Q & A: Standing Out in the Applicant Pools of Top Colleges

Q: One more thing sohan, you said that everyone at this level will have a similar resume as me. so how competitive do you think I'll be among those who do what I did? About how many people do you know in your class that have about the same things I have?

What does it mean to stand out in an applicant pool?

A: When I say "everyone at this level will have a similar resume as you," I mean that students at your level will have accomplishments of similar magnitude and scope, though they are not necessarily the same exact activities.

These "similar" accomplishments are usually the academic ones - e.g., NHS, quizbowl, honor roll, math league, science league, and other academic achievements/clubs. I feel that such distinctions, as well as a certain GPA, SAT score, etc., are just about required to reach a certain tier in the applicant pool.

What you do besides your academics (or if you have extraordinary academic achievements, such as winning a national science fair or the likes), sets you apart in this tier. To clarify, everyone applying to top schools is undoubtedly smart, but you have to show that you are committed, diligent, charismatic, service-oriented, and a whole slew of adjectives.

Note: The poster volunteered his efforts for Hurricane Katrina relief, and subsequently won the Prudential Spirit of Community Award and the Presidential Service Award for his community service.

For example, your service work for victims of Hurricane Katrina is impressive and will set you apart. What you write about in your essays will set you apart. If you wrote a superb essay about how you helped out victims of Hurricane Katrina, I think that would put you at another level, because it's something that not every student does, and it reveals something about your character.

You can really divulge this "extra" information about yourself in your essays, which is where you want to reveal your character.

On a side note, I find that the top colleges like students who not only smart, but also are EXTREMELY proficient in on area or activity rather than someone who is generally well-rounded. If you do something BIG in one club or activity, it counts more than participating in numerous clubs and sports teams. You have done excellent work in community service and should make sure you emphasize this point and its impact on your character.

Even if you haven't had some wonderful opportunity, in the end it all depends on how you spin your accomplishments to make them sound important, to be honest.