Volunteering Will Help You Stand Out

College admissions are very competitive because so many students are applying.  The simple fact is that colleges and universities receive thousands and thousands of applications every year.  As you most likely already know, the competition can become very intense.

Colleges and universities eliminate many applicants almost immediately for a variety of criteria, ranging from grades and test scores to more controversial measurements.  Some universities and colleges “set aside” a number of slots of children of alum, athletes and other such practices both stated and unstated.  Yes, the admissions process is highly flawed and problematic.  Knowing this detail is important, but you shouldn’t fixate upon it, as this will not contribute to achieving your goals. Instead you need to take the steps necessary to help your application stand out from the crowd.  One way that you can stand out is through volunteering work.

How Do You Start Volunteering?

First, don’t worry about volunteering being complicated or hard to do.  Most organizations are more than eager to have new people get involved.  The vast majority of organizations that you can volunteer with will have worthwhile and even interesting work.  A quick phone call or email is a good place to begin.  Try to find a local organization that is giving back to your own community.  One reason that this is a good idea is that you will be able to see tangible results from your efforts and work.

Learn on the Job!

If you select the right kind of organization, you will even be able to learn on the job.  This most definitely will help you with your college interviews and applications.  Being able to point to real world experience gives you an edge over many young people also applying to college and that is, of course, something that you want.  This aspect of volunteer work is one that is frequently overlooked, but you can put it to your advantage!

Reflect Your Positive Attitude In Your Interviews and Applications

If you volunteer, you’ve helped people and probably learned something in the process.  Don’t be afraid to reflect this fact in your college interviews and applications.  If you were indeed excited about your volunteer work and can point to the tangible impact that your work had, don’t be shy about pointing out these accomplishments.  Let college admission officials know that you are looking to help your community.

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College Admissions Can Be Quite Competitive

It can be difficult to truly understand how competitive college admissions can be without first understanding the number of students that are applying right along with you.  For example, in 2010 Harvard received more than 30,000 applications!  This amount is particularly alarming when you take into account that the school only accepts 1,600 freshmen each year.  These statistics can be a bit scary, but that doesn’t mean you should give up on getting into the school of your choice.  Instead you need to focus on finding different ways to help yourself stand out from the crowd and a great way of doing so is to take part in extracurricular activities.

What Kind of Extracurricular Activities are the Best?

Deciding what kind of extracurricular activities are the best for you can be quite tricky.  In part, the answer lies in what you feel the most like doing.  You don’t want your extracurricular activities to feel like a burden and nothing but extra work.  If you take this path, you may not get the results you ultimately want.

It is an easy trap to pick the extracurricular activities that you feel admissions counselors will want to see, but there is a problem with this approach.  For example, if you don’t like the extracurricular activities that you pick and are only becoming involved in them because you think these activities will “look good” on your application, you may not stay involved.  If you don’t stay involved for a substantial amount of time, the end result will be that your extracurricular involvement was of no real help in the long run.

The Three Ways Extracurricular Activities Help

A good aspect of extracurricular activities is that by participating, teachers will have an opportunity to get to know you better.  This factor can translate into a great letter of recommendation.  A second way that extracurricular activities can help your efforts to get into your college of choice is that those activities will give you something additional to discuss during your college interviews and on your applications.  Finally, extracurricular activities will help you demonstrate to admissions counselors that you got involved in your school community and did not just “drift through.”

Three Ways Extracurricular Involvement Scores You Points

1) Teachers get to know you better and that means better letters of recommendation
2) You will have more to discuss in interviews and on applications
3) Extracurricular activities show that you get involved

Are There Times You Should Not Participate in Extracurricular Activities?

Usually participating in extracurricular activities is a good idea, but there are exceptions.  If you think your grades will suffer as a result, you should skip the extracurricular activities.  Additionally, if you are working a part-time job after school, you likely shouldn’t stretch yourself so thin.  Ultimately, extracurricular involvement should boost your chances of getting into one of your top picks.

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Will your summer plans help your college application?

Did you know that the things you do this summer could make a big difference in the quality of your college application?

It’s true! Make the right moves now and you’ll have a leg up over your competition when the college admissions process begins—not to mention some great experiences to talk about when school starts again in the fall.

Want an impressive college application? Participate in a pre-college summer program.

Whether you’re interested in art or computer science, theater or engineering, there’s sure to be a pre-college summer program that’s right for you. Ranging in length from one to six weeks, these programs are designed to immerse you in a specific field of study, giving you the opportunity to really explore a topic that interests you. Enrolling in a pre-college program can be a great way to explore a potential college major!

Another plus? In addition to looking good on your college application, Many of these programs can earn you college credit!

College applications look great when you volunteer.

