U.S. college admissions: a holistic proces

U.S. college admissions is known as a holistic process, but it can be difficult for people to understand what that means if they are unfamiliar with it.

In contrast to U.K. university admissions, where the focus is placed on proving one’s interest in the selected course, U.S. college admissions considers the whole applicant. This includes academic ability, of course, but also extracurriculars, and the student’s hobbies. The Common App, supplemental college essays, and general admissions process for U.S. colleges gives candidates the opportunity to showcase their personality and interests for the admissions officers. However, some candidates find it tricky to determine what sort of information they should include in their supplemental essays.

Revealing personality through the supplemental essays

While most candidates elect to frame their Common App essay around their academic interests and extracurriculars that have influenced their opinions, the supplemental essays are a chance for students to reveal more of themselves in a somewhat less formal way. This may include a particularly significant journey, or a relationship with a mentor, or even a hobby.

On the surface, it may appear that these framing devices have little to do with U.S. college applications, but really they can help illustrate the experiences that might not be quantifiable, but have nevertheless proved influential.

Extract from a college supplemental essay

Let’s take a look at one such example:

My home nation of Denmark is often considered the happiest country in the world. Some may put this down to the fact that we created Lego. Others argue that it comes as a result of the copious amounts of licorice consumed each year, but I question this. The real reason, in fact, is Bakken.

Bakken is the world’s oldest amusement park and is located in my home city. It was built in 1583, and its name comes from the Danish word Dyrehavsbakken, which means “The Deer Pasture's Hill”. The park is replete with rides and games, food stalls and gift shops. At one stage, as an energetic thirteen year old, I procured a yearly pass and visited Bakken on 30 separate occasions (bear in mind that the park is only open for 34 weeks out of the year). I would spend my day visiting the Circus Revue, eating røde pølser, and riding the 82 year old wooden roller coaster.

This extract is very illustrative of an important aspect of the candidate’s application: their personality. While a Common App essay needs to be a carefully crafted narrative that showcases a wide range of experiences and gives insight into one’s values, the supplemental essays are much shorter, and they are geared towards getting to know a candidate.

From this, a U.S. college admissions officer might be able to see that the candidate shows initiative, has a strong sense of cultural identity, and knows how to have fun! Colleges want to admit students who will both work hard, and benefit from the experience in other ways too. However, it’s also important that the supplemental essay be well-written—just because it is more casual in structure than the Common App does not mean that students can forget the very necessary redrafting and editing process.

BartyED and U.S. admissions

BartyED’s team of highly experienced U.S. college admissions consultants leverage their expertise to help students craft strong, compelling applications, not just the Common App essay. While the Common App essay is always the first thing that an admissions officer will look at when considering an application, it is most certainly not the last. There are many factors that go into U.S. college admissions, and our consultants are readily available to offer expert advice throughout the process.

If you would like to find out more about the U.S. college admissions consultancy packages that we offer at BartyED, reach out today via email (enquiries@bartyed.com) or phone (+852 2882 1017).