4 Ways You Can Stand Out from your School Group

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4 Ways You Can Stand Out from your School Group

Unless you are homeschooled by yourself, there’s a strong chance that someone else in your high school class will apply to some of the same colleges as you. In fact, there are probably a few institutions so popular at your high school that every year dozens of students apply.

If you find yourself drawn to a school where many of your friends or peers are also interested, you may feel increased pressure to set yourself apart from everyone else but not know how to go about doing that. With only so many extracurricular opportunities and GPAs within a few tenths of a point to each other, how can students in similar situations differentiate themselves? 

Below are four of our strongest ideas on how to do just that!

Think Outside the Classroom

If you’re worried about your peers having similar sounding resumes or accomplishments, focus even more on the work you do outside of the classroom. You likely have multiple ways to pursue areas of passion that are unique to you and your set of circumstances.

Taking an active role in a community group, starting your own business or non-profit, or securing a job or internship are all great examples to start your thought process. Remember, standing out is about embracing your passions and the “whys” that inspire them. You have the opportunity to define your own community of friends and associates both in and out of school. Take that opportunity to dive deeply into activities or causes that are personally significant to you and create your unique legacy.

Write Your Own Story

Your personal statement will help differentiate you from the people around you. This is your best opportunity to convey the message of who you are to an admissions officer.

Be sure to follow our tips and tricks for crafting a strong essay. In both your Common App main essay and your supplements, it’s up to you demonstrate the personal spin you’ve put on your activities or insight you’ve drawn from them. Just because you and your best friend apply to the same school and have participated in that same clubs doesn’t mean that your experience was the same. Likewise, just because you’re applying to the same school doesn’t mean you have the same reasons for doing so.  

If you’re worried that someone else might be able to write the same essay or reach the same conclusions, you need to dig deeper into your topic until that is no longer the case.

Diversify Your List

Are there colleges or universities that everyone from your high school gravitates toward? How do you really feel about the prospect of spending the next four years with many of the same people you spent the last four years? (There is no right answer to this question; but it’s very important you consider how this may affect your growth and sense of freedom).

One of the easiest ways to stand out from your school group is to apply to different places. Be a trailblazer. Find schools that may be more right for you even if they are lesser known amongst your peer group. Crafting a college list should be personal and intentional; be sure you have specific reasons for each school you apply to, especially those that are exceptionally common.

Help Your Helpers

Your letters of recommendation offer a glimpse into who you are as a person. Make it easier for the people who are writing on your behalf to say helpful things about you.

letters are positive in tone; so that in and of itself isn’t very helpful. It is expected. Admissions officers don’t want to know that you are a good student. They want to know how. Provide your teachers and college counselor with specific anecdotes from class or your personal life that will allow them to, in turn, write detailed, persuasive letters. If your school has a form or questionnaire to generate this information, don’t take it for granted. Be thorough and provide clear examples illuminating the traits you want highlighted. If you school does not have a form, create your own. Write a note of gratitude that also offers pertinent information that supports your candidacy.

It is not a given that admissions officers will only take the students with the highest grades and/or test scores from a school group. Nor is it a given that they will only take a certain percentage of students from any one school. Rather, they will admit the students from that group who best fit the mission and values of their institution. It’s up to you to demonstrate why that’s you.

Don’t worry about the other students also applying from your school. The race you run is against yourself and the clock. Do your best work and allow yourself time to carefully develop every piece of material that makes up 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.

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