<p>In your opinion, rank what you think is the most important in a application. Il go first…</p>
<li>Your attitude/ if your a good “fit” for the school</li>
<li>Interview</li>
<li>Grades/SSAT</li>
<li>Teacher recs</li>
<li>EC’s</li>
<li>Parent forms/How your parent interviews
am I leaving anything out? I wonder what they think is the most important…</li>
</ol>
<p>I don't see where the actual student essays are... so...</p>
<ol>
<li>Essays, one of the only ways to really convey you on a semi permanent basis</li>
<li>Recs, something you yourself cannot manipulate as a reflection on who you are</li>
<li>Grades/ECs. Personally I think good ECs and a bit lower grades is better than little/no ECs (unless really passionate about) and perfect grades</li>
<li>Interview. Honestly, I think being in an off campus interview (with a regional rep, not an admin officer) is a complete disadvantage, but I don't think they weigh THAT heavily.</li>
<li>SSAT</li>
</ol>
<p>I think that parents interviewing is mostly a Q&A forum, as well as backing up what their children said (You can't really expect parents to be nonbiased and relatively informative, it's their flesh and blood after all...)</p>
<p>I think that these are the main factors:
1. Essays
2. Interview
3. Grades/Academics(Rigor of the curriculum)
4. SSAT
5. Teacher Recommendations
6. EC's
7. Parental Interactions with the School</p>
<p>Those are catagories that I think are very important.</p>
<p>How I would order them:</p>
<ol>
<li>Interview</li>
<li>Teacher Recommendations/School profile</li>
<li>Grades</li>
<li>Essays</li>
<li>EC's</li>
<li>SSAT</li>
<li>Parental Interactions with the School</li>
</ol>
<p>Lol well then how do they tell how well you will fit in? Part of that is how you portray yourself in essays. How in the world is that the last thing? Actually don't answer that. It won't really matter to me, because that's ridiculous.</p>
<p>I meant to delete that, because the interviewer learns that from the interview. I think that the personality of an applicant really decides if the applicant would coalesce with the personality of the campus. One of my interviewers said that there was a huge difference between a Woodberry kid and a Choate kid. According to my Choate interviewer. </p>
<p>I toured the campuses, and I can honestly say that almost every campus had its own personality.</p>
<p>Ok well put the interview higher then. And I agree, my Deerfield interviewer just stopped in the middle put down his clipboard after a question I answered and just told me like I sound like a Deerfield kid. From then on he just wanted to talk...I dont even think he finished all his questions.</p>
<p>I can't say that, the campuses were deserted when I visited them...well I would see a person walking alone every minute or 2.</p>
<p>Interview is number 1. </p>
<p>I had an interviews at 11am and 2pm. My interview at 11AM was perfect, alot of kids were going to lunch and moving around. 2PM was the worst... Nothing going on.</p>
<p>I caught a few kids changing classes at deerfield..but nuthin special and not many</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Interview</p></li>
<li><p>EC's </p></li>
<li><p>Teacher and Special Interest Recs</p></li>
<li><p>Essays</p></li>
</ol>
<p>~~~~~~~~~Grades/SSAT~~~~~~~~~~~</p>
<p>For Grades and SSAT's, once you meet a school's minimum requirement, they have little to no significance. If you score extrremely high 97+, they may help.</p>
<p>1) Essays
2) Interview
3) Teach Recs
4) ECs
5) SSAT/Grades (Pretty much everything over 90% on the SSAT and everything over a "B" blends in)</p>
<p>i agree that the interview is the most important. in one of my interviews, i was conversing with the interviewer in chinese, since she had just gotten back from a recent trip to china. i taught her some conversational chinese that i learned (since i take mandarin in school). after that we just talked about both of our interests in traveling and her grandchildren. another interview, we just talked. when asked about my family, i explained my family. then we talked about my favorite subjects, and it turns out that the school has a history museum on campus! my interviewer flat out told me that andover was a compatible school for my interests.</p>
<p>1) Essays
2) Grades
3) Interview
4) ECs
5) Teacher recommendations</p>
<p>I think the interviewers help a lot, becasue they help the school get to know the people. They want charismatic people, not just smart, athletic boring people. The interviews help the student get to know the school well, too.</p>
<p>I'm surprised that ECs are so low on people's lists.. I would have thought they'd be significant !</p>
<p>the schools look for a few solid EC's, but if you have a ton of clubs it shows you are not passionate them (or you are god and passionate about them all! kudos then). They also like a well rounded candidate, thats why some people with 99's get rejected. they could fill their roster with 99's, but then what kind of social community would that be?</p>
<p>1) Grades/teacher reccomendations
2) SSAT
3) ECs
4) Interview
5) Essays</p>
<p>There isn't really any place an applicant can make a difference and stand out, other than in grades (extremely high or low), SSAT (extremely high or low) and ECs (in terms of uniqueness, commitment).</p>
<p>I imagine it would be quite hard to write a truly outstanding essay, or have a wonderful interview that leaves a very strong impression.</p>
<p>Interview second to last? That's way too low!</p>
<ol>
<li>Probably the essays, which basically show your attitude and whether you're a good fit for the school</li>
<li>Interview, again, this also shows whether you would be a good fit for the school on a personal level, and I think that's one of the main things a college looks at</li>
<li>SAT/ACT, of course, these scores are incredibly important</li>
<li>GPA, I think a lot of schools, depending on which one you apply to, looks at your class rank and whether you were in the top percentile of your school</li>
<li>Extracurriculars/Volunteer Service, colleges like to make sure you're well-rounded and don't just study all day, also along with this they look at internships/summer camps you've done that show you're serious about challenging yourself, and they look at competitions you've placed at</li>
<li>Teacher recs, these help judge character/mental toughness</li>
<li>Parent forms/How your parent interviews, I think this also includes college visits, and all show how serious you are about the college
Another more trivial thing a college looks at is whether you have relatives/family members who are alumni, which might increase your chances by 1%, or if you're tied with another person with a similar record.</li>
</ol>
<p>Uhmm.. ACT/SAT? Aren't those for colleges? (Unless you had an absolutely outstanding score in like, grade 8??)</p>
<p>You have to remember, not every kid goes to a decent school before they apply. Let's say my school offers sports and reading club. That is it.. So how can they say, "This kid will get involved and develope some interests."? Maybe they look to see how outgoing you are and judge it from that? I know that my interviewers asked 2-3 questions and then basically let it turn into a conversation.</p>
<p>ALSO: I think interviews are more important than essays. I could have 100 people proof read and reread my essays... Putting in great "hooks"... But during the interview: It is just you. That "quick, witty" sense of humor that they loved in your essay(Which somebody else wrote for you)... Isn't present during the interview.
PLUS you can't retract what you say. You can't have a rough draft(unless you practice).</p>