personal statement<\/a> are the central ways to stand out on a college application. as you think about how to strategize your common app activities list, make sure to take these 4 key factors into consideration.<\/p>\n1. tangible achievements<\/h2>\n
concrete, tangible achievements are easy for an admissions officer to digest. in your activity descriptions, make sure that these are highlighted. were you the president of the drama club at school? that\u2019s fine. but it doesn\u2019t necessarily stand out. if you include in the description that you increased membership by 50% in a year and put on a fundraiser that raised $10,000, these examples are 1) much more impressive than just the title of president; 2) really display your impact on the club; and 3) are much easier for an admissions officer to digest. <\/p>\n
takeaway: be concrete! <\/p>\n
2. impressiveness<\/h2>\n
order matters when it comes to your activities list. your most impressive experiences should be towards the top of the list. there are certain ways to strategize this, but it\u2019s generally a good rule to follow. <\/p>\n
how do you judge impressiveness? i always like to think about it in terms of comparisons. is the average high school student doing this activity? yes? then it\u2019s usually less impressive. no? then it probably stands out. examples of this include: doing research with a college professor, getting your work published, holding a meaningful job or internship, starting a club, nonprofit, or business. <\/p>\n
that being said, there are plenty of ways to differentiate yourself from other students within more typical activities. go back to #1 for a concrete example! <\/p>\n
3. sustained involvement<\/h2>\n
maintaining involvement within your activities (and across activities of a similar nature) throughout high school indicates focus. top schools are looking for students who are passionate and involved. identifying your passion early on in high school<\/a> is a key way to make sure you show sustained involvement on your application. <\/p>\njumping around from activity to activity that aren\u2019t at all related indicates that you\u2019re not sure of yourself. and while most high school students do not have their entire lives mapped out, it is important to clearly show what you\u2019re interested in. developing this over time is one of the best ways to display a dedicated interest on your activities list! <\/p>\n
4. your \u201capplication persona\u201d<\/h2>\n
sustained involvement in your activities is the first step towards putting together a good theme or \u201cpersona\u201d for your application. your activities list is the first way you can show a common theme. take, for example, a student who has done the following: <\/p>\n