9 Personality and Character Traits Colleges Look for in Applicants
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Colleges want to see more than just good grades and test scores on your college application. They want evidence that you possess personal qualities associated with success in college. Here are 9 personal qualities colleges look for in applicants.
It鈥檚 no secret that selective colleges look beyond the numbers when reviewing applicants. They also look for various personality and character traits. In a administered by the National Association for College Admissions Counselors (), 70 percent of college admission officers said character traits were 鈥渃onsiderably鈥� or 鈥渕oderately鈥� important in their admissions decisions.
But some admissions experts think it鈥檚 even more important for students to demonstrate these qualities in their applications. 鈥淭oday, with the impact of COVID-19, renewed focus on access and equity, and rapid alteration of the testing world, there is an accelerated movement toward holistic admission, including the elevation of character attributes,鈥� said David Holmes, executive director of the , a nationwide consortium of colleges, high schools, and educational organizations advocating for the use of character in college admissions and a co-sponsor of the NACAC survey.
It鈥檚 not only selective colleges (those accepting less than 50 percent of applicants) that pay close attention to character attributes. These qualities may also come into play for students applying to less selective schools. 鈥淪tudents wishing for merit scholarships or entry into honors programs at less competitive schools will need to show their character,鈥� said Dr. Amy Morgenstern, former associate director of the honors program at Wright State University and current founder and CEO of . 鈥淚t's essential for any college-bound student who intends to contribute to society.鈥�
What are some character traits colleges look for?
Increasingly, colleges look for personal qualities that foster cooperation, community, and compassion, explained Morgenstern. 鈥�It鈥檚 no longer the individual leader at the helm; now it鈥檚 the collaborative team member who attracts attention; students鈥� self-centered career ambitions are not as appreciated as much as sincere personal and professional aspirations to make the world better.
Morgenstern advises her students to highlight 鈥�7Cs鈥� in their essays and applications: collaboration, commitment, character, curiosity, cultural intelligence, challenge, and creativity.
Colleges may look for a different set of character qualities or define these traits in different ways. But when colleges describe their ideal candidates, they often mention some qualities more than others. Here are 9 character traits that colleges often cite when they describe what they are looking for in students.
1. Curiosity
Colleges want to see that you are passionate about learning 鈥� not just about a single academic area, but about the world around you. 鈥淲e want to see the kind of curiosity and enthusiasm that will allow you to spark a lively discussion in a freshman seminar and continue the conversation at a dinner table,鈥� states 鈥檚 website.
Show colleges how much you love to and want to learn and what excites you intellectually. If you can demonstrate that you have a 鈥�鈥濃�� the belief that one can enhance intelligence, abilities and talents through hard work 鈥� that is also a plus, according to a report from Harvard University鈥檚 School of Education.
2. Persistence
Some colleges want students who not only challenge themselves, but who also persevere through those challenges, set goals, and achieve them. You might hear this quality described as 鈥済rit鈥� or 鈥渃ommitment.鈥� A by University of Pennsylvania psychologist Angela Duckworth indicates that 鈥済rit鈥� might be a more effective predictor of success than IQ.
You might have demonstrated persistence by sticking with challenging classes or activities even though you didn鈥檛 excel in them at first, or any time you worked hard to accomplish a goal, despite obstacles or setbacks. The key is to show that even when you faced obstacles, you maintained your energy, enthusiasm and passion for what you set out to achieve.
3. Risk-taking
Here, risk-taking doesn鈥檛 necessarily mean engaging in high-risk activities like bungee jumping or mountain climbing 鈥� it means venturing out of your comfort zone, be it in the classroom or other areas of life. Taking a risk can be joining the debate club even though you have a fear of public speaking, trying a new activity, or taking a challenging class. Colleges want students who are not afraid to make mistakes 鈥� and who understand that mistakes are part of learning.
