
Overview
The college admissions process can be confusing and
frustrating, to say the least. Each college has unique
requirements, ranging from what standardized tests it recognizes
to how many years of a foreign language you'll need to take.
Luckily, there are some common benchmarks universal to almost
every school.
A national survey* of college admissions officers identified
the 5 most important factors they consider when evaluating
candidates. The survey showed the rapidly growing role of
standardized tests in college admissions.

The following section outlines what these 5 crucial factors
are, why they're important, and how you can get ahead.
*Source: National Association for College
Admission Counseling, "The State of College Admissions
2002-2003."