Admissions Factors
What Colleges Look For
Every year each college tells the Common Data Set how much 18 factors count. Here is how 151 of them answered.
| Factor | Very important | Important | Considered | Not considered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rigor of high school courses | 128 | 12 | 7 | 4 |
| Academic GPA | 135 | 11 | 5 | 0 |
| Class rank | 47 | 28 | 45 | 31 |
| Standardized test scores | 32 | 26 | 77 | 14 |
| Application essay | 54 | 54 | 27 | 14 |
| Recommendations | 44 | 38 | 38 | 29 |
| Interview | 0 | 7 | 38 | 103 |
| Extracurricular activities | 34 | 54 | 49 | 13 |
| Talent or ability | 29 | 50 | 61 | 11 |
| Character and personal qualities | 45 | 45 | 42 | 17 |
| First-generation status | 1 | 20 | 105 | 24 |
| Alumni relation (legacy) | 0 | 1 | 63 | 87 |
| Geographical residence | 0 | 8 | 103 | 39 |
| State residency | 8 | 10 | 70 | 62 |
| Religious affiliation | 0 | 1 | 10 | 140 |
| Volunteer work | 5 | 37 | 90 | 17 |
| Work experience | 2 | 28 | 101 | 18 |
| Level of applicant's interest | 0 | 9 | 52 | 86 |
Number of colleges giving each answer. See also waitlist acceptance rates and early decision acceptance rates.
