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If you’re an entrepreneur, you understand this dynamic well: credentials open doors, but character closes deals.
College admissions work the same way.
A perfect GPA and test scores don’t get a student into an Ivy League school. They get the application opened. From there, it’s emotional intelligence, social awareness and self-understanding that determine who gets in — and who gets waitlisted or denied.
This is why every year, top colleges turn down Valedictorians — and admit Salutatorians who demonstrate more maturity, curiosity and insight into who they are and how they grow.
Related: 8 Must-Have Leadership Qualities for Workplace Success
Why “be authentic”