What Else Should I Be Doing to Get into College?
What Else Should I Be Doing to Get into College?
You already know that your grades, essays, test scores (for schools that accept them), extracurricular activities, and recommendation letters matter quite a bit in the admissions process. You probably also already know that the more selective the school is that you’re applying to, the more scrutiny they will place on each component of your application.
Many of the students we work with have built strong resumes over the course of their high school careers and are among the best in their class in many respects. However, applying to college they begin to realize that there is a surplus of talented applicants who can say the same thing.
So how do successful students set themselves apart? Beyond being the best learner, teammate, and club member you can be, what else can you do to give yourself the strongest chance to gain admission to your top schools? Read on for a few of our best tips.
Undertake a Special Project
Admissions officers love to see evidence of ways you have contributed that could only have come from you. If you’re a writer, for example, rising to the ranks of editor-in-chief of your school paper is great; but creating and marketing your own blog about a unique or niche topic that intrigues you is even better.
Create a portfolio of your best painting or photography. Develop an app or a game, putting the coding skills you’ve been cultivating to the test. Design a research project that builds on that term paper you really loved writing. Write a children’s book based on the lessons in resiliency you’ve been learning. The possibilities are endless!
The most successful students constantly look for ways to push themselves. They view cultivating their intellectual curiosity as a joy, not a chore. If you need help brainstorming or organizing ideas for a special project of your own, you might benefit from working with an admissions expert.
Demonstrate Meaningful Interest
Demonstrating interest goes a long way in helping the admissions office envision you as a member of their student body. Meaningful interest, however, goes further than taking the tour or attending the info session.
Really take the time to get to know your schools of interest, especially the ones on your list that ask some variation of the essay question “why are you interested in attending our college?”
Dive deep into the course catalog, professors’ research areas of interest, major-specific resources, and community values of the schools on your list. If possible, visit campus and attend classes; then follow-up with the professors you encounter in a professional manner. Talk to alums you may be one or two degrees of separation removed from, asking thoughtful questions that give you the clearest possible sense of what your experience on campus might be.
Consider Other Supporters
Beyond your teachers, are there other adults in your life whose recommendation might shed new light on your talent and character? Internship supervisors, employers, and research team leaders are great examples, though there may be others more appropriate for you.
Likewise, if there’s a family friend who also has strong alumni ties to a university high on your list, this person’s support may help put your application over the top. But be sure that you have cultivated your own personal relationship with them so that they have something specific to say about your charisma, drive, and acumen. You may need to be proactive in initiating these conversations and follow up appropriately. But the strongest students welcome this kind of opportunity to step out of a comfort zone.
The Distinguishing Edge
When you complete an application full of ideas and experiences that could only have come from you, you automatically stand out from your peers. There are no magic tricks to gaining admission, but by cultivating your passions over time and leaning into ways you can continue to push yourself further, your story will resonate with the decision makers who read it.
Often, students have built this distinguishing edge but struggle with how to fully articulate it. Working with an admissions expert can make a major difference in how well they are read in the process. Make sure that you are maximizing your opportunities to highlight your unique gifts in every part of your application.
The expert admissions consultants at Wise World Prep have helped hundreds of students maximize their potential of being admitted to their top choice colleges and universities. Over 20 years, we have successfully guided students through each stage of the application process – from choosing competitive high school courses to building an appropriate college list to drafting winning essays to writing persuasive update and appeals letters. We would be happy to answer your questions and partner with you to create a successful admissions roadmap.
Ready to get started? Schedule a complimentary 20-minute conversation today!
Want to stay informed? Subscribe to our newsletter.