Admissions: How Colleges Select Students

About this article
With the number of people wanting to attend college on the rise, schools are becoming more selective in whom they accept. This article contains information that introduces you, the potential student, to the college selection process.
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Admission officers evaluate applications in several different ways, depending on how competitive their college is. In terms of selectivity, colleges and universities fall into three basic categories:

  1. Less Selective
  2. More Selective
  3. Very Selective

Less Selective Colleges:

Less selective colleges usually determine your acceptance by posing two questions: have you met the college's basic requirements and does the college itself have availability? While not required for admission, ACT and/or SAT scores may be used for placement.

More Selective Colleges:

More selective colleges, which is the category most colleges fit into, have stricter standards. These colleges and universities look at the following:

  • Admission Test (ACT/SAT) Scores
  • Course Work
  • Grades
  • Letters of Recommendations (if requested)
  • Personal Statements/Essays

Very Selective Colleges:

Finally, very selective colleges evaluate students on all above-named criteria and more. Very selective colleges scrutinize every aspect of a student's high school experience. Many applicants that apply to very selective schools are already strong academically, thus factor such as your personal statement and transcript are critical.

In normal situations admission officers will follow what is called a need-blind admission policy. In other words, yours and your family's income is not a factor in determining whether you are accepted or not. In some cases, admissions officers are 'need conscious,' so at these schools you and your family's income is a factor.

Collegeboard.com states that selective colleges consider these factors for admission:

  • Admission Test (ACT/SAT) Scores
  • Alumni Relationship
  • Application Questions and Essays
  • Completed Courses
  • Counselor and/or Teacher Recommendations
  • Ethnicity
  • Extracurricular Activities
  • Geographic Location
  • Grades
  • Grade Point Average
  • Major and/or College Chosen
  • Personal Interview
  • Rank in Graduating Class
  • Special Talents and Skills

Now that you have a better idea of what colleges are looking for, you will be able to meet these prerequisites with confidence.

Popular Schools

  • Online Programs Available
    1. Purdue Global

    Program Options

    Doctorate
      • Master of Science - DNP Executive Leader
      • MSN-DNP Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
      • Doctor of Health Sciences
      • Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
      • Master of Science - DNP Path (Doctor of Nursing Practice)
      • Master of Science -DNP Path Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
    Master's
      • M.S. in Health Education
      • MS in Psychology - Forensic Psychology
      • Master of Science in Legal Studies
      • MS in Psychology
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      • Undergraduate in Legal Studies
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    Certificate
      • Human Services - Child and Family Services Certificate
      • Professional Focus + Google Project Management Certificate
      • Certificate in Industrial/Organizational Psychology Graduate
      • Professional Focus + Google UX Design Certificate
      • AWS Cloud Technologies
      • Project Management
  • Online Programs Available
    2. Pepperdine University Graduate School of Education and Psychology

    Program Options

    Master's
      • Masters in Psychology
      • Masters in Dispute Resolution
      • Masters in Legal Studies
      • Masters in Applied Behavior Analysis
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    3. Grand Canyon University

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    Doctorate
      • Ed.D in Teaching and Learning with an Emphasis in Adult Learning - Qualitative Research
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      • Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
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    Bachelor's
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  • Online Programs Available
    4. Liberty University

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    Doctorate
      • Doctor of Business Administration: International Business
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      • MA: Communication
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      • MA: Music Education: Music Studies
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    Bachelor's
      • BSN: R.N. to B.S.N. to M.S.N. Accelerated Program: Community Health
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      • BSN: R.N. to B.S.N. to M.S.N. Accelerated Program: Nursing Administration
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    Certificate
      • GRAD CERT: Strategic Communication
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  • Online Programs Available
    5. Saint Leo University

    Program Options

    Doctorate
      • Doctor of Criminal Justice: Education
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      • MS: Criminal Justice
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    Bachelor's
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    Certificate
      • MS: Psychology - Non-Degree Seeking
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    6. Penn Foster

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  • Online Programs Available
    7. Fordham University

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    Master's
      • Master of Studies in Law in Corporate Compliance
  • Campus and Online Programs
    8. The Chicago School

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  • Online Programs Available
    10. UMass Global

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    Bachelor's
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Featured Schools

Purdue Global

  • Master of Science - DNP Executive Leader
  • M.S. in Health Education
  • Undergraduate in Legal Studies
  • AASBA in Business
  • Human Services - Child and Family Services Certificate

Which subject are you interested in?

Pepperdine University Graduate School of Education and Psychology

  • Masters in Psychology
  • Masters in Dispute Resolution
  • Masters in Legal Studies

Which subject are you interested in?

Grand Canyon University

  • Ed.D in Teaching and Learning with an Emphasis in Adult Learning - Qualitative Research
  • M.S. in Psychology with an Emphasis in Human Factors
  • Bachelor: Communications

What is your highest level of education?

Liberty University

  • Doctor of Business Administration: International Business
  • MA: Communication
  • BSN: R.N. to B.S.N. to M.S.N. Accelerated Program: Community Health
  • GRAD CERT: Strategic Communication

What is your highest level of education?

Saint Leo University

  • Doctor of Criminal Justice: Education
  • MS: Criminal Justice
  • BA: Criminal Justice
  • AA: Criminal Justice
  • MS: Psychology - Non-Degree Seeking

What is your highest level of education completed?

Penn Foster

  • A.S. Degree in Veterinary Technology
  • Career Diploma - Dental Assistant
  • Career Diploma - Motorcycle Repair Technician

What is your highest level of education?

Fordham University

  • Master of Studies in Law in Corporate Compliance

Are you located in the U.S.?

The Chicago School

  • M.A. Psychology
  • M.A. Behavioral Economics
  • Suicide and Cyberbullying Prevention Certificate
  • Graduate Certificate in Online Teaching and Learning

What is your highest level of education completed?