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Grades and Course Rigor Matter the Most in College Admissions

Great College Advice

And they are recorded and presented to college admissions officers on your transcript. The Importance of Your High School Transcript in College Admissions The number one most important element of your college application is your transcript. The transcript is the record of your academic performance.

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What Does Harvard University Look For? Requirements + Tips

AdmissionSight

Harvard takes a holistic approach to admissions, meaning they dont just focus on grades and test scores. Academic records Your transcript is one of the most critical pieces of your application. Academic Excellence: GPA, Standardized Tests, and Course Rigor Getting into Harvard University is simply tough. weighted on 4.0

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College Admissions Glossary of Terms

Admissions Village

High School Profile: A document supplied by high schools to colleges that summarizes the school’s grading system, course offerings, standardized test score ranges, and other important data. Some colleges require students to fill this out and they use it instead of a student’s transcript. SRAR: Self reported academic record.

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How Hard Is It to Get into Stanford? Admission Requirements + Tips

AdmissionSight

Here are the documents you need to prepare: Transcript of records. Standardized test scores (optional). Transcript of records. They accept both, but standardized test scores are optional. Even though its hard to get into Stanford with or without test scores, submitting your best results can only help.

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Is Cornell Test Optional? Requirements + Tips

AdmissionSight

For Fall 2025 applicants, Cornell remains test-optional, giving students the choice to submit SAT or ACT scores. However, this policy will change for Fall 2026 admissions, when standardized test scores will once again be required. Understanding Cornells shifting test policies is crucial for applicants.

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College Planning for Juniors: How to Prepare for the College Application Process

ACM College Consulting

Prepare for Standardized Tests If you plan to take the SAT or ACT, start preparing now. Plan to take the test at least twice this spring and summer to meet fall deadlines. While most colleges are test-free or test-optional, remember that more and more schools are shifting back to requiring testing.

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To Test or Not to Test?

Admissions Village

Duke also came out with an announcement this week that said they will no longer assign a numerical score to standardized test scores, SAT or ACT or students’ essays. Yet 93% of Duke applicants submit standardized testing, and according to Duke, scores and the content of their essays will still be a part of their admissions review.

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