me say that I am not an expert on Cornell’s admissions criteria. Second, I’m going to assume that you applied to Cornell out of high school and for whatever reason, didn’t get in. Every university has a unique transfer policy; many schools welcome transfer students with open arms and go out of their way to make it easy for them to do so. Your first step in making your dream come true is to find out what Cornell’s policy is. Call the school’s undergraduate admissions office, tell them you’re interested in transferring, and ask for all the appropriate information. As a prospective transfer student, you will need to structure your current academic work so that it will transfer as credit for graduation to Cornell. This means you need to review Cornell’s requirements for graduation and begin to work toward that goal even though you are not a student there. This will likely require some contact with Cornell to ensure that the courses you are taking in Albany do transfer in the way you expect. Keep in mind, though, that you may eventually want or need to finish at Alban y so it is best to try and take courses that “work” at both schools. The Back Door. This does not work at every school and has an element of risk, but I’m going to lay this out for you as truly an alternative for dreamers. Many universities have an evening college or continuing education school where you can take courses offered by the regular university, often at the same time of day. The difference is that 1) you are not a degree candidate; and 2) you aren’t going to get certain benefits of other students (like the option of living on campus which, for freshmen, lessens the college experience). The strategy here is to rack up a number of hours (maybe 30-50) toward your intended major, then apply to the school for admissions as a degree candidate. If you’ve done well in these prior courses, the school typically admits you as a degree candidate. Again, there is always the possibility that you won’t get in, but if you discuss this possibility with Cornell openly, you may feel good enough about your chances to give it a try. I know a number of students who have gained admissions to colleges and earned degrees by this back door admissions approach. But by all means, apply to the school first as a transfer student. Good luck with your dream.
I noticed you have stressed how junior year is the most important year. That’s great. I’m a junior now, and on my way to honor roll. However, my other high school grades from the past two years are lower, and I regret that. Nothing can change those, however. If I shine through this year with flying colors and do well on my SATs (Please Lord), do you believe that most colleges will care much about my C average? Or have I pretty much blown it already and should consider Junior College, or Bartending Scho ol?
Washed up at 16? I don’t think so. You should see the questions I get. What pressure students feel to be absolutely perfect. Do well the next two years, work hard to score well on the SAT, get involved in things you enjoy, and you will get into a great school. Maybe it won’t be Harvard or Stanford, but who cares? There are many excellent colleges out there who will love to have you, you’ll get a great education and have fun in the process. So relax and enjoy high school with the confidence that your future has good things in store for you.
Where can we go to find a list of noncompetitive colleges that will accept a high school student with a so-so grade point average, but is very intelligent.
Personally, I’d set my sights a little higher. Your grade point average is only one part of your application. Perhaps you’re an outstanding baseball player. Or maybe you play the flute. What about your SAT/ACT scores? Select a group of five or six schools whose admissions reguirements range from non-selective to selective (you can find these in any college handbook in your local bookstore). Then structure your application in the best possible way. You might surprise yourself. There’s no reason why you can’t attend a good school and make a great living afterwards—especially if you are “very intelligent.”
What are your thoughts on students who begin their college career at a community college? Do they have the same chance of transferring to a good four year college as those who are transferring from another four year school?
In earlier questions, we talked about transferring from one college to another, and the same strategies apply. If your intent is to end up in a specific four year college, and you’d like to start out at a community college, you need to begin your studies with that in mind. Some four year colleges actually have “feeder” community colleges that they look to for transfer students. A few calls to the admissions offices of the colleges of your choice will help you discover what they are.
I’m a student who is taking all the college prep courses in high school that I can. My grades are sometimes very good and sometimes awful. I sometimes get Ds. But I’m involved in almost every club in our school, and I volunteer a lot. If I would write it all down you would say, “Wow! That is a lot.� So what I’m asking is if my extracurricular activities will make a difference in how the college will look at my application. Also I am ward of the state. How will that effect my college future?
