If you saw my work desk right now, you'd see dozens of different school profiles everywhere. I am in prep mode. I have two big presentations for two school districts this week. I'll be giving school administrators workshops on the school profile.
When I tell friends and family members what I'm working on, they want to know two things. Which school districts am I consulting with? And, what's a school profile?
The school districts are vastly different. One is on the West Coast and has two high schools in the district. The other one is one of the largest school districts in the U.S. with a long list of high schools they are responsible for.
But defining what a school profile is proves to be a complicated question. Most students and parents have no idea it even exists.
The school profile is a document that is used by admissions officers to understand the student's transcript and set expectations for how the student will be judged. It should explain the high school and community the student is coming from, the grading system, the curriculum, the course offerings, the demographics of the student body, testing averages of the school, and much more. Without the school profile, colleges have no way of interpreting the transcript. But it goes beyond that. The transcript contextualizes the student's test scores, essays, and even their letters of recommendation. It's like giving someone who doesn't speak or read English a book without a translation. In the college admissions world, if there's no translation, students can easily be misjudged.
There are so many pieces to the school profile. But here are the three most important things:RELATED READING: 5 Ways High Schools Can Improve College Admissions Results
1. The school profile should have a link on the high school's website landing page.
If the school profile isn't included with the student's transcript or if the college uses a self-reporting platform like STARS instead of requiring an official transcript, admissions officers must be able to easily access the school profile if they have a question about the high school. They don't have time to do a deep dive on the school website. The school profile needs to be obvious and accessible from the landing page or else it will never help students.2. The school profile must be updated annually at the beginning of the school year.
Course offerings change. Policies are implemented. Average test scores fluctuate. Nothing stays the same from year to year. If it's not updated, it's inaccurate and it can hurt students in the admissions process. For example, let's say an engineering student wanted to take AP Physics their senior year but the class wasn't offered due to a teacher shortage or a low number of students interested in taking it. If the course is still listed on the school profile, the colleges that student applies to will assume that it was available to the student and hold it against the student if they don't take it.3. Every school profile should list the percentage of students who attend a four-year institution.
This is the most critical data point for admissions officers. It can't be combined with the percentage of students going onto two-year institutions. It is the quickest and easiest way to understand what type of high school the student is coming from. For example, if a student is coming from a high school where 20% of graduates attend a four-year institution, the admissions officer will assume a lot of things. Test scores might not be as high. Letters of recommendation may not be detailed, especially from the school counselor. The student's essays might not be as polished. Without knowing this information, a student could be denied outright without ever having a fighting chance.Interested in learning more about my high school consulting services? Fill out our form.
One might argue that admissions officers get to know high schools they are responsible for. But what happens when that admissions officer leaves and a brand new one begins? What happens when a high school changes its policies or curriculum? What happens when something new is added to the transcript but isn't explained on the profile? The high school isn't negatively impacted, necessarily. But the student is.
There are so many things students can't control in the college admissions process. Yet, there is one thing that their high school can do for them, even if the high school doesn't have the resources to help with every piece of the student's application. The school profile doesn't have to be fancy. But it should be accessible. It should be updated. And, it should be clear about what is and isn't available to the student applying.
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