Students hoping to gain acceptance to a highly competitive college need a “proactive approach” and a “strategic mindset,” according to Forbes. The highly regarded business-oriented publication cites five steps that students should take, beginning in their freshmen year of high school.
From the onset, students should immerse themselves in a myriad of activities, both within and outside their school, that pique their interest. The purpose is to identify their field of interest and the activities in which they find purpose and will ultimately assume a leadership role.
Starting in sophomore year, students should narrow down their commitments to those that are most fulfilling and then deepen their engagement with these specific activities. Students, and their parents, often believe that colleges favor applicants who are involved in a wide range of activities. That’s a myth. Colleges seek specialists: students who have found their niche, contributed to their school or other community, and assumed leadership responsibilities.
One of the most significant highlights of a successful college applicant is the completion of a “passion project.” This is an independent project that integrates a student’s field of interest with an undertaking that benefits a specific community. For example, a local student with whom I worked was accepted to 7 Ivy League schools as well as to MIT and Stanford. She had near-perfect SAT scores, but what made her application really stand out was a medical tracking system she created, after her grandfather suffered a stroke, to help him and others like him, track feedback on their rehabilitation exercise performance. Other passion projects have involved creating a business, launching a speaker’s bureau, starting a YouTube channel, and setting up a Zoom tutoring business to educate international students in underprivileged communities.
While extracurricular activities are important, and the key to standing out, the bedrock of a college application is one’s grades and SAT scores. Students admitted to elite colleges typically have near perfect SAT scores, a GPA that often exceeds 4.0 (due to advanced, weighted courses), and an abundance of AP courses with test scores of a perfect “5.”
Students can also boost their applications by using their time wisely, particularly during the summer months. This is the perfect opportunity for students to attend a college program in their field of interest, immerse themselves in an internship or volunteer program, partake in a service trip through a religious or community organization, or engage with their passion project.
Demonstrating a “proactive approach” and “strategic mindset” throughout one’s high school years can be invaluable when the time comes, early in senior year, to submit college applications.
Susan Alaimo is the founder & director of Collegebound Review, offering PSAT/SAT® preparation & private college advising by Ivy League educated instructors. Visit CollegeboundReview.com or call 908-369-5362
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