Colleges set admission requirements to ensure students that enroll can succeed at the institution.
Colleges can take the following factors into consideration: GPA (grade point average), SAT or ACT scores, courses, class rank, Advanced Placement exams, extracurricular activities, volunteer work, work experience, application essays, teacher recommendations, residency, and religious or ethnic background.
While every college is different, course requirements often include at least two years of a foreign language, three years of social science, three years of math, three years of science, and four years of English.
A college rarely states a minimum high school GPA needed to gain admission. Since the average GPA of all high schools students is a 2.94, try for a GPA above a 3.0.
Like GPA, a college rarely openly states what test scores you need for admission. Since the average ACT score was 21 and the average SAT score was 1511 in 2008, strive to attain a number above these scores.
Sometimes college admissions will overlook a poor GPA for a high test score and vice versa. Be sure to emphasize your strengths. Be capable of explaining your weaknesses.
Be sure to check your chosen college's admission requirements, usually found on the college's Website, since requirements differ widely among colleges.