Sometimes it’s difficult to explain to applicants exactly what the college admissions process is at Ivy League and other selective liberal arts schools in the US.  Sometimes it’s just easier to explain what it’s not.

Last week NPR ran a story on South Korea’s national college entrance exam.  Specifically, the impact that the exam’s administration has on the entire country.  Roads close, airplanes are re-routed and the work day starts an hour later.  Why?  Because so much depends upon this one test date; each student’s college plans may rest on the results of this 9 hour test.

Obvious differences aside, the selective college admissions process at Ivies and other selective schools in the US follow a more holistic approach than relying on test results to render admission decisions.  According to the National Association for College Admissions Counseling (otherwise known as “NACAC”), the most important factors in college admission include: grades in college preparatory courses, strength of curriculum, standardized test scores, overall grades, essay/writing sample, rank, recommendation (counselor), demonstrated interest, recommendation (teacher), interview and extracurricular activities.  Note that test scores are only part of the equation.

If you are applying to a selective college in the United States, there is reason to take seriously your standardized test preparation.  Here’s a good article about the SAT scores you’ll need to be considered for admission to top colleges and universities in the US; for ACT scores read this.  Applicants with average test scores have the ability to re-test and they also have control over whether to send SAT scores to certain schools using an option called Score Choice.  You can read my take on Score Choice here.

Since test scores are only one part of the application, understanding how to use the rest of your application to showcase your strengths is your best bet–whether you have scored a 2400 or not.  While admitted students tend to achieve statistically similar grades and test scores, it’s your story that will set you apart.  Use your essay and short answers to communicate your passions, commitments and character.  While your grades and test scores help to put you on the radar, it is your story that will compel the admissions office to offer you a place in next year’s class.

Autumn is here.  Falling leaves.  The Harvest Moon.  Apple cider.  Early Decision and Early Action application deadlines!

(A good explanation of the differences between Early Action and Early Decision application requirements can be found here.)

For students applying to an institution under Early Action or Early Decision programs, the November 1st deadline is looming.  If you are considering applying early to Ivy League schools, keep in mind that Harvard and Princeton no longer offer an early option and the remaining schools offer the following types of early programs:

It’s worth noting that Columbia advertises a Nov. 2nd postmark deadline for its Early Decision applications on its site.

Yale is the only Ivy that offers a Single-Choice Early Action option.  Essentially, a student is not required to attend Yale if admitted as an early applicant (admissions offices call this a “non-binding” program since admitted applicants are not obligated to attend), but an applicant is limited to applying to one college under an early program.  For a detailed explanation, visit Yale’s Q&A here.

Other colleges have a range of early programs and deadlines, so it’s important to know which programs your particular schools offer.  Stanford offers what it calls Restrictive Early Action and MIT offers a non-binding Early Action program.  Georgetown also has a traditional Early Action program.  Applicants have until May 1st to accept or decline an offer of admission under both of these programs.

Pomona’s Early Decision applications are due by November 1st, while Amherst College Early Decision applications aren’t due until November 15th; the same is true at Williams.

These are just a few examples of programs and deadlines.  If you have determined that applying early is right for you, make sure to follow your college’s application guidelines and be sure to have, in addition to your application itself, all supporting documentation ready.  This will include items such as: teacher recommendations, an application supplement (if required by your school), a guidance counselor report, the CSS Profile (if required by your school), and testing.  Keep in mind that most colleges require that you send testing prior to the October and November administrations of the ACT and SAT, respectively.  These scores may be accepted as additional testing, but scores from earlier test dates will be needed to consider your application complete.

What you do over time has so much more of an impact than quick fixes.   Want to do well on the verbal section of your standardized tests?  Try reading a newspaper each day.  Or try reading one book per week for a year.  These strategies will boost your vocabulary better than taking a few practice SAT or ACT tests in the weeks before your test date.  You may do well on the test using the latter strategy, but will it serve you in the long run?  Oh, and if your books aren’t sending you to the dictionary at least once every few pages, then you either have a great vocabulary or you need to read more challenging books!

If you’d like to test your new vocabulary, visit www.freerice.com.  It’s a fun—and addictive—site.  A word appears on the screen and you get to choose its synonym from a list of words.  If you turn up the volume on your computer, you can also hear the word’s pronunciation.  Free Rice donates (you guessed it) rice through the UN World Food Program for every vocabulary question you answer correctly!

If you are merely weeks away from taking the test, however, you can download practice tests for the SAT Critical Reading, Writing and Math.  Or click here for sample questions for all sections of the ACT.  Remember to set aside time each day to practice your test taking.  While optional at some schools, for now it is an important part of the college admissions process at the most selective schools.