Grades

Events The Role of High School Transcripts in College Admissions DATE AND TIME On Demand Free Watch Now ABOUT THIS EVENT A student's high school transcript is the single most important qualifying or disqualifying element of their application, allowing colleges to assess whether they are academically prepared for the rigor of their curriculum.  But how exactly do college admissions officers evaluate a student's transcript? Join IvyWise college admissions counselors as they share insights on how college admissions officers take a student's grades, course load, and strength of school into consideration when reading their application.

By Robin, IvyWise College Admissions Counselor Enter any conversation about college admissions, and you will inevitably hear the word “transcript.” This all-important document presents an academic narrative of the applicant, showcasing the grades and courses the student has taken throughout their high school career. When college admissions officers read a student’s application, they not only review what grades the student has earned but also the rigor of the student’s course selection.

This back-to-school season, I think it's important for students to take a step back and get inspired by a few pieces of advice that have helped many students in the past and remain valuable for everyone, no matter where they are in their educational journey. Students need to focus on the things that matter most to them and give themselves permission to work as hard as they can at those things. But these do not need to be the same conclusions that each person draws.

How exactly do college admissions officers evaluate a student's transcript? Join IvyWise college admissions counselors as they share insights on how college admissions officers take a student's grades, course load, and strength of school into consideration when reading their application. REGISTER HERE The transcript is one of the most powerful documents provided in the application process and is often one of the first components of the college application that evaluators consider.

“I got a B in AP Calculus,” a student recently said to me. “I guess I won’t have a shot at my dream schools, since I know colleges automatically reject students who don’t have straight A’s.” This is a conversation I often have with students this time of year.

How can high school students use executive functioning skills and practice stress management during the college application process? In Semester 5 Episode 6 of our podcast, IvyWise College Admissions Counselor Robin (formerly at Georgetown University and Vanderbilt University), Executive Functioning Team Leader Lorenza, and Executive Functioning Coach Nicki share their top tips on how school high school students can further develop their executive functioning skills and practice stress management and self-care during the college application process. Tune in here!

With an increasing number of new technologies and an expanding global population, self-studying is on the rise. Education is no longer confined to just the classroom, and some would argue that the classroom model is outdated and does not meet the intellectual needs of individuals in such an interconnected society.  Being an autodidact, or self-teacher, has become increasingly feasible due to MOOCs (massive open online courses), Internet encyclopedias, and more colleges and universities offering courses online.

Whether you’re a freshman still adjusting to your first year of high school, or a college-bound junior ready to hit the ground running, it’s important to set academic and college prep goals for the fall as soon as school starts back up. Goals not only help keep students on track with their college prep, they also help students learn more about who they are, what they’re interested in, and how they can better pursue those interests. Goals can also help students stay motivated during a particularly busy or stressful time.

While it can be tempting to simply count down the days until summer break, spring semester is a prime time for high school underclassmen to prepare for the college admissions process, and for college-bound seniors to close out the year on a high note. Believe it or not, seniors, you are not off the hook just yet! Here are some tips for high school students to ensure a productive and successful spring semester.

Online instruction has been growing in popularity over the years because it can connect people from all over the world – and right now it’s necessary as students continue their studies after school closures due to the current coronavirus pandemic. As students connect to instructors online, the demand for virtual tutoring and test prep is growing. But is it effective?

With spring comes long-awaited admission decisions, but it also brings along AP exam season – and students should be preparing now for these long and intensive exams. AP exams are a major event for college bound students, as performance can impact their grades and how colleges evaluate their transcript when considering students for admission during their senior year. Some colleges can also award some class credit based on students’ scores, so it’s possible to get a head start on your college education if you do well.

IvyWise counselors Victoria and Christine break down the college admissions rubric and discuss examples of different hard and soft factors that admissions officers evaluate on the college admissions podcast, giving listeners expert insight from former admissions officers. Listen Now! When making admissions decisions, colleges and universities in the US don’t just look at grades and test scores.

It is fairly common knowledge that most high schools offer honors and advanced placement courses for students looking to be challenged in their coursework. But did you know that colleges and universities also offer similar programs for undergraduate students through honors colleges? In some cases, high-achieving students are invited to enroll in a university's honors college upon acceptance, while other students seek out the honors track and apply to the honors college as part of their undergraduate admission.

Let's pretend you're a couch potato who wants to train for a marathon. You're going to want to set goals to help increase your chances of success, right? For instance, you may decide to increase your mileage or speed slowly each week.

In recent years, there has been a steady growth of Chinese students enrolling in US universities and colleges, with nearly 300,000 coming to the US for the 2013-14 academic year. Although this is a fairly small number compared to the nine million university students studying in China, the country has also seen a steady decrease in students who sit for its national college entrance exam, the Gaokao. This indicates that international education is unquestionably on the rise.

Grades are the most important application component that colleges consider, and final exams can have a big impact on your overall course grade for the semester. Don’t wait until the last minute to start studying for finals. Studying is never fun, but it’s necessary in order to build upon your current knowledge and perform well inside of the classroom — which is essential to eventually gaining admission to your top-choice colleges.