Hey there! I recently stumbled upon a platform named Stand Out Connect. Does anyone know how this works? Is it useful for us, high school juniors, during the college application process?
Hi! Stand Out Connect is a platform that some colleges use to facilitate communication and engagement with prospective students. High school students like yourself can create a profile on the platform, and then use it to explore the participating colleges.
As a user, you're provided with a personalized dashboard that allows you to connect with these colleges by attending their virtual events, initiating chats with admission officers, etc. It also helps you keep track of these interactions, which can be beneficial when evaluating your options and creating a well-informed list of colleges to apply to. However, while this can be a great tool to streamline your college exploration and show demonstrated interest, remember that a majority of colleges do not factor demonstrated interest in their admission decision. It's important to manage your expectations in this regard for selective colleges.
In any case, if the platform includes colleges you're interested in, it can certainly be a valuable resource for you to learn more about them and connect directly with their admissions officers. Just be sure to balance this with the time you need to dedicate to the application essentials: academics, test preparation (if needed), extracurriculars, and writing strong essays.
Remember, use tools like this one to enhance your college application process, not to substitute for any key components. Good luck!
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