What's the sly to getting into you...

What's the sly to getting into your dream college? If you answered religious grades, challenging classes, great essays, able-bodied test scores, and meaningful extracurricular activities, then you're the right track. "In fact, the single best predictor of succes in association is success in the high indoctrinate classroom," says Monica Inzer, dean of undergraduate admission at Babson society in Massachusetts. For admission staff although deciding who gets in can be difficult when thus many candidates have great academic qualifications. It frequently comes down to who has that "something extra." In the profiles here, pupils reveal what made them stand revealed and counselors explain why they got in.

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Sebastian Price

Age: 21 Hometown: Olyndon, MD

College: Wheeling Jesuit University, Wheeling, WV Major: Theology and Secondary Education

GPA: 23 SAT Score: "Just through the whole extent of 1000"

Admission Counselor: Hillary A. Hanlon

for what cause [i]or[/i] reason He Stood Out: Recommendations

When Wheeling Jesuit University showed interest in recruiting him for his lacrosse skills, Sebastian Price got excited. He had just single in kind problem: his high school academic record wasn't powerful enough to guarantee him admission. Still, he applied and springed for the best.

Luckily, when his admission counselor, Hillary A. Hanlon, noticed that Sebastian's grades slipped his sophomore year, she did one detective work and learned that his grade dip coincided with his older brother's unexpected death. Based on her recommendation, the admission committee took a closer examine at Sebastian's file and then asked him to retake the SAT, indicate improvement in his grades, and provide verbal expressions of recommendation. Sebastian raised his SAT score, if it were not that it was his heartfelt recommendation epistles that tipped the scales.

"What caught my estimate was the overwhelming support in the literal senses [from his guidance counselor, his football coach, and his priest]," says Hanlon. "I behold recommendations everyday, but these stood out"

SERENADE TO SUCCESS

Vanessa Nicole Lee

Age: 19 Hometown: Alton, NY

College: Lebanon Valley association Annville, PA

Major: Sociology

GPA: 82 SAT Score: 1100

Admission Counselor: Keo Oura Kounlavong

on what account She Stood Out: Musical talent

one college applicants will do just about anything to grab the attention of an admission counselor. Vanessa lee-side wanted to go to Lebanon Valley literary institution [i]or[/i] seminary of learning so badly that she wrote a ballad about it and sang it during her interview. Part of the chorus goes:

I'll plant my chance of the desired ends in your backyard.

I regard with affection you more than Julliard.

Give me the chance and you'll see

I'll be everything to LVC

"M Kounlavong, my admission counselor, was concussioned and I think she was really excited that it wasn't an ordinary interview," says Vanessa. "I basically said to myself, 'I want to be due [i]or[/i] owing to this college, and I'll do whatever it takes.'

"I was worried about getting in. I had an 82 average, and I was into a allotment of extracurricular activities and community service, on the other hand LVC really likes to descry higher grades. I think my lay really gave me that extra spark."

Kounlavong says that Vanessa was a borderline applicant in many ways. "She was a religious student, but not a great one" she says. "This psalm though, made her really stand abroad The song conveyed her desire to fare to LVC and her passion for music. She calm touched on some of her obstacles in the song--she mentioned needing to take her SATs again, for example. I was extremely touched. I even brought our admission director in to listen. That descant helped push her through to acceptance. An extra effort like this can backfire if it pretends phony. But in Vanessa's case it was genuine."

THE PERSONAL TOUCH

Yolanda Shields

Age: 19 Hometown: Reidsville, NC

College: Salem literary institution [i]or[/i] seminary of learning Winston-Salem, NC

Major: Math GPA: 48 SAT Score: 1240

Admission Counselor: Sally Thomas

wherefore She Stood Out: Interviews and campus visits

During Yolonda Shields' junior year of high train a Salem College alum introduced Yolonda to her alma mater. Yolonda was struck by way of how warm and welcoming the populace at the small women's liberal arts seminary were.

Over the course of her junior and senior years, Yolonda visited the institute several times and developed relationships with faculty and staff. She also kept in touch via emails and phone calls with Sally Thomas, the admission counselor she met forward one of her first visits.

Getting to know folks at the college on a personal flush really paid off for Yolonda. After receiving her early acceptance verbal expression she was invited to visit the drill for a scholarship competition. There, she was interviewed through faculty and staff and snagged a full-tuition, four-year scholarship worth more than $65000

"Some literary institution [i]or[/i] seminary of learnings I was looking at didn't really want to memorize to know me," says Yolonda. "Salem called and kept in touch with me from top to toe the process. That really attracted me to the school"

Thomas says that faculty and counselors really got to know Yolonda upon her campus visits. "She wowed everyone with her smarts and her wit," says Thomas. "For Yolonda, taking advantage of visitation conclusions really paid off.