College Applications are tricky because there isn’t one formula that solves the problem, or one method to approach the application and its many facets. Instead, it is personal based on each student’s history and future goals. As such, OCC can broadly share many different strategies in these posts but they can be hard to implement without specific examples. To help future college applicants and parents, this will be a new series of case study posts analyzing different classes and academic approaches, as well as activities and depth of involvement, in regards to the common application and the potential interview.
Essays are a completely different beast and those will be covered in a different series.
The first case study
For the first case study, the hypothetical student—let’s call him Al—is involved in several activities (listed below). He is interested in studying history or politics but isn’t quite decided. Baseball is his favorite extracurricular—he plays for fun with friends and on his school team. Though he wasn’t recruited for a college team, he would like to play on a club team.
What you, the reader, need to consider is how he should prioritize these activities in his application and what he should say about them.
Activities in no specific order:
National Honor Society, 2 years
Model UN, 3 years
Busboy, 2yrs
Baseball, 4yrs – varsity for 2 years, captain for 1
Volunteering for 2 years
Latin Scrabble 4 years
Just remember, there is a lot of nuance here. There isn’t a right and wrong answer, but there are better ways to approach it than others. Below you will find OCC’s suggestion as well further advice and consideration for each description.
The breakdown
ONE: Baseball
Description: Al can use this space to explain what he’s done to motivate his team as captain (include if he was elected captain by his teammates), his team’s successes, how often he plays (in and out of school), and his future goals.
Notes: Putting baseball first will help highlight a lifelong passion but also underscore that Al is a leader.
TWO: Model United Nations
Description: Al would explain how he the club intellectually stimulates him and how that pushes him to learn more outside of the club. He can also talk about conferences he has excelled in, a skill he learned, and how the club has helped him grow.
Notes: Model UN would come second, even though the involvement isn't as long as other clubs, because it demonstrates both curiosity and love of learning.
THREE: Latin Scrabble
Description: Al would use this space to talk about being involved in something different, unique, and one that ties in his interest for history and language.
Notes: It's quirky, it's different, and it definitely showcases an interest that will not be showing up on many other applications. A lot of colleges have a dedicated department for the classics, and this is a great way to show (and tell) the school there is interest in exploring it further.
FOUR: Volunteer work
Description: Al would write about his initiative in giving back to the community, why it is important to him, and how it enriches his life. In Al’s application, it would be ideal if it tied into his interests of history (at a museum, for example) or politics (voting booths, polling, educating the community about local politicians, etc).
Notes: A lot of students volunteer to a check a box on their resume, but this is a wonderful time to utilize your skills, passions, and interests to better your community. When looking for volunteer opportunities, look for something that interests you and that you will want to dedicate your time to. If this is a box checker for you, you won't have much to say here, and I'd push it further down the list. If it strongly ties in with your interests and you volunteer frequently (and consistently), push it up the list.
FIVE: Busboy
Description: Al would use the description box to talk about what he’s taken away/learned from the experience in addition to his responsibilities at work.
Notes: A job is a wonderful indicator of responsibility, maturity, and humility. Move up in the rankings if you work many hours, have excelled and been promoted, and/or if it pertains to a job you want to pursue in the future.
SIX: National Honor Society
Description: Al would mention the involvement he’s had with the community through NHS and any initiatives he drove in the organization.
Notes: I find in many cases the importance of National Honor Society is a bit inflated. Your transcript and other activities speak for themselves, and this organization just keeps you a little more involved. The exception would be if you hold a leadership position and did something very meaningful with the school and/or your community through NHS, then I would move up in the rankings and explain in the description box.
It's not always straightforward
As you can see in the notes, there is plenty of room for adjustment even with our fictional student, Al. That is why it’s helpful to speak with a consultant as you begin the college application process. They can hash out the details, your values, and your goals with you. Gaining further clarity and garnering insight will empower you to submit the strongest application possible.
In part two of this case study we will use Al’s activities and interest to prepare for the interview (not required at all schools). A consultant can help a student reframe their involvement and motivation to be more impactful.
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