'Does your high school’s quality affect where you can get into college?'

USA Today College | Long Beach Gazette



In an article in USA Today College, Ann McDermott, director of admissions at the College of the Holy Cross, discussed the most important factors that lead to a college admissions decision. Noting that any given high school’s reputation is important, McDermott affirms that it is not the school, but instead the student that counts.

“Colleges evaluate students within the context of their high school, taking into account differences in grading scales, class size, course offerings and historical data,” said McDermott. “It’s dangerous to compare yourself to others in different high schools who have similar GPA or class rank and assume you’ll get accepted or rejected based on their experiences,” she continued.

Continuing her consideration of college admission in the Long Beach Gazette, McDermott emphasized that college hopefuls should both challenge themselves and exert intellectual effort in order to demonstrate their academic passions. Both the Long Beach Gazette and USA Today College quoted from McDermott’s writing  for “The Choice” The New York Times education blog.

This ‘Holy Cross in the News’ item by David Cotrone ’13.