Perfect SAT score is only the tip of the iceberg, colleges are looking for more

Currently, nearly three million students take the SAT annually. With the exam going digital next year, its footprint will increase further. The hope is that a great score (1600/1600 being the perfect score) will get you into the Ivies.

But is the lightsabre enough to make Luke Skywalker a Jedi?

Of course not! Luke needs to build his character — and you, young padawan, need to build a holistic profile.

Academic achievement, demonstrated by grades and SAT scores, comprises just one part of the Ivy admissions. Colleges also evaluate your extracurricular activities, academic achievements, leadership initiatives, and personal growth. Some universities, including Harvard, are even going test-optional.

Therefore, while a 1600 score will boost your application, as several perfect scorers have discovered, it might not necessarily translate into admission to an elite college. The university will also assess your all-around personality, character, and fit.

Your profile, hence, needs to showcase who you are beyond the grades, and SATs.

For this, curating a personal brand is key. Colleges are looking to create a dynamic, diverse student body, and do not want to fill their halls with test-acing candidates. Consider what you bring to the table that no one else does. What matters to you and What defines you are both important questions.

Think of your interests and passions as force multipliers and combine them in unique and exciting ways to create your own human brand, your identity. Think about how your extracurricular interests can contribute to causes close to your heart.

Demonstrating intellectual curiosity and rigor is also important. Given the liberal arts philosophy followed in the US, colleges place a premium on students who display intellectual curiosity and pursue learning with rigor. While stellar grades are essential for Ivy admissions, colleges don’t necessarily consider them evidence of these traits. They are looking for self-motivated students who opt for challenging coursework and look beyond textbooks. Coursera courses, research projects, and internships are good options to demonstrate intellectual curiosity and a go-getter attitude.

It is also important to show who you are and how you have grown. Colleges want to know the real you. That’s where the personal essay and letters of recommendation (LOR) come into play.

When penning the essay, think of the significant challenges you have faced, what you learnt, and how you grew from the experience. Admissions committees want to see if you can reflect on your experiences and learn from them. Remember to strike a balance between humble bragging, vulnerability, and humour when writing the essay. To get a good LoR, pick the right recommenders (people who know you) and provide them reference points for crafting a sincere, strong recommendation.

Also remember to highlight your leadership potential and values. Look for opportunities to develop your “soft” skills: excellent communication, innovation, problem-solving, and leadership. The ability to work well in a team, or lead one effectively, and manifest critical thinking rank high on college-readiness skills. Your values and personal character matter. The 2017 incident of a letter of recommendation that at janitor submitted for a Dartmouth applicant is proof here. The letter, a testament to the student’s kindness, made him stand apart, and he was offered admission.

Approximately 1 per cent of SAT test takers earn perfect scores. That’s a number big enough to fill up the incoming cohort at any of the coveted schools many times over. And yet many of these schools reject perfect scorers. To ensure that you stand out among the crowd of top scorers, develop a robust and holistic profile.

(The writer is the Co-Founder at Athena Education)