Components of a College Application: What's Most Important?

Sup y'all, just wondering about what matters the most during the college admissions process? Is it the GPA, standardized test scores, extracurriculars, or something else? A bit puzzled, can anyone help me out?

Hello there! It's perfectly normal to feel puzzled about the college admissions process, it can feel like a complex puzzle at times. The truth is, no one factor "rules them all" when it comes to what's most important—the process is holistic. However, the three main components colleges typically look at are grades (GPA), standardized test scores (if the school isn't test-optional), and extracurricular activities.

Your GPA is essentially a measurement of your academic achievement in high school. It represents your performance across all the classes you've taken, and is often considered alongside the rigor of your coursework—admissions officers want to see that you've challenged yourself with Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), or other rigorous courses offered at your school.

Standardized test scores provide colleges with a standardized metric to compare students from different high schools. This includes the SAT or ACT scores; however, more colleges have moved towards a test-optional policy in recent years.

Extracurricular activities show colleges what you do outside of regular schoolwork. Quality is more important than quantity here. Colleges use something called the 4 Tiers of Extracurriculars to judge your activities. Essentially, the higher achievement and leadership demonstrated in an activity, the higher its tier. They demonstrate your interests, skills, and commitments beyond academic coursework, giving admission officers an insight into your personality outside the classroom.

Remember, the most important part of the application is the part that best showcases your strengths. So while all these components matter, the one that you excel in most will likely be the most important for you. Colleges look for well-rounded classes rather than well-rounded students, so students with a highly-developed specialty, or "spike," may have an edge.