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Here are some superb words of wisdom about applications from someone (choosing anonymity here) who works as a judge for such things on behalf of a large state university system. Quoting her:

"Above all, every student applying to competitive schools, programs and scholarships needs to really be grounded in the sheer number of applications being reviewed today. This is a reality base that will balance out rejections and deferrals that result simply because there are too many qualified candidates. The waking thought should be, "I'm qualified to be admitted, but so are 99 others."

I was stunned at the high caliber of applicants as far as SATs, GPA, ECs and so on. I sat there trying to make the final cut and it was harder than hard. So, everyone needs to realize that Olympic medals are determined by .001 of a point and the same holds true for applications. This shows the importance of finely tuned applications if a student wants to be competitive.

Here it goes--not in any particular order:

1. SATs matter but are not the final definition of a student. They are used as a marker against awards, classes taken, etc. A National Merit commended award or higher is helpful, but so are AP scholar awards. Some wait to take the bulk of their AP classes in their senior year. I think it helps to have taken one or two AP exams by the end of the junior year.

2. If a student receives an award specific to their high school or grade level, then they need to offer a few words defining this accomplishment. e.g. "Best student of the year" simply doesn't say enough.

3. This leads to the following realization: details can make or break you. For example, "Best student of the year" is better stated "Best honors science student, 2001" (based on gpa, faculty recommendations, participation in science olympiad.") Although this may seem a given, many students fail to "flesh out" their responses. When asked to list awards, it would be helpful--if there are a lot--to list them in categories such as academic, community (local), national, etc. This makes for an easier "read."

4. Don't assume if you are a 1500+ SAT, class president, Varsity sports that you are "in." Consider the fact that there are mirror copies of you in the pile of applications and you need to work just as hard as everyone else to make your own uniqueness stand out. I think it would be helpful if students tried to think what sort of category they might fall into. The above is an
example. Others might include: transfer students, students with family circumstances (health, finances) that have presented hardships, an artistic type with talent not measured well by grades or exams, a mid-level gpa and exam score. I think if this is done, then students can then work hard to find and reveal what makes them unique--and in the eyes of the reviewer--uniquely qualified for admission or acknowledgment.

5. Don't forget the importance of extracurriculars. Spread too thin, the full impact (as a reflection of commitment by the student) becomes diluted. In the earlier grades, trying out several areas of "giving" works, but then I think students need to dedicate their energy to two or three max. This would allow them to really make a difference in these groups. Again, detail matters. Don't just put down "United Way" volunteer. This says nothing.
It would be great to show something you have developed on your own or offer further detail that will explain your help. Why is this important? It offers the reader a further glimpse of the inner workings of the student and makes the grades and scores meaningful.

6. It was interesting to see how grades, exams, ECs and the essay could all paint a portrait of the student. This needs to be utilized to the fullest, because as a reviewer, you are looking for ways to make connections between all as you read. All this said, it is fun to also be surprised by a skill, commitment and so on that doesn't quite fit--again it has to be well
presented. Here is an example of "connection" in an application: a young woman learned a skill (I will substitute "juggling" to make my point) at a
birthday party and kept at it on her own. She began to go to senior citizen centers and give demonstrations for fun. Then, one summer she taught this skill at a head start center and it was a big hit. She was invited back the following summer as a paid staff and her students took the "show on the road" to centers. Her essay talked about the skill and how it just seemed to fall into her life, but the reader realized that it didn't but developed because of her dedication and motivation. This was for a student with a 3.5
and SATS on the lower end (I am purposely not stating), but she stood out and placed as a finalist. A word of caution: it may look like a formula, but if it isn't genuine it will work against you.

7. Beware of awards given off internet sites. They may be valid, but writing or music composition awards received from internet sites are a little undefined.

8. In my own humble opinion--giving blood, a truly wonderful humanitarian gesture, is NOT an "extra-curricular" activity."

By Dadster on Thursday, March 07, 2002 - 05:01 pm: Edit

Great info, Dave! Even though the originator works in a large state university system, these comments would apply equally well to elite admissions.

How much time would you have to spend donating blood before it was considered a true extracurricular activity, Dave? More to the point, does the human body have that much available blood?

By Dadster on Sunday, March 10, 2002 - 05:28 pm: Edit

By the way, what kind of student awards are given off internet sites? I guess I haven't run across this idea before.

By R Storm (Anonrs) on Wednesday, March 13, 2002 - 12:10 pm: Edit

It's nice to know that there are *real people* behind admissions at some of the larger universities, as well.

Re internet awards -- last Fall, someone on the kids' side of the PR board mentioned a poetry contest and gave a link. When I checked it out, there were actually several divisions / layers of poetry competition including one that was strictly internet based ie, ONLY those submissions received by internet would be accepted for consideration; names of award winners and their winning poems were later displayed on the same site. I think the site had multiple (quarterly?) contests during the year.

By Lisa on Wednesday, May 08, 2002 - 12:00 am: Edit

I'm a high school student in the end of my sophomore, and I have a question about extracurricular activities. Is it justified to be involved in an extracurricular, like a sport, even if it takes up a large portion of my daily schedule? Is this dedication going to help me in my application to colleges provided that I have balanced grades and community service. I have heard that colleges do not count community service/various clubs as an extracurricular activity- is this, for the most part, true? If I pursue a time-consuming activity to put into my college application, will I get the recognition of all my dedication? What do colleges define as dedication? I have been in a sport for 2 years now, and if I plan to continue in the program for a third year, would it be justified to put that on my application and would it be "worth" more than if I only put in these 2 years. I am having this dilemma as a result of knowing that this extracurricular is in fact extremely tiring, but I am willing to commit to it again and was just wondering if I will get credit for my consumed time and energy. Thanks!