How to Make Your College Application Stand Out

Standing out from the crowd does not always guarantee a win. Many college and scholarship applicants have tried sending gifts, pulling publicity stunts, and sending their application in an alternative but original format (video essay, anyone?) to only be turned away because the application parameters themselves just weren't met well enough by the applicant. But, there are original and creative ways to meet criteria and still stand out, and these are the kinds of things which may not only catch the committee's attention, but also impress them, which is what you should be aiming for.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

1. The most effective and possibly easiest way to stand out from the crowd in an essay-based college application is, well, in the essay. Putting a creative twist on the prompt or question which is posed to you for the essay topic, or using the essay to display your most distinguishing characteristics can create an impression on the application reviewers that can be hard to shake, if you do it right. It may take some writing talent and quite a bit of creative juices, but using the essay to advertise yourself as a mature and experienced individual, or someone able to think outside the box, can have quite an impression on the essay readers.

2. If your writing skills aren't that great and you're not feeling that creative, working towards an original essay may seem daunting. This isn't necessarily true, and you don't want to skimp on essay originality because doing so will greatly lessen your chances of being accepted. Instead, make sure you get help with the essay, and instead try to stand out in other parts of the scholarship application. Make sure that you are able to put your community service, honors, awards, achievements and other activities somewhere on the application. If your list of these items doesn't look impressive right now, then get up and do some volunteer work this weekend and work the experience into both your essay and the application. People who are able to take their personal time to willingly help others stand out if they demonstrate that they not only wanted to help out, but also enjoyed and learned from the experience and plan to continue helping others.

3. Letters of recommendation also provide a great opportunity to stand out, because they provide an impression of you from the viewpoint of an educator or employer. Make sure to give your recommenders a list of activities and accomplishments that they may be unaware of, so that they can work them into the letter, and give them plenty of time (at least 2 weeks) so that they can be sure to put their best effort into it. Letters of recommendation also allow people who know you well to explain any shortcomings in your application, if they happen to know why your grades slipped or why you have poor behavioral marks on your transcript, for example, they can vouch for your changed personality or renewed motivation. Pick your recommenders carefully and give them enough time, and they will help you stand out by praising all of your best qualities and explaining how they outshine your worst.

Tips & Warnings

• Remember, it's okay to get creative with college applications as long as you are still following their directions. Put a creative twist or offer a new perspective, maybe even provide a little humor, and you can stand out safely without risking being brushed off as another attention craver.