Many top colleges like to see community involvement on your college application. And you know what? Summer is the perfect time to volunteer! To get started, think about what you’re passionate about—animals? Healthcare? Global warming?

Once you’ve identified what kind of volunteer opportunity you want to pursue, do some research to find local organizations dedicated to your area of interest. Sometimes it’s obvious. If you want to be a doctor, getting involved with the local hospital makes sense. If you love animals, your local Humane Society is a good place to start your search.

But if you need help finding the right opportunity, you might try looking online. Check out the Google Directory page dedicated to teen volunteering opportunities—there’s bound to be something that interests you!

Make your college application stand out with an internship.

Think internships are just for college students? Think again! For motivated high school students like you, a completed internship can be a great way to stand out in a crowded pool of college applications.

So think about what you’d like to major in, then research local companies that work in those industries. Don’t be afraid to get in touch with them! You might be surprised at how receptive corporations can be to high school students.

You can also use the internet to  find listings of internships currently available. The College Board has lots of great information, as well as links to internship directories.

Put your summer to good use with activities like these and you’ll be well on your way to breezing through the college application process—and attending the college of your dreams!

Want to learn more about what it takes to be your first choice college’s top pick? Subscribe to our blog today!

Photo courtesy of Kara Allyson.

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Rice University

There is a difference between selective schools and Ivy League schools. In general, Ivy League refers to athletics and encompasses schools like Harvard and Yale. However, there are many selective schools that aren’t considered Ivy League, like MIT and Stanford University, that are also competitive.

Selective Colleges

While any college is more likely to accept a well-rounded student with a great GPA, at a selective college? It’s doubly important! Your involvement in extracurricular activities, community service, and other activities is a key factor of college admission—and having more than good grades is a big part of achieving admission at your dream school.Selective schools are in great demand yet typically admit a very small percentage of students who apply.

Less—Selective or Non-Selective Colleges

Don’t let the term fool you: A non-selective college doesn’t mean they let just anybody in! Like any other college, a non-selective will still have standards. They usually operate on a more open admission basis, or rolling admission, where they will accept college applications until their student body is full—which is good news for you if you decide to apply at the last minute!

Who Gets in to Selective Colleges, Anyway?

Selective colleges admit the best of the best: those over-achievers who are very involved in not only their high school or homeschool groups but their community as well. They have taken (and survived) AP classes and Honors courses and passed with flying colors. They may be fluent in a second language or have some other well-developed talent or skill.

MIT

Highly selective schools consider many factors of college admission. They look at your application as a whole and decide whether or not they need someone who fits your profile.

If they have only one cello player who happens to be graduating that Spring, and you happen to play the Cello, you might get in. The same goes for students from a particular state. If the school needs a student from that state so they can mention with pride that they have students from every state in the US, you might get in.

Again, don’t think that this means that your GPA, test scores, and community service don’t matter—they most certainly do! However, a selective college has many factors to consider. Your legacy status and notable achievements are just another piece to fit into the selective college admissions puzzle.

Where Do You Fit In?

Public or private college, big campus or small, it doesn’t matter—any college can be selective or non-selective. The key to choosing a college isn’t about shooting for the most selective school, it’s about looking for the school that is the right fit for you!

Image #1 Courtesy of Flickr, Onilad.
Image #2 Courtesy of Flickr, Francisco Diez.

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Cillian Storm / Bonita Suraputra

From financial aid to the SAT/ACT test to the college application process: the My College College Guide Admissions Guru is an amazing college resource! If you want a personalized answer, just ask: it’s free and anonymous. While we can’t guarantee that each and every question will be answered, it definitely won’t be if you don’t submit it!

Latest Questions for the Guru
Question: I have heard that colleges prefer “depth” in extracurricular activities. But in order to attain “depth” in wrestling, I must dedicate nothing less than my full time and energy to the sport. I am afraid this might end up hurting my academics, as the workload of 5 AP classes is nothing to sneeze at. Also, I have an interest in many clubs and activities that conflict with wrestling, such as Academic Decathlon and Mock Trial. This goes along with the “depth” issue, as I am afraid that if I quit wrestling to attend these activities, colleges may look down on that. What would you recommend?

Answer: I recommend that you first maintain your academic record as well as you can and, second, that you pursue what you are passionate about and what you enjoy. High school is not only a time to prepare for college, but it is also a time to explore your interests and try different things that may tell you more about what you want to do later on. If wrestling is beginning to take away from that experience of exploring (not to mention your academic standing), then by all means try some other things instead. Don’t…continue reading Latest Questions from the Guru.

Brett Tully / Brett Tully

The College Application Process
Question: What do you write in college application essays? Can you write an essay about your experiences in extra-curricular activities? Or do you list your extra-curricular activities? Also, is there a limit to how many recommendations you can get from your teachers? If not, is it better to get a lot of recommendations from your teachers? Even if the recommendations are not well-developed, it’s better to have lots, right? Thanks.

