Study Abroad: What does ‘holistic evaluation’ mean in college application

Seasoned admissions officers with decades of experience can see how the different parts of your application align with their vision of that year’s university cohort. Honesty and reliability in presenting different aspects of your profile are the key components that an experienced admission officer will value in making their judgement. An honest applicant is one that is okay with being vulnerable and shows resilience. A relatable applicant shows the many ways in which they fit the profile of a holistic student at a university. Different parts of your application create this kind of a cohesive application. Here are a few points that admissions officers will keep in mind while reviewing your application.

Academics

Given that most of the student’s time in college will be spent engaging in various academic activities, colleges look at the academic potential of an applicant and try to figure out if the student will be able to thrive in their intellectual environment. This academic potential of students is evaluated considering the following:

Curriculum (or board of education such as IB, Cambridge A-Levels, AP, ISC, CBSE, state board or NIOS) and the courses you were a part of; rigor and expectations of the courses; grades; standardised tests (ACT/ Digital SAT) scores (thankfully these tests have been made optional); and additional work that demonstrates intellectual interests of the student. This could be by showcasing academic projects, research, high olympiad ranks, internships, or attending selective summer programs offered by top colleges.

Extra-curriculars

Admissions officers wish to know how a candidate will contribute to student life on campus. They decipher this by either reading a list of extracurricular activities and achievements that one has to write in an application or a resume in some cases. Examples of these activities could include athletics, visual or performing arts, leadership and social impact initiatives. Always remember, going overboard and just participating in a medley of activities is not what makes a student stand out. Depth of engagement and commitment over time to activities is more important. Think about it. Who would you choose between a student that shows commitment and passion towards something or a student that does ten too many things to look good on an application?

There is a saying in admission circles: “the thicker the file, the thicker the student”. In other words, a student solely motivated to look good on an application likely compensates for all that might not be favorable.

A genuine student, instead, tries to show a more honest and holistic side of themselves. Therefore, less is more when it comes to showcasing your interests.

Letters of recommendations 

Admission committees value the opinion of those who’ve played a crucial mentorship role in your life, as it offers a third person look at your abilities. Letters of recommendation from teachers and counsellors that help differentiate a student are particularly helpful in the review process.

Letters are especially important as they are the people outside your family that spend a considerable amount of their time with you. These recommendations are an excellent place to validate certain important achievements, awards, work, volunteer experience or leadership positions.

Essays 

These are the story telling components of your profile and exist to make you three-dimensional. Admissions officers wish to learn about the strengths, values, quirks, interests, growth stories and goals of students.

The common application personal essay and other supplemental essays are forms of expository prose that have one goal– to make the reader like you as a person. The students I have worked with have shared stories that range from being about their experiences moving to a different city as an artist to how their unique name has put them in numerous interesting situations. Despite such varying stories, the consistent component of these essays was their straightforwardness alongside their ability to showcase strong reflections on the lives they have lived thus far.

Besides these major components there are, the not so obvious, things that make an application stand out. These aspects are not as tangible but are reflected in the way the application is presented. When you are truthful to yourself you can have the courage to represent yourself in a unique way. Following the herd and trying to check off all the boxes to showcase a profile that isn’t exactly yours can be counterproductive and stressful.

Students should be honest in portraying their profile and help admissions officers get to know them the way they are. They should not be putting anything in the application to look good. Remember that the admission officers are humans and not machines.

Helping them make that genuine connection with you can really make you stand out in a pool of hundred other applicants they see each day. Doing so requires work and discipline. Treat your life’s narrative with respect and take the courage to be yourself in your application. The key is to introspect and then project that narrative. When you set out on this journey, every step becomes its own reward. The admissions offers you receive later on, of course, become a lot sweeter.

(The writer is the founder of Edbrand and CollegeFair.Live – a one-on-one college admissions mentoring company based in India.)