8 College Application Secrets Admissions Officers Don't Want You to Know

By Perry Robinson

College applications consist of two distinct areas: the objective, measurable area of a candidate’s record (grade point average and test scores) and the subjective area (essays and letters of recommendation). Both are important when it comes to painting a complete picture of a college applicant and their potential fit. We’ve lifted the lid on the college application and share eight secrets below.

1. College admissions is a business of trends

College admissions officers are seeking to identify trends in a candidate’s record. Is the candidate showing evidence of rigor in the courses selected throughout all four years of high school? Are the student's grades showing signs of consistent improvement? Or is the student demonstrating inconsistent performance without describing any mitigating circumstances? An applicant who is able to illustrate an upward performance in grades, or consistent performance with an increasingly difficult course load, is much more likely to have success in college.

2. Junior year is not the most important year

Don’t assume that a college admissions office is only focusing on the student’s junior year. All years are important in terms of academic, social, and character performance. While junior year may be the year that receives the most scrutiny, all years contribute to a student’s GPA and readiness to succeed at college.

3. Cumulative GPA is the best predictor of success

Study after study has shown that the best predictor of a student’s success in his or her first year of college is the cumulative grade point average. This is an important number that admissions officers are evaluating, with test scores (if they are considered) coming in a close second. If a student has a lower GPA, it may indicate that the student lacks the study skills needed to succeed in college, or that the student has bitten off more than they can chew in terms of rigor. 

Either way, admissions officers will look at the transcript for trends to see that the issue has been addressed with better choices, signaled by a GPA that trends upward. If a student has an interest in a particular major, admissions officers will pay particular attention to the student’s performance in related coursework.

4. Test optional does not mean test indifferent

ACT or SAT test scores can be used to reinforce positive impressions made by the transcript, or to counteract potentially negative impressions made by low or inconsistent grades. While no test score or well-written essay can overcome a consistently weak transcript, a strong score can help round out an application where there might otherwise be uncertainties. 

A “good test score,” in this case, is one that is at or above the admitted students’ average at a school, consistent with a strong transcript, or higher than what would be suggested by grades earned. Again, if a student has an interest in a particular major, scrutiny will be placed on the sub-scores related to the major; for example, to math and science if the student is interested in engineering.

5. Answer supplemental questions carefully

While it continues to be an important part of the application portfolio, the general “Common App” essay is not necessarily the most important writing sample that a student contributes. Many institutions have begun adding supplemental, institutional-based short-answer questions to their applications as a way to separate candidates who have similar GPAs, test scores, and course loads, and also to determine a student’s connection to the school’s culture and mission. They provide an important window into a student's beliefs, values, and personality, and can make or break the decision to admit.

A common supplemental question is, “Why do you want to be part of our community?” How a student answers this personal-statement question gives an admissions officer insight into how well the student will fit. I tell students, if it’s a college they’re really interested in, visit their website and really drill down deep into the site. Find an area they connect with, and write about it. It demonstrates a student’s potential fit, and demonstrates their genuine interest in the school.

6. Focus on depth, not breadth, of activities

Colleges continue to pay attention to an applicant’s extracurricular activities—athletics, jobs, research, theatre, music, student government, community service, family responsibilities, etc. But they tend to seek students who display depth, not breadth, of involvement. Showing passion and evidence of commitment are critical in the bottom line of an admission decision.

Admissions officers are also looking for evidence of a candidate’s ability to connect with, and influence, others, as well as leadership potential, intellectual curiosity, resourcefulness, and responsibility. When determining what activities and interests include on an application, think about what people could infer about you based on the things you participate in.

7. Show them some love

Are you really interested in a particular college? Show them. Request admissions materials, attend one of their college fairs, take a tour, contact a coach or admission representative, request an alumni interview, and take early action and apply in advance if it’s appropriate to your situation. Take advantage of the many virtual visit opportunities that colleges have set up. Colleges very often track your digital footprint, and it can only help your cause.

8. Be careful with what you share online

Admissions officers absolutely look at your social media profiles, as do scholarship organizations. An acceptance letter does not give you a free pass to post whatever you want online. Often, colleges and universities employ full-time staff to search any number of social network platforms for accepted candidates’ postings, and they have even developed algorithms that search for certain words.

Nothing you put on a social network site is private, and all offers of admission and enrollments are conditional. Until a student actually graduates or transfers, college and university offices of admissions can always retract offers of acceptance or the actual enrollment of the student due to issues of behavior and/or erosion of one’s academic performance.

About Perry Robinson:

Perry Robinson served as the associate director of College Guidance at USM, and he retired in June 2021. Prior to his role at USM, he worked in admissions at Denison University, including as the school's vice president and dean of admissions, for 20 years.