Key Factors
1. High School Academic Performance (GPA)
• American universities generally focus on academic performance from grades 9 to 12
• Canadian universities generally focus on academic performance from grades 10 to 12
• Different schools and majors have different minimum requirements for high school GPA , which is why the sooner college planning starts, the better
2. English Test Results (TOFEL, IELTS, etc..)
• Students studying in non English speaking country must take language tests such as TOEFL or IELTS
• Student studying in an English-speaking country for four years of high school may be exempted from English language tests
• Canada's top universities require IELTS scores of not less than 6.5 points, TOEFL scores of not less than 90 points
• The top universities in the United States require IELTS scores of not less than 7 points and TOEFL scores of not less than 100 points
3. Application Essays
• Applications need to fully demonstrate the comprehensive ability and strength of the applicant
• Essay writing seeks to reflect the applicant's creativity, leadership and depth of thought
• Essays need to show personal strengths, achievements in research fields, contributions to society, etc..
4. Sports and/or Arts Achievements
• Prestigious schools attach great importance to students' extracurricular activities
• Top universities require demonstration of achievements at the national or international level
• Playing in a team sport or even becoming captain of a team can show admissions officers the applicant's team spirit and leadership
• Students engaged in performing arts must demonstrate a high level of achievements. For example, a student playing the piano may complete a performer’s diploma or provide competition results to demonstrate not only their ability but their devotion in gaining these achievements
5. Social Activities
• Student participation in social activities can reflect their sense of social responsibility, which is highly valued by top universities
• Social activities include community service, fundraising activities for charities, volunteering etc..
• It would also be helpful for students to use the holidays to conduct internships in schools, companies and other social organizations
6. Recommendation Letters
• Recommendation letters are the only third-party evaluations of the student in the application, so they are particularly important
• Recommendation letters are best written by teachers at the school. Some universities will clearly require teachers of certain subjects to write recommendation letters
• Recommendation letters are generally required to be sent directly to the school to ensure its authenticity
• During high school, students should choose three to four teachers whose recommendation they wish to receive, and develop a good rapport with those teachers by actively engaging in class activities so that they may leave a positive impression with them.