What do I need to do to get into my dream school?
We all know the checkboxes for every college application, in other words WHAT you need to do during high school:
Academics
Testing
Extracurricular Activities
College Planning
And of course there are the application checkboxes:
Essays
Recommendations
Activity List
Instead of merely ticking off most if not all of these items, think about college applications from a first principles approach. In other words, WHY are you doing all of this? What are you trying to convey to colleges by doing all of these things?
In a nutshell, admissions officers are looking for 3 things:
Intellectual Curiosity - Are you someone who loves to learn and takes responsibility for your own learning? Do you demonstrate original thought processes?
Depth/Commitment - How committed are you to your activities? What is the depth and breath of your commitments, both academic and extracurricular/hobby/passions?
Character - This is about self presentation. Are you mature, confident? Do you demonstrate integrity? Are you a team player? Do you communicate effectively? Do you have a sense of humor?
Keeping the WHY at the forefront of everything you do will be a powerful north star to ensure that come application time you have a comprehensive and authentic story to tell about why you’re an excellent fit for your dream school. Let’s see what this looks like.
Intellectual Curiosity
Checkbox approach: taking multiple AP and honors courses offered by your school
First principles approach: seeking out online courses or community classes for a topic that you’re interested in, but isn’t offered at your school (i.e. 3D printing, CAD, marine biology, kinesiology, cybersecurity, criminal justice)
Depth/Commitment
Checkbox approach: taking leadership positions within clubs or sports at your school
First principles approach: reaching out to a local lab or research center and designing an internship that allows you to get hands on experience in an area of interest (i.e. helping a university lab organize and analyze data for a nutrition study, collaborating with a local museum to archive and digitize historical records, assisting a local researcher with water quality testing at a nearby creek );
Showing genuine passion for an interest through longer-term commitment and impact over time (i.e. taking an interest in plants to volunteering at a local farm to starting a nonprofit addressing food waste)
Character
Checkbox approach: writing about one-off community service you did for a few weeks or one summer you did or discussing your leadership role in a club, describing your role as secretary, president or other
First principles approach: discussing a situation where something did not go as planned, resulting in a significant learning or growth opportunity for you, and communicating this with humility and maturity; focusing your narrative not just on your personal achievements but clearly demonstrating how you as a leader genuinely and positively impacted others around you
It’s not just about communicating what you did. You have to demonstrate what you’ve learned, how you’ve grown and how you have and will continue to make a positive impact in your community.
