By Pragya Jhunjhunwala
When we think of college applications, we think of grades, SAT scores, extra-curricular activities, and how we need to excel in all of the above. However, one very important element which most tend to miss out on in this process is the importance of self-discovery.
When one applies, the admissions officer wants to get a sense of who they are as a person, ways they are going to contribute to the college, and how the college can help them. One needs to show the college their interests, personality traits, and even what matters to them; and more importantly, be consistent about these things throughout the application.
The application process is strenuous and can be mentally challenging as well; there will be times when one will not think their application is strong enough or they could have done a particular thing differently or done something more, there will be tipping points. Despite all this, if a student believes they are true to themselves, have applied for a major that they are truly interested in, to a college which they like and have given their best in all the required areas, there will be no need to worry.
These are four components which help students bring out themselves:
Major:
This is undoubtedly the most important part. The major that one applies for shows their interest and to an extent their personality as well. This decision has to be made after a lot of thinking and even discussion with teachers, counselors, and parents. This decision will decide what path one goes on after graduating- be it to start working, doing a master's degree or Ph.D., or going into the field of research. One important thing to note is that the college the student is applying to should be specialized in the field of the major. For example, if a student goes to a college that is famous for economics to major in physics it won't make sense even though the college offers that subject.
Keep in mind that changing the choice of majors even in 12th grade is completely fine, as long as one is passionate about it. There are many who change their choices and no student should be afraid to switch their choice just because they think it's "too late".
College Essays:
This is one of the golden opportunities of a student to be their own advocate, express themselves, dig deep, and display who they are through their words. To perfect essay writing and to move forward in the path of self-discovery, one should practice writing as much as possible. Writing in its self is a form of self-discovery. As one slowly peels the layers and goes deeper into their thoughts, they will move forward, they will ask themselves questions which they have never asked before and actually understand how they felt in the particular situation they are writing about. Therefore, practicing writing almost daily is very important.
Unquestionably, this is the major area of the application where the college will look to find to find out about one's personality through their showcasing of vulnerability in writing and authenticity. The essay should make the reader feel like he's in the writer's shoes. The words should give out the emotions of the writer. The essay can be the main reason for a student's admission to a college.
Letters of Recommendation(LOR):
These letters are written by the school career counselor and up to two subject teachers. The LORs help the student to know where they stand. It is based on the interpersonal relations between the teacher and the student. During the process of collecting LORs, a student may also realize which teachers and their subject he really likes. If one likes the subject, it is common that they have a good relationship with the teacher of that subject, regardless of the marks that one is scoring.
A student should also make sure to keep visiting the counselor at least once a week. She should get to know the student and even about their personal and geographical preferences. The LOR should portray the student very well so talking to teachers and counselors often is chief.
Extra-Curricular Activities:
Even though grades are very important, most colleges look beyond our grades as part of their holistic admission process. Extra-curricular activities help boost the application but do not have any value if the activity is not related to something the student is interested in, does not truly believe in, or not making an impact. For example, one may intern at a company in its design department and it gives them a lot of credit, but it will not make add any value if they are actually applying for economics or business major.
The extra-curricular activities one chooses to spend his precious time on should be those in which he needs little or no push to do. It should complement and add to the student's knowledge or experience.
If the student gets into his college of choice, the college might conduct an interview to further know the student.
Interview:
In these interviews, one will be asked questions about themselves and maybe even some to find out how they think. The important thing is to remain calm. Although it is difficult to do so, the colleges only want to know more about the student and his interest in the applied major. One should treat it as a conversation with a friend, practice full disclosure, and let the admissions officers know them. Being nervous during these will only do harm.
The application is a document in which the student articulates his entire personality and interests and in this articulation, he slowly unravels himself. The application process might seem extremely difficult and a lot of work at the moment, but a little bit of hard work now can get a student into an amazing college and to an awesome job. Even Oprah Winfrey said-” Doing the best at this moment puts you in the best place for the next moment.”
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