Applying to college is your chance to showcase who you are—not just as a student, but as a whole person. Your classes, activities and experiences all tell a story about your strengths, interests, and goals. The key is highlighting what makes you unique and how you’ll contribute to a college community.
So, if you’re feeling stuck, here’s some advice from Stephanie Azarcon, University of the Pacific’s senior assistant director of admission: “Share your uniqueness with our team, so we can understand why you would be a good fit on our campus or in one of our programs.”
Whatever classes, activities or awards you have, there is something that makes you unique. You have a reason that you’re applying to this program at this college. And the key to your application is to use both to tell the story of why this is the right pathway for you.
Here is Azarcon’s advice on crafting your application.
Admission counselors look for personality
Students sometimes approach college applications like pole vaulting, thinking they need to clear a certain bar of achievement to get in. But colleges look beyond test scores and activities. They want students who will thrive on campus and grow into proud alumni.
“Genuine interest and also curious students,” says Azarcon. “Those are the ones who stand out. Not just students who are laser-focused on a major, but students who are open to new ideas and excited about being part of a campus community.”
In other words, you’re not just trying to check boxes. You want to highlight your personality through your interests, your engagement with your community and your willingness to try new things.
Let your college application tell your whole story
Most colleges and universities review applications holistically. In other words, they want to know who you are as a person. They try to understand your achievements in the context of your personal situation.
Imagine a student who has a good GPA, but no extracurricular activities because they have a job and help take care of their grandparents. Their application may not seem as competitive at first glance. But if they include those obligations in their application, it demonstrates responsibility and work ethic. Those are good traits in a student.
You should be as thorough as possible on each section of your application because admissions counselors do read it in detail.
“At Pacific, we have first and second readers,” Azarcon explains. “We lay our eyes on the full application. I’ll highlight pieces of letters of recommendation or information from the essay. We read these closely.”
4 tips to make your college application stand out
There’s no magic bullet that guarantees acceptance to college, but there are ways you can improve your chances.
Take time with your personal statement
Your personal statement helps admission counselors connect the dots on your application and brings all the details together into your story.
You don’t have to tell the story of your whole life, but it should make your choices or goals clear. The most impactful essays are passionate and unique to you.
“I like creativity. Something different,” Azarcon says. “I love to walk away feeling that the student was passionate about what they wrote.”
It’s also important to pay attention to the details, like your grammar. After you’re done, read your essay out loud or have someone else read it. If you apply to multiple schools, take the time to personalize the essay for each application. Azarcon sometimes reads essays addressed to other schools.
For a more detailed look at good personal statements, read our post “How to write an eye-catching personal statement.”
Have solid letters of recommendation
Just like your personal statement, a letter of recommendation shows admission counselors who you are and what you’ve done. Your recommender should be someone who knows you well, like a teacher, coach, boss or other mentor figure.
“I will scour those for helpful information or tidbits about a student. It tells me more about what they’ve overcome. Maybe they got a low grade one semester, and the recommender tells me there was something going on in the family,” Azarcon says.
If you’re not certain how to ask for a letter of recommendation, here’s an email template and a guide to asking.
Complete every section thoroughly
As you go through each section, make sure you add as much detail as possible. Some students exclude information because they don’t think it will help them get into college, but everything counts!
Keep in mind, you’re trying to help the admission counselor understand who you are. When you complete the activities section, think beyond sports, volunteering and clubs.
“You may only have three activities, but that’s OK,” Azarcon says. “Tell us what they are. And don’t discredit family responsibilities. Sometimes you have to be an interpreter for your grandparents or be the driver. Those matter.”
Take some time to make a list of all your activities so you don’t leave anything out.
Meet early deadlines if you can
Many schools offer early application deadlines, such as Early Action or Early Decision, that can give you a leg up. An early application doesn’t necessarily boost your chances of acceptance—in fact, sometimes it’s better to take more time to work on your application—but you will find out months earlier and that gives you more time to compare schools.
“You get more time to compare your financial aid packages. Pacific offers your merit aid at acceptance,” Azarcon says. “You have plenty of time to explore campus and even attend an earlier Admitted Student Day.”