How to Stand Out from the Crowd: 5 Secrets of Successful Applicants
How to Stand Out from the Crowd: 5 Secrets of Successful Applicants
Everyone knows what colleges want: a long list of AP classes and extracurricular activities, and a brilliant personal statement that makes you sound like you’re already a distinguished scholar who is 100% certain about your path in life. Right? Not so fast. Tons of students get good grades and test scores. Most students are engaged in activities, be it the school paper or the soccer team or playing the banjo. All applicants want to go to college for the same basic reason: to have a life-changing experience that will help them grow. In a sea of straight A students who all participate in a list of similar-sounding activities and want to go to college because it will change their lives, what can you do to get admissions officers’ attention? Read below to find out what colleges really want. These tips and tricks will help you stand out from the crowd.
Be Authentic
Too many students shape their applications around what they think they “should” say instead of expressing their true selves, and many students fall into the trap of trying to sound perfect, so they can impress their dream school. Admission officers can see right through this.Colleges don’t expect you to be perfect or to be 100% certain about your major or future goals. One of the purposes of college is to explore. Admissions officers look for applicants who can honestly reflect on what they have to offer, and who are open-minded about all they have to learn. Write the way you naturally speak, and communicate realistic goals using clear and simple language. If you do this, then not only will admissions officers get a sense of who you really are, they will also see that you have fully thought through your decision to attend their school.
Do What You Love and Love What You Do
The way you spend your time in and out of the classroom paints a portrait of who you are, so be mindful of what your commitments say about you. Admissions officers don’t want a long list that proves you’ve found the time to do everything. They want to see that you have key areas of focus, and that you are fully engaged in them. If environmental science is your favorite subject, then don’t sign up for orchestra instead just because you think it’s what admissions officers prefer to see. Rather, find ways to make sure that environmental science jumps off the pages of your application. Are there campus clubs that might help you deepen your scientific knowledge? Are there opportunities for volunteer work in your community that would give you hands-on experience? Consider starting your own group that will help your application materials say to admissions officers, “this is one of my passions, and I have the determination to see it through.” Having a select few extracurricular pursuits to which you’ve dedicated significant time and energy and grown into positions of leadership will always help you stand out more than a laundry list of clubs you belong to but haven’t made an impact. Make sure your activities match your interests and that you pursue your interests to the fullest. Push yourself beyond the confines of “good enough” and see how far you can take your passions. Carving out a unique path based on your intellectual curiosity will set you apart.
Go Beyond the Core
Your high school will undoubtedly have core requirements you’ll have to meet in order to graduate. Many times, this leaves students with flexibility in their schedules, especially in senior year. If you want to stand out from the crowd, go beyond the core and use your schedule to show deep interest in your studies. Admissions officers like to see students who find ways to push themselves and embrace the challenge of high-level classes. Just because you don’t have to take a fourth year of foreign language, for example, doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t. If you have the option between a more rigorous, academic elective and a free period or a fluff course, choose the class that will show your commitment to learning. In some cases, your high school won’t have the options you’re seeking. Perhaps you’ve taken the highest level foreign language class available already. Consider a guided self-study, independent project, online course, or class at your local community college. Remember, your grades alone won’t make you stand out. But the overall story they tell about your academic choices and passions can.
Choose Your Cheerleaders
Don’t forget the other voices that speak loudly through your application—the teachers who write letters of recommendation on your behalf. Approach teachers who have watched you improve or develop new skills, and whose classes you have truly enjoyed. If you don’t have many specific memories of a certain teacher’s class, then that teacher probably won’t have many glowing memories of you, either, and would probably not have much to write about in a letter. What colleges want are students who have made positive and long-lasting impressions on their instructors. Start by giving your teachers a good reason to cheer for you. Students who positively stand out to their teachers get excellent letters of recommendation because they’ve gone out of their way to distinguish themselves from their peers. If you stand out in the classroom, then your teachers will have plenty of positive things to say about you that could help your application stand out to admissions officers.
Finish the Easy Pieces First
The personal statements and essays can be the most stressful pieces of any application. There’s this pressure to fill a small space with as much colorful information about you as you possibly can. Trying to pour every detail of your life into the proper word count is like pouring all the paints onto the same canvas. Instead of a beautiful mosaic, you wind up with a page turned brown.Start with everything else—your activities list, your recommendation letters, your transcript—and pay attention to the self-portrait they paint. Then, think about what’s missing. What other detail do you wish to get across to admissions officers to help them see who you are? What other information feels so important, after the foundation has been set, that you can’t imagine leaving it out? Using your personal statement as a way to fill in gaps in the rest of your application helps the essay feel less daunting and could even spark some ideas for essay topics. And completing the rest of your application could help you build momentum that carries over into your personal statement.
Show Your Best Self
As you’re putting your applications together, remember that you have strengths and interests within you that make you different from your peers. Identifying, enhancing, then sharing them with others will help you stand out from the crowd. It’s common for students to feel anxious about their essay, especially when it comes to selecting the strongest topic to write about. Working with experienced specialists can help you identify the parts of your story that make for captivating essays, and help you manage your stress level at the same time.
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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