What is "holistic admissions"?

Most of my families are from other countries, with their children born and educated in the US. The term "holistic admissions" may sound totally foreign to these parents (and, candidly, many who were born and raised in the US as well).

"Holistic admissions" refers to a practice where a university admissions office considers not only a student's grades and course difficulty, but also their extracurriculars and personal qualities. Why would a university want to know all this information?

American universities are trying to do more than admit the students with the best grades. They are trying to build a class.

In other countries, resources are allocated to the top universities, and only students with the highest test scores go to top universities. In the US, universities have their own philosophies and institutional priorities. After screening for a baseline of academic ability, they are looking to admit first-year classes that fit these priorities. If they want a geographically diverse first year class, they may prioritize admitting students from certain parts of the country or world that are under-represented in their populations. Or, they may have a particular need to fill seats in specific majors (often, these are in the humanities, like Classics or Philosophy).

They may look for specific character traits. Religious universities, such as Boston College or Santa Clara University, may select students who embody faith-inspired values. Women’s colleges, like Wellesley or Smith College, may pay more attention to applicants interested in gender equity. In other words, the university's mission shapes the students it may choose to admit.

This is why the application consists not only of the student’s grades, but also essays, activities, and sometimes teacher letters of recommendation: to allow admissions to understand the student's academic qualifications as well as personal traits.

To be clear, this does not mean that admissions officers are looking for perfect students. They are looking to build a class of students from different backgrounds, perspectives, and talents. That means that two equally qualified students can have different admissions decisions from the same university because they bring different strengths and experiences to the incoming class.

What does all of this mean for my student?

1. Encourage your student to join activities they genuinely enjoy.

Admissions rewards those who show growth, sustained contribution over time, and impact. Students who enjoy an activity (rather than participating for admissions' sake) are more likely to remain involved over multiple years, develop expertise, take initiative, and mentor others. They are also more likely to write sincere essays about activities that were meaningful to them.

2. Admissions decisions are not always a reflection of your student's ability.

If your student is not admitted to some of his or her top choices, it will be helpful to know that these decisions are often due to factors that were outside the student’s control. Oftentimes, colleges admit applicants who fulfill a specific need that has nothing to do with your student's qualifications.

This is why it is important to apply to a range of universities: reach schools, target schools, and likely (or safety) schools. Your child's list of colleges should range in selectivity.