Profile Building to apply for a Bachelors Degree

Admissions committees at colleges look for certain attributes in applicants. There are a multitude of aspects but they can be fit into 5 broad categories. While building a profile for your college applications, you should aim to tick most if not all 5 boxes. If you manage to do so, you should be on your way to your dream admit! We have listed these categories in order of importance.

Grades:?

Consistent, strong grades to be maintained in core subjects. Usually, grades from Class 9th are looked at with greater emphasis placed on the most recent grades. An upward trend is a positive sign.?

If you are submitting a Predicted Grades sheet, you can request your school to raise your grades by an achievable target. For example, if your past grades have been around 85%, you can submit a predicted grade of 90-92%.?

SAT scores:?

If you are scoring above 1400, you will be in the league of a Top 30 admit considering demographics and class diversity. A score above 1500 will shield you from SAT becoming a factor for rejection in your application.?

Internships:

1-2 internships/projects that are relevant to the majors/minors you are applying to are enough. These are deemed to be co-curricular activities that show the admissions committee that there is demonstrated interest in the field of study. The best time to do an internship would be during your summer break between Class 10th-12th or even during festive breaks. School projects can also be counted toward internships or co-curricular activities.

The duration of the internship does not decide its significance or weightage in your application and neither do the certificates you receive for completing it. The quality of work done during the project/ internship is far more crucial. Results or potential results of the work are important. These feed into your essay and will also supplement your understanding of the major you are applying to. There needs to be an objective for the project/internship and the extent to which it has been achieved needs to be documented as it will be communicated in the essays. So, remember to focus on the skills and learning you are gaining from an internship.?

Leadership within School:?

Growing to a leadership position within a club at school or starting your own club at the school adds a lot of value to the profile. Usually, it’s best to be involved from 10th grade onwards. If not, it is imperative to begin in grade 11. The contribution to the club as a member needs to be well established. Growth to a leadership position over time in the club will be viewed very positively. The club could be technical or non-technical. However, character building and learnings from this club will add value to the candidature.

Volunteering/ Diversity:?

This can add value to Indian students since the range of experiences for most candidates tends to be similar. Exposure to environments different from your own helps the candidate be well-rounded with an appreciation for diversity and strong traits of empathy. Volunteering can be planned over weekends if it is within the city. But ensure that it’s portrayed as a consistent activity with the initiative shown by the student. If you are doing a social activity outside the city, this can also add value. But you will need to find a holiday window for the same. Prioritise the internship and projects over this.

While a holistic profile containing these components is important, do not belittle yourself for not having all of them in your kitty. Understand that an exemplary record in one category can be used as a supplement for another, provided that you present your application in such a way. Reach out to us by scheduling a free call on the Gradvine website and we can help you with basing your priority order to land you a great admit!