The most common credential required is a high school diploma. What went into earning that diploma also matters: The higher the level of the courses taken and the better your grade point average, the more likely you are to be accepted. Alternatively, many colleges will grant admission to applicants who have earned a GED (General Educational Development) in lieu of a high school diploma. GED certification is achieved by passing five subject tests that demonstrate academic skills equivalent to those of a high school graduate.
Virtually all colleges and universities have some type of application form that must be completed to gain acceptance, but the details vary depending on the school and the field of study you want to pursue. In addition to the standard application form, you may be asked to provide a high school transcript and/or letters of recommendation, answer essay questions or participate in a personal interview. In order to pursue certain fields of study, you may also be asked to audition or submit a portfolio of your work. You may have to pay a fee, typically between $35 and $60, to have your application considered.
The college entrance exams most commonly required are the SAT and the ACT. The SAT tests prospective students' capabilities in the areas of reading, writing and math. The ACT has multiple-choice questions in the areas of English, math, reading and science, and requires the writing of a short essay. Colleges consider students' scores on these standardized tests to be an indication of a student's likelihood of succeeding at the college level. The scores also eliminate the bias of geographic differences in curriculum and scoring by placing all test-takers on a level playing field.
The number of college applicants is competitive, and there are often more students with a solid academic background than there are slots for new students. Additionally, an increasing number of colleges consider academic prowess alone insufficient to judge a student's potential. Thus, colleges look beyond academics to see whether prospective students have participated in extracurricular activities such as sports, music or volunteer work. Because these activities develop good character attributes (teamwork, compassion, motivation, and such), they give extra pull to the student who has participated in them.