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How to get in: admissions standards for college

One can argue it was easy for Becky Lankford to land the college of her choice through the admissions process. She’s one of two valedictorians at Moline H...

One can argue it was easy for Becky Lankford to land the college of her choice through the admissions process.

She's one of two valedictorians at Moline High School.

We asked her what she’s looking forward to most of all.

"Just meeting a lot of people and getting out on my own," said Lankford.

But, it's a different story for other students, who may be at or near the borderline of being accepted.

Western Illinois University recently announced it is raising admissions standards because of an influx in applicants.

Joe Rives, who runs the Quad Cities campus, says it's reflective of what graduates will encounter in the “real” working world.

"Lots of people are getting lots of degrees, so what sets you apart is what employees look for," said Rives.

WIU’s current requirement is a 2.8 GPA average.

New standards will be released in September and will go into effect for applicants in the fall of 2014.

If your ACT and GPA aren't where they need to be, Rives says there are things you can do.

You may have to submit a personal statement and extracurricular activities could be a determining factor in whether or not you get in.

High school counselors will tell you it's a “well-rounded” factor admissions is looking for these days and it's never necessarily too late for students to better themselves.

"A lot of times we'll ask a student to bare down on their studying because this can improve their grades,” said Allison Ryser, head of counseling at Moline High School. “That will be a sign to the college that they're willing to work as hard as they can."

For a look at admissions standards at colleges and universities across the country, go to http://www.collegeboard.org/

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