Apply to universities at various levels of selectivity with at least one school that you will likely be accepted to. Assess a university’s selectivity by researching the percentage of students accepted versus how many students applied. Decide whether or not your accomplishments fit the criteria the university bases acceptance on.
Selectivity |
Percent accepted |
Acceptance Focus |
Other Focus |
Open |
All high school graduates |
Accept students on first come, first served basis Focus: High School Diploma |
- Courses taken
- Counselor/teacher recommendations
- Ethnicity
- Grades
- Application questions and essays
- Geographic location
- Grade point average
- Personal interview
- Alumni relationship
- Rank in class
- Activities outside the classroom
- Major/college applied to
- Admission test results
- Special talents and skills
|
Less Selective |
More than 75% |
Whether applicants meet minimum requirements Focus: GPA |
More Selective |
50-75% |
Whether applicants are ready for college-level study Focus: course work, grades, test scores, recommendations, and essays |
Very Selective |
Only admit a small percentage of applicants Fewer than 50% |
School officials look carefully at every aspect of a student’s high school experience, from academic strength to extracurricular activities. Since most applicants are strong in these areas, other factors such as the essays are critical. Typical GPA: Top 10% of graduating class Typical SAT score: 600-800 on each section |