Academics > Lower School > Curriculum > Foreign Language Exploratory Program

Know Yourself and Your Personal Profile

Perhaps one of the most important and most difficult parts of selecting a college is making a critical appraisal of yourself and your personal profile. Before you can begin to know which college or university is right for you, you must know what your strengths and weaknesses are and what limitations are going to be placed on college selection either by your academic record or by family or financial considerations.

Your School Record

First, you must accurately appraise your academic record. You will need a copy of your high school transcript which shows all the courses you have taken and your grades, as well as any standardized test scores.

Also, look at your grade point average (GPA). Many applications will ask for this information.

Remember, it is never too late to start making improvements in these numbers, but you are the only one who can make this change.

Colleges like to see Honors and AP courses on transcripts, but they know that challenging courses are not for everyone. However, one thing that they do like to see is improvement. If you had a “slow” start in your freshman year (and maybe even your sophomore year), you need to make very sure that there is marked improvement in your junior year and that you show strength in course selection for your senior year.

Family Considerations

Have a serious talk about college selection with your parents at and listen to their concerns. They may place restrictions on distance away from home, or programs offered, or on tuition and other costs. All of these are factors should be considered as you make your college selection.

Personal Resume

On most of college applications, you will be asked for personal as well as academic information. In order to have your facts readily available, you should complete a resume. The resume will also be very helpful when individuals write letters of recommendation for you.