As set forth on the website of Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 鈥淲hen people take risks in life, they learn resilience because risk leads to failure as often as it leads to success. The most creative and successful people 鈥� and MIT is loaded with them 鈥� know that failure is part of life and that if you stay focused and don鈥檛 give up, goals are ultimately realized.鈥�
4. Compassion
Some colleges also look for students with compassion. According to the at UC Berkeley, 鈥淐ompassion literally means 鈥榯o suffer together.鈥� [It鈥檚] 鈥he feeling that arises when you are confronted with another鈥檚 suffering and feel motivated to relieve that suffering.鈥� Research shows that college students who show a higher level of concern for their peers and classmates have higher levels of self-esteem and self-efficacy.
Georgia Tech lists 鈥渃ompassion for others鈥� as one of eight character traits it values. Syracuse University states, 鈥淵ou are a strong candidate if you strengthen and support those around you, even as you are working to develop yourself.鈥� UCLA looks for 鈥� demonstrated concern for others and for the community.鈥�
Showing compassion is not just about expressing empathy for others, it鈥檚 also taking action to help them. Engaging in community service work, tutoring struggling students at your school, willingly taking care of siblings to help a parent working multiple jobs, or political activism can all be fueled by compassion.
5. open-mindedness
College can be a great opportunity to engage with people from different backgrounds and cultures and to consider ideas, perspectives, and opinions that might be new or different from your own. Colleges want to see that you can respectfully consider different points of view and that you welcome the chance to consider these perspectives. For example, Pomona College鈥檚 website states that it values 鈥渁n openness to new ideas and rejection of easy answers.鈥�
Critical thinking 鈥� another skill that colleges value 鈥� requires the ability to consider all arguments and ideas 鈥� even those with which you may disagree.
6. Social Consciousness
Many colleges say they are looking for students who hope to apply their academic and career interests to improve the world around them. 鈥淥ur ideal candidates are inspired to emulate our founder Benjamin Franklin by applying their knowledge in service to society, to our community, the city of Philadelphia, and the wider world,鈥� states the University of Pennsylvania on its admissions page. Oberlin College says it seeks 鈥渋ndividuals who care about the world, who believe they can make it a better place, and who have the courage to try.鈥�
Does your academic area of interest intersect with a cause that you truly care about? For example, you might want to major in engineering and use the skills you acquire to combat global warming. You might also show your sense of social responsibility through consistent volunteer work or activism.
7. Creativity
Based on a recent study, 95 percent of admissions decision-makers believe in the value of creative skills. Creativity is listed among the top qualities considered by Duke, MIT, and UCLA and it doesn鈥檛 necessarily have to be expressed through activities in the arts. Colleges often look for creative thinkers, problem solvers, innovators and entrepreneurs. To demonstrate creative thinking, you might include an experience in which you came up with a creative solution to a problem or took a unique approach to an assignment.
8. Collaboration
Colleges want to know that you can collaborate well with students and faculty, and that you are able to put the needs of your team over your own. If you had a leadership role on a team, it鈥檚 important to demonstrate that you were an effective leader of a cohesive group 鈥� even if your team ultimately fails. 鈥�You might think colleges look for leadership skills,鈥� explained Morgenstern. 鈥淭hey do. But they鈥檙e most interested in leaders who bring people together.鈥�
Sports isn鈥檛 the only area where you can illustrate teamwork 鈥� collaboration can also be found in lab or other classroom assignments, volunteer work, or the performing arts.
9. Cultural Intelligence
Colleges want students who appreciate cultural diversity and are eager to engage with and learn from people from a wide range of cultural backgrounds.
In describing successful applicants, USC has said 鈥�They are interested in the world, in other peoples and cultures, and enjoy examining important issues from a global perspective.鈥� To express this trait, you don鈥檛 need to have traveled extensively or lived in a foreign country. You might discuss your interest in mastering a foreign language, your experience advocating for an international issue you care about, or your participation in local projects where you worked with people from different cultures.
What personality traits do you have?
Chances are you possess many of the character traits colleges look for 鈥� but you might need some help identifying them in yourself. When working with her clients, Morgenstern uses a to help her students identify experiences and situations where they鈥檝e demonstrated these qualities. She also guides them in cultivating these qualities throughout high school and helps them weave them into their personal statement and supplemental essays.
The important thing is to be honest about yourself, so your application is an authentic representation of who you are. The 鈥渞eal you鈥� is who colleges want to get to know.
