5 Ways to Make Your College Application Stand Out

Getting accepted to your preferred university or college will depend greatly on methodically following all the mentioned and not-so-obvious instructions and steps. By making sure you understand and follow all the guidelines listed on the application form and the school website, your application pack will receive the attention it deserves.

Following all instructions and steps to a T will ensure your application won’t be quickly dismissed by the admissions officers. But if your goal is to impress the admissions officers, you need to submit a standout college or university application pack.

Below are five tips that will help your college application stand out for all the right reasons:

1. Have a high ACT or SAT score

Your ACT or SAT score is one of the most important elements of your college application. Many admissions officers say that it is even more significant than your high school GPA.

Because of this, it is important that you do everything to prepare well for your ACT or SAT. Start by taking ACT or SAT test prep classes. Take as many practice tests as you can as well.  Additionally, there are other ways to review in preparation for the actual test which you can find online and do at home. 

However, do not think that a perfect ACT or SAT score means an automatic admission to a college or university. Although this element is important, the admissions officers will also look into the other parts of your application.

2. Write a stellar college application essay

Your college application essay will also play an important role in bringing you closer to your choice of college or university.

A college admission essay is a tool used by most higher learning institutions to learn more about you and why you want to attend their school. As such, you have to spend enough time to carefully write, edit, rewrite and proofread your essay.

Many admissions officers say that an excellent essay can push a marginal applicant into the accepted student group so don’t take this requirement for granted.

3. Show steady progress of academic improvement

Admissions officers will certainly be impressed with candidates with high grades. If you didn’t take your studies seriously in the past two or three years, you may be worried that your poor grades will have a negative impact on your application.

However, you don’t have to feel too stressed about this. Although high grades will help you in gaining admission, they are not the only requirement.

Since your application pack includes a high school transcript, college or university admissions officers will see your grades since you were a freshman. Aside from taking note of all your individual final grades, they will see if your transcript displays a solid improvement in grades during your time in high school.

Admissions officers want to see a steady incline in your grades. If your transcript shows this, it indicates that you were continuously nurturing an inquisitive nature and a passion for learning throughout your years of studying in high school.

4. Highlight leadership positions

Many colleges and universities are always on the lookout for leaders from within their applicant pool. If you have been a leader in the past or are still holding a position in some organizations in and outside the school, make sure you highlight these in your application.

Doing so will help the admissions officers immediately see your potential as a leader. Additionally, by mentioning your leadership positions, you are also underscoring your character and level of maturity. Moreover, you are showing that you can commit to responsibilities given to you.

5. Mention extracurricular or community activities you are active in

Make your application stand out by mentioning all the extracurricular activities you do or did, especially the ones that involve community work. There is no guideline or limit to the types and number of activities you can include. As such, you can list any relevant activity you joined, and as many as you want.

This can include volunteering at a soup kitchen, joining or leading fundraising activities, or coaching the local kids’ basketball team. Whether you do these activities regularly or annually, make sure you include them in your application. And don’t forget to mention why you love doing them.

If you want to enter your choice of college or university, follow the tips above to make your application truly stand out.

Guest Post Author Bio

Maloy Burman is the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Premier Genie FZ LLC. He is responsible for driving Premier Genie into a leadership position in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Education space in Asia, Middle East and Africa and building a solid brand value. Premier Genie is currently running 5 centers in Dubai and 5 centers in India with a goal to multiply that over the next 5 years.