Extracurricular activities matter (there are questions below and in the Guru archive which address this subject thoroughly). Whether they can overcome Ds is doubtful. You need to do better in those classes, and if you can’t do better, get out of them. My dad used to tell this joke about the kid who brought home three Fs and and a D on his report card, and when his father asked him what the problem was, the kid says, “I think I’m spending too much time on one subject.” The point is that maybe you can spend less time on the subjects you do very well in, and more time on the subjects that are kicking your butt. Also, when you get around to applying to college, make sure you select schools that match up favorably with the work you have done. Put some thought into it. As for being a ward of the state, it probably won’t affect decisions on admissions at most places. On the other hand, you have obviously had to deal with problems that others have not, and you should, on your application (perhaps in the essay), describe your less than ideal home life and in particular, how you have overcome those things to achieve anyway. Admissions people love a winner. I believe you will find a college that is right for you, and with a college education, you have the potential to create a far better life for yourself than you have had growing up. Good luck.
I’m a freshman in high school, and I guess you can say I’ve been a BAD student all my life. I would had failed the 8th grade for my second time last year, but my dad knew some people. So I went into high school this year with high expectations and new goals for myself. But the first semester was no different from the rest, and I failed. My GPA is currently 1.0. I was diangnosed with ADD. I seriously want to change my life and prove everyone wrong. If I turned my school life around now, do I still have a chance to get into a good law school? All I need is to be accepted. My parents can afford to send me anywhere. But I think I’m going to be a drop-out. Thank you very much.
Gee, where to start? Well, first, law school comes after undergraduate college, so no point in thinking about that for about six years. I think you might be better off trying to figure out how to get out of high school and with luck and hard work, a decent college. I’m sure it’s hard to think of yourself in a positive way, but that’s the first step. What do you do well? Sports? Mr. Personality? Hard-working? Try to build on those things. Next, you say you were diagnosed with ADD. Are you being treated, too? If not, you’re only halfway there. Since your folks have money, encourage them to spend some of it on other testing. You may have learning disabilities that are holding you back and not even know it. Check it out. I’d encourage your folks to spend some money on tutoring, too. You are probably so far behind in everything that just wanting to do well is going to be tough. Check out a Sylvan Learning Center or the host of private tutors to help you. You can catch up. Finally, do not count yourself out of the game at age 16. You have much ahead of you to live for. I personally think you’ve had some crappy support along the way to be in the situation you’re in. Write me again and let me know how it is going. Note to the many educators reading this column: Please look around your school tomorrow and see if there’s a kid that fit’s the description above. I’ll bet there is. If so, reach out. There’s a cry for help.
Is there any way for a student who’s not real good in school to get into a good college? Is there a chance to be successful even though you aren’t really good at school? I would like to be successful, but with my grades I’m afraid that I won’t get anywhere!
I'm a high school senior, and I've already been accepted to a 7 year combined BS/MD program. My grades all are above a 90 and I'm taking four AP courses. I know offers of admission can be rescinded due to a drop in grades, but can my offer of admission be rescinded due to low AP scores at the end of senior year, even if I had great grades in those courses all year long? Thanks.
Rest assured that colleges don’t rescind offers of admission if you don’t perform well on AP exams. (If you’re skeptical, you can look at the stipulations of your acceptance in your admissions offer to make sure this is the case at your college.) There are, after all, no “failing” scores on AP exams, though some schools only accept scores of a 4 or 5 because they think students with lower scores might not have the grasp of the material necessary to be exempted from that course. Some competitive colleges don’t even accept AP scores.
Colleges are more concerned with is how well you perform in your AP courses.
That said, it would benefit you to study hard and do your best on your AP exams. Once you’re in college, you’ll appreciate the scheduling flexibility you’ll have if you can get out of taking some big survey courses. Good luck!I just got accepted to my first choice college. It is the end of the 3rd quarter and my 2nd semester grades are very low so far. I always hear and read how colleges can revoke one's admission if your grades slump. I always wondered how much leeway you get. If I drop 1 or 2 letter grades in most classes and not fail...will that matter? How serious are they about this subject?
This depends on the college that has accepted you. Take a close look at your acceptance letter and any other acceptance materials to see what your acceptance is conditioned on. It’s very rare that schools revoke acceptances, even for unusually low grades (especially if these aren’t failing grades and are not courses required for graduation or college). Most colleges, at worst, will put you on academic probation your first semester to make sure your grades improve.
