· A strong academic record
· Glowing letters of recommendation
· Interesting extracurricular activities
· A winning application essay
· A strong college interview
由于其他的东西很难量化,这里只比较成绩。以下是总表,GPA, SAT和录取率。Harvard 以5.9% 为最低。Princeton 为7.3%。Pomona College为14%。然而,实际的差距远比这些数字揭示出来的要小。
SAT Scores |
Admission |
||||||
|
Reading |
Math |
Writing |
% |
|||
|
25% |
75% |
25% |
75% |
25% |
75% |
|
Harvard |
700 |
800 |
710 |
800 |
710 |
800 |
5.9 |
Princeton |
700 |
800 |
710 |
800 |
710 |
790 |
7.3 |
Dartmouth |
670 |
780 |
680 |
780 |
680 |
790 |
11.5 |
Pomona |
690 |
760 |
690 |
780 |
690 |
780 |
14 |
Williams |
670 |
780 |
660 |
780 |
680 |
780 |
20 |
Amherst |
670 |
760 |
680 |
770 |
670 |
760 |
15 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Brown |
660 |
760 |
670 |
780 |
670 |
770 |
8.6 |
Columbia |
690 |
780 |
700 |
790 |
690 |
780 |
6.9 |
Cornell |
640 |
740 |
680 |
780 |
650 |
750 |
14 |
U Penn |
670 |
760 |
690 |
780 |
690 |
780 |
9.9 |
Yale |
700 |
800 |
710 |
790 |
710 |
800 |
7.1 |
有意思的是,Harvard 在低分处,有很多蓝点,就是录取了却不来的。这批学生大概很有自知之明,知道在入学以后的竞争中,占不了上风,干脆去其他地方。这一点,在Princeton 要少很多。
Harvard, 5.9% |
Princeton, 7.3% |
|
|
因此,在学业上,约90% 的Pomona 的学生,和Harvard的学生,是在同一个程度的。
Harvard, 5.9% |
Pomona, 714% |
|
|
Question: What are Holistic Admissions?
Most of the country's highly selective colleges and universities have holistic admissions, but what exactly does this mean for an applicant?
Answer: "Holistic" can be defined as an emphasis on the whole person, not just select pieces that make up the whole person.
If a college has holistic admissions, the school's admissions officers consider the whole applicant, not just empirical data like a GPA or SAT scores. Colleges with holistic admissions are not simply looking for students with good grades. They want to admit interesting students who will contribute to the campus community in meaningful ways.
Under a holistic admissions policy, a student with a 3.8 GPA might be turned down while an award-winning trumpet player with a 3.0 GPA might get accepted. The student who wrote a stellar essay might get preference over the student who had higher ACT scores but a bland essay. In general, holistic admissions take into account a student's interests, passions, special talents, and personality.
The admissions folks at the University of Maine at Farmington describe their holistic policy well, so I'll share their words here:
"We're far more interested in who you are and what you can bring to our campus community than how you happened to score on a high-pressure, high-stakes standardized test.
We look at your high school achievements, your extracurricular activities, your work and life experiences, community service activities, artistic and creative talents, and more. All the unique, personal traits that make you ... you.
When we review your application we take the time and care to get to know you as an individual, not as a number on a score sheet."
Most of us would agree that it's preferable to be treated as a person rather than a number. The challenge, of course, is conveying to a college what it is that makes you ... you. At a college with holistic admissions, all of the following are most likely important:
· A strong academic record with challenging courses. Your record should show that you're the type of student who takes on a challenge rather than shies away from it.
· Glowing letters of recommendation. What do your teachers and mentors say about you? What do they see as your defining characteristics?
· Interesting extracurricular activities. It doesn't matter so much what you do, but that you have a passion for something outside of the classroom.
· A winning application essay. Make sure your essay presents both your personality and your sharp mind.
· A strong college interview. Try to do an interview even if it is optional. The interview is one of the best ways for the college to get to know you as a person.
Keep in mind that even with holistic admissions, colleges will admit just those students who they think will succeed academically. At the most selective colleges, admissions officers will be looking for interesting applicants who also have high grades and test scores.
查找资料:
http://collegeapps.about.com/od/GPA-SAT-ACT-Graphs/ss/harvard-admission-gpa-sat-act.htm