What is a school profile
Think of a school profile as your school's "about me" page for admissions officers. It helps them understand your educational background—especially important if you're an international student, since U.S. universities might have no clue how your school system works.
This document (usually a 1-2 page PDF) is uploaded by your school counselor to the Common App. Technically, it's optional. Realistically? You want it. Without it, admissions officers might not understand your curriculum, grading scale, or the opportunities available to you—which means they might not evaluate your achievements fairly.
You can find more tips and samples of a school profile here:
What is included in a school profile
A school profile isn't just a bunch of fancy stats—it's a document that helps admissions officers understand where you're coming from. Here's what goes into it:
Contact Information—Think of this as the school's business card. It should include:
- Basic info: School name, address, website, phone, and school board (for public schools).
- Key people: Names, emails, and phone numbers for the principal, counselors, or anyone else relevant.
- CEEB Code (if your school has one).
Introduction—Give a quick overview of the school:
- When it was founded, accreditations, memberships, and any big recognitions.
- Private schools: Include your mission statement and admission standards.
Student Demographics—Admissions officers like to see the student body breakdown:
- Socioeconomic background, diversity stats, and percentage of students in low-income subsidy programs.
Grade Structure & Distribution— colleges need to understand how grades work at your school. This section is very important!
- Grading scale: A simple breakdown (e.g., 80–100 = A).
- Weighting system (if applicable).
- Special codes on transcripts (like if an “H” means honors).
- Class size and grade distribution—this helps admissions compare you fairly to other students.
Curriculum & Course Offering—Explain what's available at your school:
- Academic programs: Special tracks, AP/IB courses, and whether they're open to everyone or selective.
- Course lists: What students take each year, with required courses marked.
Standardized Testing
- Score ranges SAT, ACT, TOEFL, IELTS, SAT, AP, IB—basically, anything students take.
Postgraduate Destinations—Show where students go after graduation:
- Percentage going universities.
- List of recent university destinations.
Extracurricular Activities (Optional, But Helpful)
- Sports, clubs, music, arts—highlight the most impressive ones.
