Applying for colleges is not a sprint, it’s a marathon. Simply put, you must begin early and pace yourself throughout the entire process. This ensures you have enough time to finish all of your applications and will minimize the number of errors you might make. Another benefit of starting early is that you can establish how to stand out from your competitors.
Courses in all colleges across the country could have hundreds or even thousands of applicants, which makes choosing who to select a tough task. You can improve your chances of success by doing something different – and this post has outlined three of the best ways to stand out from the crowd when applying for college.
Master Your First Impressions
First impressions matter, and this is a point that college applicants should endeavor to remember. This extends further than interviews with admissions officers and other college and university staff, such as lecturers and professors. In fact, the very first impression a college will receive is from your applications and any related documents, and assistance can be gained by working with college admissions consultants.
College applications will be analyzed for essays, test scores, and transcripts, but admissions officers will also be looking at the traits you display throughout the completed application. They will be drawn towards initiative, integrity, leaderships, and other attributes. These qualities should also be reflected in your involvement in extracurriculars and letters of recommendation.
The interview should be used to put your best self forward in the short amount of time offered. All attributes mentioned in your application should be discussed with examples, and you must answer any questions confidently and politely. This will be similar to preparing for a job interview.
Begin Building Your Network
Although networking is usually linked to college students near graduation and those actively looking for employment, building a professional network early on can be beneficial. There are numerous ways to do this, with creating an online presence being one of the top suggestions. LinkedIn is the most-used website by professionals, as it offers an insight into business and employment in a range of industries.
High school students should join this platform early on in their academic journey. It can be used to showcase your achievements, like an online portfolio, and connect with your peers, teachers, and other professionals you may have met previously. This builds a database of contacts that you can use throughout your school and college years and even as you begin a career.
Alternatively, some high schools or colleges will host networking events for students who are hoping to attend college or university. They might not be advertised as networking events, but workshops and career fairs can be used to build connections with others who have similar interests. There might be college staff at these events who you can speak with; this would be a perfect opportunity to ask questions about the course’s applications and the number or applicants in previous years.
Establish Entrepreneurial Skills
An entrepreneur is someone who creates a new business; they will bear most of the risk, but they will also boast most of the rewards. As a high school student looking to apply for college, it can be difficult to relate to this type of person, but you should develop skills relevant to entrepreneurship. To obtain success, entrepreneurs are known to be creative, focused, and motivated.
These three traits should be established prior to completing college applications so you can highlight your journey of development in essays. The most obvious way to test and display these qualities would be to start your own business. This does not have to be a large operation; in fact, it could be as small as upcycling second-hand clothes and selling them online. It should be linked to what interests you to ensure you enjoy the process and see it through.
By following the three points mentioned in this post, you will have a better chance of receiving a college acceptance letter from your dream campus.