As a parent, you know that college admission committees look at more than just grades and standardized test scores (SAT, ACT, etc.) when admitting students, but do you know exactly what colleges look for? Don’t feel bad, not many parents do (and neither do most high school guidance counselors). Thankfully, after working with hundreds of families over the years we’ve learned how the “admissions system” works and am ready to share the secrets of high school success.

Obviously grades and test scores have a huge impact on the admissions chances of students, but other factors matter as much, if not more. A nationally ranked university will get 50,000+ applicants every year. To handle this huge pool of applicants, admissions committees will break the students up into a variety of groups based on GPA, test scores and location. Perhaps one group will be “in-state students with a 4.0+ GPA and 2100+ SAT”. Because of this group’s impressive academic credentials, the acceptance rate of this group might be 60%. Another group could be “out-of-state students with 3.3-3.5 GPA and 1600-1700 on the SAT”. Because of the lower academic credentials, that group would have a much lower acceptance rate, perhaps around 5%.

What does this mean? It means two things:

1) Stellar grades and high test scores will greatly improve your chances of admission to college, but they DO NOT guarantee admission. Students with perfect marks are denied admission all the time.  Why? Because their applications are BORING. Admissions committees are looking for passion, leadership, creativity. They want the types of people that will someday end up on a “famous alumni” list or do something that will bring prestige and honor to the school. People that have no interests other than getting good grades for the sake of getting good grades will not impress admissions committees and will be denied. Straight A’s are not enough to guarantee admission into top schools anymore

2) Students with average grades from all over the country are admitted into the nation’s top colleges every year. College admissions are not a lottery. Kids with average grades don’t get admitted to the top schools because of luck. They get picked out of a group of thousands of other kids with similar or better grades and higher SAT or ACT test scores because they were able to demonstrate the KEY QUALITIES that admissions committees look for. The bad news is, if you are a student can’t just tell the admissions committee that you have these qualities, you must demonstrate them over an entire high school career.

What we have learned at Admission Helper is that the key to success  is to begin planning your student’s college application early and as a family. Summer before Senior year is too late to substantially improve a college application. The optimal time to begin planning for college applications as a family is in 8th, 9th or 10th grade.

Too many families coast through high school without a plan and then panic Senior year when applications are due. It’s a stressful situation that often ends in disappointment. Instead, you and your family can experience a successful feeling of accomplishment by planning early with the High School Roadmap system.

The High School Roadmap system does exactly what the name implies. Our DVD and workbook set is a comprehensive college admission consulting system gives your family the knowledge and the tools to successfully navigate high school and prepare for college.

Make sure that your student gets admitted into top colleges over competing students with higher grade point averages and test scores. The High School Roadmap teaches your student how to be exceptional academically as well as dynamic and interesting as a person. The High School Roadmap and accompanying workbook takes the guesswork out of high school and allows you and your family to enjoy the process, from freshman year of high school to freshman year of college.

Here are just a few of the things that you will learn in the High School Roadmap system:

- Which extracurricular activities matter to colleges, and which ones don’t

- The high school classes that really count in the college application

- When to start preparing for the SAT and ACTs

- Why college visits matter and what to do if you can’t make the trip

- How to start building relationships now, for amazing letters of recommendation at application time

- What is a “Brag Book” and why you need to start building yours right now

- Organizational strategies to ensure that papers don’t get lost and tests days don’t sneak up

- How to demonstrate the leadership qualities that colleges love, even if you don’t feel like a leader

- Why career exploration is so important, even if you don’t have a clue what you want to do

- How to talk to teachers and turn your B+ into an A-

- How to be your teachers favorite student without being a “kiss up”

- The most effective way to establish an open dialogue with your student’s teacher’s

- How to quickly and easily turn a family summer vacation into a future college application essay

- The difference between scholarship essays and college application essays and how to plan for both

- The 5 biggest mistakes that parents of freshmen make

- What to do as a freshman to look like a genius as a senior

- How to use sports to help get into college, even if you don’t want to or aren’t good enough to play in college

- How you can help your student study, even if you have no clue about the material

- A proven cure for “test-anxiety”, used by top-athletes and A+ students

- The ultimate study tool and how to use it

- What 1% of students do on their homework that produces an A+ on tests 99% of the time.

Many parents pay college consultants THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS PER YEAR to learn just half the skills that you will learn in the High School Road Map system. You don’t have to be a millionaire anymore to give your child a MONUMENTAL edge when it comes to gaining admission at the top colleges in the country. All parents want their children to have the most successful and happy life possible and admission into one of the world’s top universities is a great way to make that happen. Get the High School Roadmap and help your children make their dreams come true.

Order now and receive two special bonuses:

Speed reading for high schoolers: How to triple reading speed, increase comprehension and improve your grades

The Guidebook for A+ parents: How to turn your child into an A+ student without fighting

Comments are closed.