How to stand out in college applications!!

Knowing how to write down your college application and making it stand out could be a cumbersome task.?

When I myself (as a future college applicant) sit down to think about it, all I do is end up feeling anxious and thinking that I would never get into a good college!?

To hit the right nerve of college administration heads it is important to research and know what they want, college application officers look at hundreds of applications every year.?

Your standing out in your college applications and attracting the attention of college administrators sounds challenging but it is not impossible.

Suppose you are in high school and are already preparing for your applications. You already know what is going to be the most impressive thing you are going to include in your resume - be it your glowing academic record or the discipline you’ve acquired playing team sports. But every university has different criteria for evaluating admissions and in the end, all of them look for intelligent, ambitious, and passionate students. Your interests, your skills, and what you can bring to the table are the things that could help you stand out in your application.?

If you are unsure about what to include in your resume?

Here are a few tips that can just never go wrong,?

1. Research???

It is important to first sit down, research, and decide your major. Being a high school student or a high school graduate, it is imperative to know what you want to do with your life, and what subjects are going to choose to help you with it. The more prepared you are the better. Knowing your major will help you stand out because it builds confidence and portrays you as a decisive person who knows what they want.?

2. Be Relevant?

Sometimes when students do not know what to write, they just beat around the bush and make ambiguous statements. This is a big NO. Never beat around the bush. Any college application would stand out when you are relevant and precise. Your thoughts need to be concise and cohesive.?

3. Know your subjects?

In addition to researching your subjects, it is also important to know and understand your subjects. Many universities want their students to be fully engaged in their subjects.?

Knowledge is never harmful, so in your college essay you can show off your knowledge of your subjects and, you can come across as a very self-assertive candidate.?

4. Choose the right standardized test?

If the university you apply to does not have an entrance test of its own but is based on your grades or any standardized test, make sure you choose the right fit for you. Now what I really mean by this is every test varies in sub-scores, language scores, expression e.t.c, To sum up every test has different marking criteria, hence to choose the best-standardized test for you, research for the ones that come under your career path and thoroughly go through everything associated to them. If there are two options available, go for the one that you feel you can score higher in.?

5. Work on your grades?

While some universities engage with standardized tests in college applications, many universities have their own entrance tests. Some universities have also started following the CUCET examination for admissions. If you are still in high school, working on your year-end grades and these test grades is extremely important. Having good grades showcases how responsible you are.?

Look for ways to improve your grades while you still have time.?

eg, watch videos, learn practically, take extra classes e.t.c.?

?These tests have a lot of value and play a huge role in your application.?

6. Get course-related work experience?

Working as an intern in your field, or even doing a course makes you stand out, it shows that you are a goal-oriented person eager to learn. If you manage school, your grades, and work or do an extra course, it shows that you are a person that can very well get their tasks done and manage time, it shows you as a person that has his/or priorities set in life.?

7. Volunteer work?

Now, if you are not able to get work experience, volunteer experience could always help. It could even be an addition to your work experience at times. Volunteer work allows your personality to shine in your application, it not only will help you understand the world better, but it also showcases you as someone who is eager to support and help people around you.?

8. Participate in extra-curricular activities

Not only grades and test scores, but Universities also look at your extracurricular activities too. Universities look for quality over quantity, you coils include your time spent in sports clubs or even anything you did outside school hours such as writing a blog, helping a political campaign e.t.c?

Extra-curricular activities show that you can effectively increase your skill set in several areas.?

9. Supplementary materials??

Many colleges allow you to include supplemental materials in your application, make sure you check the entrance procedures, as some universities do not accept them. If they do, make sure to send several materials such as a portfolio, academic papers, audio recordings, or anything related to your course.?

10. Proofread and check?

Once you are done with your application, make sure you proofread it once, check the application procedure once more, and make sure everything is the way it is supposed to be. Check spellings and punctuations and edit and omit any errors that are necessary.??

There is no magical formula to make you stand out in your applications, but these steps can surely benefit you. In the end, you just have to focus on being yourself and that is what is gonna make it work.?

Sumati Grover

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