I recently won a Presidential Scholarship from the University of Vermont, but not without some thorough planning. Even the best students must work to make themselves stand out during the college admissions process and distinguishing yourself from the other thousands of students who apply to big state schools is no easy task. Here are some tips for snagging admissions officers' eyes at any public university in the country:
1.Write a stunning essay: If there's a prompt, find out what it is as soon as possible so you have time to contemplate the question and create a unique response. Don't regurgitate the same ideas everyone else is if the essay is a free-write---find something about yourself that will make an interesting topic. You don't have to have done anything spectacular---it's more about how you present the topic than the actual topic itself. If you write about you summer vacation without any flavor, then you might as well not write about it at all because no admissions officer is going to care. Find an angle that's humorous, poignant, or just plain interesting. Remember---you don't want to sound like everyone else!
2.Create a resume: And don't be shy to brag! List every internship, volunteer activity, club, award, and honor of some emotional or academic significance. Even if it isn't necessary to include one in your college application, do so anyway. Admissions officers will be impressed with the extra initiative you've taken and will be even more impressed if you have a long list of activities that demonstrate commitment to a specific area (ie, if you love animals and want to become a veterinarian, it's great if you're involved in things that communicate your interest in animal science, such as volunteering at an animal shelter, interning at zoo, holding an apprenticeship with a naturalist at a nature center, tutoring elementary school students in science, etc.) Also be prepared to describe the importance of each activity on your resume to an alumni or senior at the college if you go in for an interview (which you should do!)
3.Demonstrate leadership: Start a club, hold a leadership position in a club in your school or community, take a class in leadership, become a mentor for a younger student----do something that proves that you're not afraid to be in charge and voice your opinions. If you can hold a leadership for three or even four years of high school, colleges will be far more impressed than if you skip around and only hold a position for a semester or a year.
4.Schedule an alumni interview: Actively contact the school and ask questions. Request an alumni interview to express your interest in the school. Remember, there are at least a couple other thousand students applying to the university at the same time you are, so you want to catch the school's attention. Make a good impression on the alumni by arriving to the interview location ten to fifteen minutes early, dressing appropriately, bringing a copy of your resume, shaking the person's hand, smiling, and overall just being polite.
5.Showcase your talent: If you're a talented painter, a great athlete, a top-notch writer, a math whiz, or have a gift in any other area, let the university know. If appropriate, send in a portfolio of your work or other supplementary materials. Ask your teacher or mentor in the subject to write a recommendation that explicitly compliments your talent in the field. The more attention you can bring to your talent, the better.
6.Take at least one SAT II: Even if the school doesn't require it, take at least one SAT II in your best subject and send the score to the college. Admissions officers appreciate having as much academic information about you as possible.
Getting accepted by big state schools is becomingly increasingly difficult as admissions standards creep up every year, making it even harder to win a large scholarship. But if you make yourself stand out and are thorough, organized, and persistent, then luck may just fall on your side.
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