How to Spice Up a College Application

It’s difficult to distinguish yourself from other students during the college application process. They’ll be answering similar questions as you and submitting a personal essay like you’ll have to. With many good students applying for college each year, you’ll need more than grades and test scores to get attention.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Extracurricular activities
• Activities outside of school
• Cover letter
• Personal essay
• Write up about activities

1. Get involved in extracurricular activities early on in high school. College and universities want to see how well-rounded you are as a person and what you do outside of classes can give you added personality. If the activity isn’t available, find out from your school how you can start a club, team or group. Starting a school activity will earn you leadership points on your college application.
2. Get involved with activities outside of school. These can be religious activities, writing, hobbies, martial arts, community service or even gardening.
3. Keep a record of when you participated in your activities. You’ll need to give the dates you were involved on your college application.
4. List your extracurricular activities, activities outside of school and awards on the appropriate parts of the application. If you have more activities than space will allow, you can continue the list on a separate sheet of paper. Indicate that your list is continued in the space on the application and title your sheet accordingly. Type and print out your list; don’t handwrite it.
5. Talk about your activities in your personal essay if you can. Discuss why they’re important to you and how they help to make you who you are.
6. Include additional material in your college application. It’s perfectly okay to include slides of your artwork, a CD or files of your band’s music or printouts of blog templates you designed. Give a short write up about this material, discussing the project, what you wanted to accomplish and what you enjoy about the activity. If you’re not sure what to include, you can talk it over with your guidance counselor.
7. Show your typed cover letter, personal essay and write up to your guidance counselor for revision suggestions.
8. Revise your cover letter, essay and write up and proofread your college application.

Tips & Warnings

• You don’t have to talk about your activities in your personal essay. You may have an idea that won’t allow you to discuss them. Don’t try to force information into your essay.
• If you feel your standardized test scores are low and don’t indicate your strengths as a student, you can mention this in your cover letter.