What does it mean for a school application to be holistic?

As you research the admissions process for different independent and private schools, you may notice that many schools’ admissions offices mention providing a holistic review process. What does this mean, and how does it affect your application specifically?

Holistic applications emphasize evaluating the applicant as an individual in a broader sense, beyond empirical data such as GPA and standardized test scores.

This is why students are asked to submit a plethora of materials as part of their applications: personal essays, teacher recommendations, transcripts, and other supplementary materials. Many schools also require on-site interviews or visits. Each of these pieces, viewed together with standardized test scores and grade point averages, helps paint a picture of an applicant that can then be evaluated against other students’ profiles to help the school build its ideal incoming class.

Why Standardized Tests?

If schools already look at candidates holistically, why are test scores even part of the process, especially for students who already have impressive grades or recommendations? One reason is that having a normative test as a baseline provides  highly competitive schools an impartial metric by which to judge students’ applications.

There can be high variability in grade point averages between schools depending on curriculum rigor, grade inflation, and other factors, meaning that a 3.8 GPA at one school is not always equivalent to a 3.8 at another. Conversely, the ISEE and the SSAT have consistent grading scales for all students taking the exam, which makes each an objective metric.

When a school receives hundreds or thousands of applications every year for only a few spots, it is highly unlikely that the admissions staff will have time to fully consider every application. More often than not, only applications with standardized test scores above a certain threshold receive full evaluation.

The second reason, especially for smaller or less well-known schools, is that low scores on standardized tests can help identify students who may have fallen behind the expected curriculum pace. In this case, a lower test score indicates that a student may require additional resources and assistance from the school to succeed.

Self-Reflection

Throughout the application and selection process, it’s important for students and families to be self-reflective. Regardless of your specific combination of talents and achievements, academic or otherwise, you must remember that many other excellent students are also applying to the same schools. It’s better to apply to at least one or two achievable target schools and receive multiple acceptances than to only apply to the most competitive schools and potentially find yourself with no options for the upcoming year. Consider also that the most competitive and/or most well-known school may not be the place where a student will be the happiest, even if they are admitted.

And the Tests?

Though standardized tests are only one aspect of the holistic application, ensure that your test scores are high enough to align with the rest of the application and represent you as a student.

The best way to ensure test success is to take a practice test as early as possible in the preparation process. This diagnostic can help you determine how you would score if you took the test today, and identify what you need to work on before test day.

Having a tutor to consult during the process can also be helpful. You can schedule a consultation with a test prep expert at this link.

View diagnostic ISEE practice tests here.

View diagnostic SSAT practice tests here.

Not sure which test you’ll be taking? Check out our guide on the differences between the ISEE & the SSAT here.