Filling out a college application can be an intimidating process for many students. One of the main questions students have is, “what do colleges look for the most?”

The college counselor at Air Academy High School, Dr. Beers, has the answer to this question. He says, “Performance in core academic subjects are what colleges will look most closely at.” He goes onto say that GPA is an important factor, but many schools will firstly look at the grade in your core class.

Colleges also love to see your involvement in your school and community. Dr. Beers comments that, “Community service is a good way to show colleges that you care about others, and your community.” Joining clubs that you are passionate about will help you get more involved, but it will also catch colleges’ attention. Many schools just want to know how you spend your time so they can get to know you better.

A letter of recommendation also plays an important role in your application. When finding a teacher to write you a letter of recommendation choose the teacher that you feel knows you best, and that you have the best relationship with. This way the teacher can write about your personality and academic skills.

Dr. Beers’ advice for students is to take solid academic classes throughout high school so that your first year of college is not too overwhelming or tough. On an application for college electives are not as important as the core classes. It is important to maintain good grades in your elective classes, but when choosing them pick subjects you are interested in. If you are really interested in art and love doing it, an art class would probably be the right fit for you.

Electives are a great opportunity to learn more about everything you are really interested in. Not only are electives opportunities to learn more, but they are also another way for colleges to get a glimpse at what you are interested in.

Overall, college applications can be a scary thought because of all the steps, but the important thing is to be yourself and put effort into everything you do.