Answer: Great questions! You can really do a lot with a well-written, interesting essay.  If your grades are good but not fantastic, you could push yourself over the edge to acceptance with a great essay.  And even if your grades and scores are great, presenting yourself in a poor essay could really hurt your chances for acceptance. The best essays discuss…continue reading the college application process.

Financial Aid
Question: I have a few questions. When is the best time to find financial aid and where can I find applications for these? Also, when is the best time to tour colleges and is it required to get an interview?

Answer: You should start investigating financial aid opportunities, particularly merit-based scholarships and grants, in the second semester of your junior year. You’ll probably need to start applying in the first semester of your senior year. Of course, you should follow the specific requirements prescribed for any particular source of aid. With regard to touring colleges, there are basically two approaches to take. One way is to…continue reading Financial Aid

mtischendorf

SAT/ACT Tests
Question: Thanks for taking the time to read my question! I am currently a rising senior in high school. By the time I finish high school, I will have taken 6 AP classes along with 15 honors classes. I was wondering, how many reach schools should I apply to? What other advice would you have for me to make my application more desirable to a school like Georgetown? Finally, would I be considered a legacy student at a school if my grandfather attended it?

Answer: It sounds like you’re doing all of the right things! You have a strong record and should be in the running at a number of fine schools. In response to your specific questions, the only thing I can think of that you could do to possibly improve your chance of getting into a top school is to take the SAT test again. You have a very good score, but…continue reading SAT/ACT Tests

Picking the Right School
Question: What is the point of going to a very expensive Ivy League school to get your undergraduate degree when you know that you are going to get your masters degree when you’re done? I would like to go to Dartmouth, but I have a full scholarship to the University of Florida, so maybe I should go there and go to Dartmouth for my MBA. What is your opinion?

Answer: Ivy League schools offer students great education and prestige. Many students find these schools attractive because they are selective and because a degree from such a school is impressive on a job application. Yet, there are great schools all over the country that offer a wonderful education and are easier to get into. And, as you know, public schools such as the University of Florida are more affordable. The best way to decide what school is best for you is to…continue reading Picking the Right School.

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College students in the University of Notre Dame’s marching band got a chance to be a part of OK Go’s This Too Shall Pass music video for the album Of the Blue Colour of the Sky, shot live.  How fun is that!  Sure, it’s an experience that the majority of college students probably won’t get to have, but it just goes to show, you never can tell.  And, wow – what a story to tell the grandkids!

Overheard on Twitter from Shawnz.

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LiveALittle.org/Karen Chung

Fact: colleges like to see community involvement. Consider using your winter break to test out various volunteer opportunities.  Instead of blankly staring at the TV all day, you could potentially discover an interest in a career path you hadn’t previously thought about and saving yourself from spending thousands of dollars on a major that just doesn’t fit!

You can probably come up with a few options on your own, like the local food pantry, humane society, or library.  But what if you want to branch out a little more, find something a little closer to your interests and abilities?  Don’t worry: you’ve got choices.

It’s easier than ever to find the perfect match with your personality, your interests, and your schedule!  Try using websites like Serve.gov or VolunteerMatch to figure out how you would like to serve others in your community.

Once you find something that works for you, set up a schedule that you can handle all year long.  Bonus: it could even lead to a future college grant or scholarship (not to mention that warm, fuzzy feeling you get from helping others)!

So, what are you waiting for?  Get off the couch and get involved.  Make new friends and start moving in the right direction, toward your future!

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Pesky Library/Pesky Librarians

You can join the ranks of the 70% of high school students that receive an acceptance letter to their first choice college, but it takes more than getting good grades. Many students get so hung up on maintaining a high grade point average that they forget about the other factors college admission officers take into consideration. Building the right student record is similar to building a dream house. Start with the foundation—making good grades—and build up from there.

1. Score high on the SAT. SAT scores are a consideration along with your grades. This means you need to score as high as you can on your SAT. If necessary, consider obtaining a SAT preparation guide or take a class to help you score high the first time.
2. Take AP classes. Many high schools offer Advanced Placement (AP) classes to high school students. If your high school offers AP classes, then you need to take them. First, it allows you to earn high school and college credit simultaneously, which cuts down the amount of classes and cost for college. Second, it shows college admission officers that you like a challenge and take your education seriously.
3. Be a participant. Participating as a member of your school and your community is an important college application enhancer. College admission officers equally weigh grades, SAT scores, AP classes and participation in extracurricular and community activities.

It’s important to build a college application that is complete. Good grades are a must, but you can enhance the quality of your application by scoring high on your SAT, taking AP classes and participating in school and community activities.

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