That’s now how it works at all … (part 2)

So if it’s not the case that the “smartest students always get accepted”, what else matters? If you look at the Common Application, you’ll see there are four sections that compliment your grades: activities, recommendations, essays, and your general information. We’ll look at each of these four sections in more detail.

The Common Application lets you enter up to twelve activities, but there isn’t a lot of space to expound upon each one. They’re looking for more depth than breadth. These can include jobs, sports, clubs, or other organizations. It should answer the question, “what did you do after school/weekends in your free time?” Spending quality time with one or two clubs with clear, specific accomplishments is more impressive than being a member of five that just don’t get much done. Focus on something significant you did with each organization. Be specific: ‘raised $2,000 for a local food shelter’ is much clearer than ‘met monthly and performed fundraising’. Nobody will have twelve in-depth activities, but you should be able to list 4-6 good ones and tell what you accomplished.

Recommendations are somewhat out of your control. You’ll be asking someone to write a letter, telling the university what you do and how you stand out from the crowd. Choose that teacher wisely. You won’t get to review the recommendation, but you can provide the reviewer with a list of your activities so they can include that in their letter. Be sure to give the person enough time to complete it before it’s due. Asking in late September when you’re applying EA with a due date of late October won’t give them ample time to write the perfect recommendation.

Your Common Application essay, along with other essays specific to certain universities, will take a good deal of time to write, review, and complete. These are usually the most challenging part of the application process. They complement the rest of your application by providing the admissions officer with a glimpse into who you are; take advantage of this. Be sure to answer the question set forth in the essay prompt and keep focused. However, don’t hesitate to use your own writing style and add humor. The essay should outline something not brought forth in the rest of the application. Be sure it starts strong (hooks them in), stays on message, and wraps up nicely.

The final section is your personal information. Most assume that this plays almost no role in the college’s decision on you, but there are certain factors they take into account. Some universities are looking to increase the number of first-generation college students. If you’re the first person in your family to attend, this could work to your favor. Other colleges have been found to use race as a factor. The Department of Justice found that, at one Ivy League college, it could be up to four times more difficult for Whites and Asians to get accepted than for individuals of other races. This matter will make its way before the Supreme Court in the fall of 2022 which could lead to the end of affirmative action. Time will tell.

Each of these sections, along with your grades and test scores, should provide the college with an honest picture of who you are and how you’re a strong candidate.