Each year in the U.S., millions of high school graduates experience the joy and excitement of graduation, alongside the challenges of being accepted into a university and starting a new chapter in their lives.
Like many countries around the world, becoming a university student in America is a long and challenging process for both students and their families. To get into your dream university, you must maintain a rigorous study schedule from the early years of high school, participate in social activities, and prepare for college entrance exams. As someone who has gone through this process, I will try to share my experiences.
High School Period
It’s essential not to wait until senior year of high school to start preparing for university. Begin as soon as you enter high school. In the first two years, students should focus on their classes, and in their junior year, they should begin the university application process.
One of the most crucial factors in university admissions is the “weighted grade point average,” or GPA. This average starts to be calculated based on the grades received from the first year of high school. Throughout high school, all of a student’s grades are compiled into a document called a “transcript.”
Students’ GPAs are calculated considering the numerical value of letter grades and the credit of each course. The highest GPA a student can achieve is generally considered to be “4.0.” Some students take additional courses or Advanced Placement (AP) classes to boost their weighted GPAs above 4.0, enhancing their chances of getting into better universities. Therefore, it is beneficial to take as many AP classes as possible from freshman to junior year and to achieve high grades in these classes. You can discuss with your guidance counselor or advisor about which level of courses you can take. Sometimes, it may be more advantageous for your GPA to take regular courses and maintain high grades rather than taking AP courses and earning lower grades.
When selecting courses for the junior year, it is also essential to prepare for college entrance exams. These exams are typically taken during this period, and university applications are made at the beginning of the senior year. Universities initially evaluate the grades received during the first three years of high school when issuing acceptance letters. A high GPA alone does not guarantee acceptance to a university. Most universities also consider students’ leadership qualities, productivity, sports activities, and community service.
College Entrance Exams
Nearly all universities in America require a satisfactory score from either the SAT (Scholastic Assessment Test) or the ACT (American College Testing). Students can take these exams as many times as they wish. However, since some universities also want to see past exam scores, taking the exam more than three or four times may not be beneficial.
SAT and ACT
The SAT consists of a three-hour multiple-choice section and an optional 50-minute essay section. The SAT tests reading, writing, language, and math skills and is scored out of 1600.
The ACT consists of a two-hour and 55-minute multiple-choice section and an optional 40-minute essay section. The ACT tests language, math, reading, scientific thinking, and reasoning skills and is scored out of 36.
The ACT is generally faster-paced. It is often recommended that students who perform well in math or the sciences take the ACT, while those who excel in reading and writing should take the SAT. However, students can choose to take both.
University Application Process
Most university applications start before the senior year begins, in August, and end in the middle of the senior year, in January. Results are announced by May at the latest.
Universities follow a holistic review process, considering various factors about a student. These include GPA, grades, SAT or ACT scores, course difficulty, extracurricular activities, leadership roles, school clubs, sports, volunteering, and social activities. To increase the chances of acceptance at more selective schools, it is important to maintain a balance in these areas. Most universities require students to write an essay that explains their fundamental motivations and character. This information helps form an identity for each student, allowing school administrators to evaluate them not just based on GPA or SAT/ACT scores alone.
Here’s to your specialization in a field you love, maturing through a balanced development of intellect, social, and spiritual growth, and embodying and representing universal human values to contribute to humanity.
