College Admissions

Have you ever wondered, “What is a GPA?” Maybe you already know that it stands for grade point average, but you have no idea how your school calculates them. Or maybe you’ve heard all about weighted and unweighted GPA scales from your older classmates and teachers but trying to understand them makes you want to scream and tear out your hair?

You definitely shouldn’t go to that extreme, because we’ve all totally been there before and have lived to tell the tale. This article will walk you through the answers to each of these questions, as well as provide you with the best advice on how to tackle the tricky answers.

A high grade point average tells admissions officers that you are the kind of student that takes school seriously. It means that you have worked hard for all four years of your high school career to ensure that you graduate with stellar grades.

Your GPA is a very important part of your college application!

If you earn a high grade point average, it tells the people who read your application that you take your academics seriously. It tells them that you studied hard for all four years of high school so that you could finish strong. A good GPA also tells admissions committees that you will, without a doubt, be able to not only handle, but also succeed in the classes at their university. It basically lets them know that you are a qualified candidate and that they should admit you.

In the crazy game of college admissions, you always want to be above average – especially when it comes to your GPA. A high grade point average tells admissions committees a lot about you and what kind of student you are. It indicates that you take your work seriously and also says that you have been consistently committed to your studies throughout your four years of high school, always striving to do well.

Having an above average high school GPA will not only give you a better shot at admission to your favorite school, but it will also put you in the running for more scholarships. You can qualify for better public scholarships (i.e. from the school you attend) and private (from companies, organizations, etc.) Sounds totally ideal, right?

Weighted GPA vs. unweighted GPA. It’s a debate as old as time itself.

Well, it’s not really. But, if your school reports grade point averages on both of these scales, figuring out which one is more important for college can be quite confusing. But you don’t need to worry, because we are here to help!

We will walk you through the ins and outs of weighted and unweighted GPAs. By the time you are finished reading this blog, you’ll know what each one means, how it is calculated, and which one looks better on a college application. We’ll even walk you through the policies of a few specific schools, so even if the ones we chose aren’t on your list of favorites, you’ll know what to look for when you do your own research.

Picking colleges can become stressful and daunting, especially when you find out that there is more than one way to apply! You read a pamphlet that mentions something called Early Decision, and wonder what that is, and whether or not it’s an option to consider. A large fraction of American colleges (a percentage hovering in the teens) offers ED applications.

This is a college essay of how to answer the question, “Why Northwestern?”. Hopefully from reading this essay, you will be able to gain a better idea of what Northwestern is looking for. As you read this Why Northwestern college essay example, think about what you know about the school that really makes it resonate with you. In this student’s case, it was the Cognitive Science and Psychology department.

There’s no such thing as the “ultimate article” of college writing advice, that informs a student of every.single.thing. that he or she must consider when writing college essays.

It requires many angles and perspectives, as well as many drafts and revisions to create a product that one would be satisfied sending off to a college admissions council.

This is a college essay submitted by a student who graduated from Northwestern University in June 2015. Hopefully from reading this essay, you will be able to gain a better idea of what Northwestern University is looking for when answering the question, “Why Northwestern”. As you read this Why Northwestern college essay example, think about what you know about the school that really makes it resonate with you. This student was a Quest Bridge scholar at Northwestern.

If you’ve ever heard phrases like “Wesleyan is the new Brown,” then you’re already familiar with the concept of the “new Ivies.” While attempts to associate given schools with the Ivy league can border on the ridiculous – I don’t know how many times I’ve heard someone claim their school is the “Harvard of the (fill in the blank state or region) – the “new Ivy” label can be useful for high school students exploring colleges to target.