As the regular decision application deadlines approach, many students may be wondering what they can do to improve their applications. If you compiled your application materials for the early round (and even if you didn’t), it may feel as though there’s nothing more you can do to make your application stand out—your transcript is what it is, you’ve drafted and edited your essays, and your recommenders have turned in the letters they wrote on your behalf. While you can’t go back in time and take more rigorous courses or run for student body president, there are still ways you can improve your applicant profile before the deadline. The work isn’t done until you press “submit”—and what you do in the home stretch could make the difference between an acceptance and a rejection. The final weeks leading up to the application deadline are a critical time to polish your applications and ensure that you are putting your best foot forward to admissions officers.
Here are three things you can do before the clicking “submit” that will take your college application to the next level:
1. Use Active Language and Quantitative Data in Your Activities List
While you can’t change the activities you have participated in, you can change the way that you describe them on your application to ensure that you grab admissions officers’ attention. The activities list is a critical part of your application—it demonstrates to admissions officers that you have engaged with your interests in hands-on ways throughout high school and that you have used your knowledge to contribute to your community. In other words, the activities list conveys a lot about the kind of student and community member you will be on campus should you be admitted. As such, it is critical that you use active verbs and quantitative figures to demonstrate measurable impact in your activities list. Your entries should make clear how you specifically contributed to the organization, as opposed to what the group accomplished collectively or generally.
For instance, rather than writing, “Helped organize food drives,” write: “Spearheaded a community food drive, collecting over 1,000 items and coordinating 20 volunteers’ contributions.” The latter emphasizes your contribution as a leader and provides scope and scale for the impact you made in your community. Using this kind of language will also distinguish you from thousands of other applicants who may have participated in similar activities.
2. Show Demonstrated Interest Through Your Supplemental Essays
One of the most important things that admissions officers look for in applications is demonstrated interest—they want to see that you’ve taken the time to understand their institution and have clear and specific reasons for wanting to attend their school. Your supplemental essays should articulate the specific programs, research opportunities, clubs and organizations, professors, courses (if unique enough), and other opportunities you would be interested in pursuing on campus.
A generic explanation such as, “I want to study biology because I enjoy science,” conveys nothing about your interest in the institution’s unique program and resources. Instead, use your essay to share the specific attributes that drew you to that particular school. For example: “I am inspired by XYZ University’s pioneering research in marine biology, particularly Dr. Smith’s work on coral reef ecosystems. Attending XYZ will allow me to gain hands-on experience in its state-of-the-art marine labs, preparing me for a career in conservation.” Keep in mind that your demonstrated interest should focus on the particulars of the school that cannot be found elsewhere. Writing that you want to attend NYU because you want to take advantage of New York City’s cultural vibrancy or that you want to attend UNC because you love the camaraderie of a large sports fandom shows a superficial understanding of a school’s culture and offerings.
Finally, your supplemental essays are an opportunity to convey both enthusiasm and fit, so use your supplemental essays to build a compelling case for why you belong at a particular school by highlighting how your background has prepared you to thrive at an institution and how its resources will help you to achieve your goals.
3. Convey Your Authentic Voice Through Your Personal Statement
While you have likely already drafted your Common App personal statement, the coming weeks should be devoted to fine-tuning your essay and ensuring that you are conveying your authentic voice and original perspective through your writing. Your essay should not attempt to encapsulate your autobiography; instead, it should paint a vivid picture of a particular moment or experience that connects to your values, interests, and preparation for the next step in your academic and personal journey. Students should therefore make sure that their essay is not overly ambitious in scope, but shows creativity, self reflection, and honesty.
This essay is the most extensive opportunity to show your perspective and voice to the admissions committee, so authenticity is critical. Make sure that your own voice is clear—if you are the class clown, don’t shy away from injecting humor into your writing. If you are a nerd who reads the thesaurus to learn new words, show the range of your vocabulary. If you write poetry in your free time, put your creative writing skills to work. One of the best ways to determine whether your personality shines through your essay is to read it aloud to yourself or have a family member or friend read it for you. Reading aloud can help you to identify places where the words or expressions are awkward and unnatural, and getting the perspective of those who know you best can help you identify places where you resort to cliches or platitudes.
While the Regular Decision deadline brings a sense of anxiety and dread for many students, proactively polishing your applications now can help quell the fear you may be feeling. By working hard in the weeks leading up to the deadline, you can submit an application that you are truly proud of.