Students enrolled in an online high school and planning to attend a college of their choice need to know what colleges focus on during their admissions process. This knowledge will help them understand what they should prioritize to become college-ready.
Here are the key factors colleges prioritize during admissions.
Here are the key factors colleges prioritize during admissions.
When making admissions decisions, colleges favor students with diplomas from accredited online high schools. This makes it crucial for high school students to get enrolled in accredited online high school programs. Since online high schools have to meet specific educational standards to get accreditation, it gives credibility to the diploma they award.
Online high schools can have regional and/or national accreditation. The former is more widely accepted by colleges than the latter.
Students of The Ogburn School can rest easy as the school has both regional and national accreditation. It’s also approved by the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association).
The school is accredited by
- SACS CASI (Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement)
- NCA CASI (North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement)
- Cognia
- Ai (Accreditation International)
- NCPSA (The National Council for Private School Accreditation)
- AISF (The Association of Independent Schools of Florida)
- ACS WASC (Accrediting Commission for Schools Western Association of Schools and Colleges)
Standardized Test Scores
Several colleges look for high scores on standardized tests like the SAT or ACT as part of their admissions process. Performance in these standardized tests helps evaluate how ready students are for college-level work.
With the freedom and flexibility offered by The Ogburn School, students can prepare a self-paced study schedule to handle their coursework and carve out some time when they can focus on preparation for these tests. Thanks to the self-paced learning approach, molding the study routine to fit their SAT or ACT preparation would be easier than in a stringent traditional classroom setting.
The Ogburn School’s online high school students could even use the Message Center integrated into their online profiles to reach an advisor or the Help Center if they need guidance for their standardized test preparation.
Application Essay
The application process of many colleges includes an application essay. This is a vital part as it helps students tell their story, express why they are interested in a particular college and its specific program, and explain how they can be a valuable asset to the institution.
To excel in college application essays, online high school students should ideally start planning early. Choosing meaningful topics that help showcase their personality and unique experiences, brainstorming and drafting the content using vivid details and specific examples, and sticking to a narrative that draws the spotlight to their personal growth, character, values, and personality are crucial. Equally important is to have adequate time to revisit the essay and make changes without last-minute stress or pressure.
College essays can be a lengthy process as they typically involve multiple drafts and may even have potential topic shifts. Understanding common prompts and learning how to navigate them more confidently while writing with confidence to let one’s personality shine through can be honed with practice.
Since The Ogburn School doesn’t focus on heavily weighted tests and uses a MAP (Measure of Academic Progress) assessment test instead to evaluate student progress and advance them into the next grade level, students can take advantage of the flexible learning process to work on their college application essays.
Since the school provides each student with up to 10 months to complete a full grade level, investing time in crafting a rock-solid application essay (reflecting one’s experiences, motivations, and aspirations) without compromising high school studies becomes easier.
Letters of Recommendation
Colleges often require letters of recommendation from teachers, coaches, etc., to get insight into a student’s work ethic, character, and readiness for college challenges. For online high school students who don’t have as much in-person interaction with teachers, success coaches, and advisors as their counterparts in traditional high schools, this is particularly important.
Identifying and approaching the right people is crucial to ensuring the letter of recommendation supports a student’s college application. It’s important to get familiar with the targeted college’s requirements for letters of recommendation. Some may have particular guidelines regarding who can write these letters or what format they should follow.
Approaching teachers, academic advisors, or success coaches (typically a month before college application deadlines) via The Ogburn School’s Message Center can help them write well-planned letters without feeling rushed. Students should share relevant context like which colleges they plan to apply to, the deadlines, and their resume highlighting their academic achievements, personal interests, and other significant background information. If they want the letter to highlight any particular points, they should let their recommenders know about it. Letting these people know how to submit their letters, through mail or online, is another important thing to remember.
Diverse Skill Set
Colleges value applicants who demonstrate initiative and commitment outside their academic responsibilities. Students who engage in extracurricular activities are favored by colleges as involvement in volunteer work, sports, or part-time jobs is considered part of a well-rounded student profile.
Though online high school students may need to search for such opportunities independently, they will find it easier to balance self-paced learning with such activities than their traditional school counterparts. If they have additional accomplishments like finishing a project highlighting critical thinking or problem-solving skills or attending a bootcamp (say, about an emerging technology like AI), mentioning them in their application can provide tangible evidence of their capabilities to college admissions committees.
Demonstrating proficiency in self-discipline and digital literacy skills can also work in favor of online high school students. As these students are already experienced in managing time efficiently in a less structured environment and navigating technology effectively, demonstrating expertise in these areas can help them stand slightly ahead of other applicants.
Final Words
During the admission process of online high school graduates, colleges prioritize accreditations, performance in standardized tests, application essays, letters of recommendation, and a diverse skill set.
By focusing on these aspects, online high school graduates can successfully position themselves as strong candidates for college admissions, showing that their chosen educational route has equipped them with valuable skills and experiences.
