The volume of college applications continues to increase annually, leading to lower acceptance rates. The college admissions process is more selective than ever, so it’s critical to make your application stand out for the right reasons. What’s your “hook?” You want to give the college admissions committee something that will convince them to admit you. Will you fit into the college’s institutional priorities for the incoming class? Will you bring a special talent or some diversity? Are you a natural leader? Or a great team-player? What unique interests do you offer?
The first thing colleges want to know is, will the applicant thrive academically? If the student being considered does not pass the academic litmus test, then other attributes provided in the application won’t carry much significance. Colleges are looking for academic risk takers with good grades in rigorous courses. They want students who have successfully challenged themselves within their high school’s available curriculum.
Colleges with holistic admissions are digging deep and trying to figure out what makes the applicant interesting. Attractive applicants need to convey their passion and level of commitment. Why would the college want him or her to join their community and how would the student contribute (a journalist? Athlete? Musician? Community service organizer)? Give the admissions officer compelling information that may set you apart from the other qualified applicants. Think outside of the box and find ways to draw attention to your unique qualities.
Make sure the student’s authentic voice comes through in their application essay. Anything that an applicant is passionate about has merit, including an after-school job. Admissions officers read hundreds of essays. Your goal is to evoke either a smile or a sigh. Remember, the reader frequently is weary and often bored. They want to hear a good story that shows something about the applicant that isn’t found elsewhere in the application. On the Common Application, the essay is called a “Personal Statement” for a reason. Be personal, candid, open, interesting … Your essay couldn’t be written by anyone else.
Depth rather than breadth is valued. While it might seem impressive to have joined six clubs and dug latrines in a Third World country the summer after your junior year, know that admissions officers can see right through such a ploy. Better to do less, and do it well. An eager dedication to one or two activities is received more favorably.
Students need to prove that they really know and want the college to which they are applying. Showing genuine enthusiasm for each school on your list is important. Colleges track “demonstrated interest” and are getting better and better at data mining. No college wants to be an applicant’s “safety school.” Colleges want kids who want them.
Trying too hard to differentiate yourself could get the application noticed for the wrong reasons. Give colleges what they want. Extra recommendations, unwanted resumes and that 25-page writing sample will get dumped into the garbage. Colleges don’t fall for gimmicks. The most impressive applicants give specific, compelling reasons for why they want to attend the particular school.
College-bound students need to line up at least two recommendations from core academic teachers who know and respect their ability to learn. The best choice isn’t always the teacher in whose class you found an easy “A” but the teacher who can describe what you’re like as an eager student who listens actively and supports classmates. Also, give teachers a summary of your activities, community service, jobs, honors and awards that they might not know about. Don’t procrastinate. Ask early since a rushed writer is rarely persuasive.
Clean up your social media. Admissions officers are Internet savvy. Prepare your social media accounts accordingly. Utilize the “grandmother rule.” If you wouldn’t want grandma to see it, then don’t post it. Assume that admissions officers will be performing a search on you and make sure the results say what you want them to say.
Practice full disclosure. Did your grades dip one semester? Is there a hole in your coursework? Have you had a suspension or other disciplinary infraction? The best approach is to self disclose. There are avenues on the Common Application and other applications to explain these things. For your explanation to have a mitigating effect, you need to show that you have learned from the experience and have accepted the consequences.
Remember, college admissions officers pore over hundreds of applications in search of the right applicant. Make their job easier by creating an error-free, clear and concise application. Avoid typos and follow the directions for each college. Many colleges have institution-specific supplements. A careless application reflects a careless applicant. The number of college application essays that name another institution because the student carelessly cut and pasted the same words into another application amazes me! A clean, typo-free application that provides all requested information accurately and answers questions directly and succinctly shows a student who understands and strives for excellence.
Parents, don’t become “helicopter parents.” Don’t hover. No matter how anxious parents may be, they must resist the urge to call the admissions office. That’s the applicant’s role. Colleges want citizens who are able to act independently and accept the responsibility of young adulthood.
Keep perspective. Remember college is a match to be made and not a prize to be won. An institution is selective if qualified applicants outnumber spaces available and it routinely rejects candidates who fully meet its standards for admission. Fewer than 57 percent of students in the U.S. are attending their first choice college. That means that students usually wind up attending their second (or third or fourth) choice of college. It is interesting to note, however, that 75 percent of students were admitted to their first choice of school. This means that for many reasons students (and their families) may make the choice to attend a school other than the student’s initial first choice.
Remember — where the student attends matters less than their attitude and actions once they get there. Great kids do great anywhere.
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