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Admissions expert Kat Cohen on the factors college admissions look at when considering potential students.
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Well it's a number high schoolers and parents think about most when applying for college -- they're GPA -- but now some of the nation's most competitive institutions say they barely even look at it.
It's meaningless according to the admissions dean at the University of Virginia and -- top private college in the Princeton Review swarthmore -- more college.
It's admissions dean says GPAs -- artificial.
But should students -- believe that joining me now admissions expert -- Cohen she's the CEO and founder of idealized.
Can't welcome back to the show -- Kitsap hate paying attention to GPA because believe me and their senior year that's -- -- talk about.
Well they should pay attention to their grades and not so much that average number because grades are predictive of how student student -- -- performing college.
Grades and reimbursements of courses that's critical college is looking for so what you're saying is that the average really doesn't tell admissions officers and now for about your career in high school right.
What is it they're looking for when they are looking at grades but let's suppose that the average of -- tell you student is at three point seven.
We don't know what that student's strengths are it's it's -- math science kid is is more of a humanities kid.
And also when we hear that GPA.
Is at a weighted GPA -- -- weighted.
And weeded.
Usually high school will wait they're GPA suggestions taking an advanced course like an advanced placement classes.
They'll give -- that an extra point and sometimes high schools will give an extra point sometimes has little give.
Just a fraction of a point so it's hard to understand.
With that GPA building here itself doesn't tell you a lot to these -- officers are looking at your grades over the course.
Of your high school experience right there -- they'll look at that where you really excelled what you did well -- may be there was a change over time.
Maybe your -- just got better and better and better as the years went -- right and -- a student with a 3.5.
That's not gonna tell you if they.
Started at three point now and ended at the four point know which looks great it -- grade tranda working harder.
Or is it the river -- what exactly so and also what's included in the GPA in terms of course is are they counting physical education.
Some high school and I can't wait -- -- today and cannot figure that have brought it down.
I don't -- the colleges or look at what I said -- I have no idea what that means so they're looking to see that students are taking the most advanced courses that are eligible for.
Since your high school offers lots of advanced placement classes -- honors classes.
Are you taking advantage of that curriculum.
That's what they're looking even in the hard -- -- do you get rewarded for that by the admissions -- Saturday is as we said grades are important they are considered.
Standardized -- court okay.
I know people who were taking SATs now and they take -- once not twice not once over and over again got to get the good -- what is the grade you need.
And wondered a college admissions officers looking for an Oscar -- -- generally they're looking to see that your standardized test scores not sure grades what you don't want to see.
Is industry days student who's gotten very -- standardized test scores because maybe that means -- high school is in new inflating that inflating the grades.
And he also won a seat opposite either -- -- -- -- super -- test scores.
And low grades -- that might look like the students lazy in the classroom -- generally wanna see that there is you know that there at the same.
What I -- was so -- senior list is this extra curricular activities space I think what's going on especially.
With IDs with a better schools in the country.
They're looking for kids who are showing leadership at a young age all kinds of ways to do that.
They really want an extensive extracurricular background is that they're they're looking to see -- students make an impact through their interest.
And not doing fifty things they're looking at students who choose a few things who -- deeply into those things and do them while.
-- and and demonstrated interest what's that dot is so important so many students forget about this.
You want to show the college that you're interested in -- that schools so.
Maybe you go and actually visit the school or maybe there's.
On an event going on and that's how different it does it does -- -- going Iowa where he shared with the school's logo on it and year -- Well unless they see you -- -- -- a lot of doubt.
But -- there's a lot of ways that you can show college that your interest that are -- thanks for coming on today great -- saying you know.