So take a look at that treasured acceptance letter and read closely. If you still are uncertain, you can always call the admissions office (preferably anonymously) to ask under what conditions a newly admitted student could lose his or her offer of admission. Good luck!
I was just wondering what effect the fact that a student has a part time job (considering that they still maintain a 3.5-4.0 GPA, still participate in extracurricular activities, etc.) have on their college applications and how is it perceived by admissions officers? Is it helpful, harmful, or does it not make any difference? Thanks.
I certainly wouldn’t say that holding down a job on top of going to school hurts an applicant. Most likely, admissions committees will evaluate the job as a hardship (if you’re working to support your family) and/or an extracurricular (particularly if your job precludes you from participating in any activities outside of school). Most likely, admissions committees will be impressed with your academic success despite having to hold a job.
Of course, this job is just one factor among many evaluated by admissions committees. They’re also interested in grades, the rigor of your curriculum, SAT/ACT scores, essays, recommendations, and extracurriculars (and leadership in those activities). Good luck!
I'm in my first semester of my senior year. I have been doing well in all my classes except for Precalculus Honors. I've gotten a D for the first quarter, while my grades in all my other classes, such as AP Biology, have been B’s and higher. Will this D in Precalculus greatly affect my chances at the colleges I'm applying to? Also, if the deadline to some of the colleges are before the end of first semester, is it too late to show improvement? I'm really worried that this one D will affect my chances.
First of all, you should be very proud of how well you’ve done so far in school, particularly considering the rigorous course load you’re taking.
That said, it’s unlikely that your D in Precalculus will be your death knell for a few reasons. First (and this also responds to your second question), even though your applications to these schools will be due before the end of the semester, colleges receive updated copies of your transcripts at the end of the semester. As long as you get your semester Precalculus grade up, they probably won’t even look at the D since admissions committees tend to focus on how you do over the course of a semester. After all, in college, as in high school, your grades are ultimately based on your performance over the course of a semester (or at some schools, a quarter), so admissions committees want to see that you have the stamina it takes to keep (or get) your grades up over the course of 18 weeks or so. Second, since your Precalculus course is an honors-level course and isn’t a math course required for graduation, you’ll actually earn bonus points with admissions committees just for taking the class. Sure, they want to see you do well, but they’ll also be impressed that you’re challenging yourself, particularly when you’re taking such a rigorous course load. Third, admissions committees determine who to accept based on the overall application, which means one grade ultimately won’t count for that much. Instead, they want to see a strong overall GPA, good recommendations, active participation in extracurricular activities, a good SAT or ACT score, and top-notch essays.
If you end up with a D (or a C) for your grade for the semester, you might consider sending a statement to each school explaining this low grade on your application. However, I wouldn’t do this until you know what your semester grade is and, even then, I would reevaluate the situation at that time. It may not be worth stirring up something that is unlikely to be a factor.
Good luck!
I've heard about online college admissions calculators where you insert your academic and extracurricular information, and it tells you how good a chance you have of getting into a college of your choice. My question is how accurate are these?
It’s true that there is a very basic formula that admissions counselors use as they sort through the piles of college applications each year. That formula involves taking into consideration your SAT/ACT scores, GPA, class rank and extracurricular activities. While no automated program can simulated the admissions decision with 100% accuracy, these programs have been designed to give an objective and generalized ranking based on your position amongst your peers according to the “hard” or quantifiable data.
The software does not, however, take into account any “soft” or qualitative data, such as your recommendations and other achievements.
The true benefit of the admissions calculator is in helping you recognize how a college admissions team might view your application. For example, while you may be the top of your class at your school, your GPA and SAT scores could only be within the median score somewhere else. Therefore, this admissions calculator can help you to see where you may need to improve if you want to truly stand out.
When it comes down to it, though, college admissions counselors take into consideration your full academic and extracurricular background as well as your personal statement and recommendations. Do not rely entirely on the feedback that the calculators give you, but keep in mind that they offer an objective, automated approach to the applicant ranking system. Your application, thank goodness, is not an automated process, but rather, one that is moderated by a team of human admissions counselors that assess your application using a broad range of criteria.