Hi everyone! I've been working on pulling my GPA up and it's now a 3.8 (thank goodness!). But, I'm trying to be holistic and I know colleges look at more than just grades now. Do you guys have any tips on what else I could do to stand out to admissions officers? Activities? Community work? Portfolio? Let's brainstorm!
Hello there! Great to hear that you're thinking holistically about your college application. Beyond GPA, colleges are interested in your extracurricular activities, as they show not only your interests and skills but also your commitment and leadership qualities.
It's definitely quality over quantity. Rather than participating in a multitude of clubs or activities just for the sake of it, try focusing on a few key interest areas and working to achieve significant accomplishments in those spaces. For example, if you're interested in a future in science, you might become a leader in a science club and participate in competitions, science fairs, or research projects.
Remember the concept of Tiers of Extracurriculars: Tier 1 activities show exceptional achievement or leadership at the national or international level. Tier 2 activities show high levels of achievement and leadership more locally. Tier 3 activities show interest and Tier 4 is general involvement. Aim for the top tiers if you can!
To learn more about extracurricular tiers and how to categorize your own involvements, I'd check out this blog post from CollegeVine: https://blog.collegevine.com/breaking-down-the-4-tiers-of-extracurricular-activities
Community service can make a good impression, too; again, focus on depth. Leading, planning, and driving big impact in a project that is important to you would be better than doing a little bit of everything.
Finally, a well-written, personalized essay can set you apart from the crowd. Avoid cliches and aim to highlight a unique story or aspect of yourself that isn't already apparent from your application.
Keep in mind, colleges are not just looking for well-rounded students; they're looking for a well-rounded class. So, your "spike," or your one big passion and accomplishment, is important, as it shows what you have to offer that even other talented applicants do not.
If you want to know how your application as a whole stacks up at a particular school, I'd check out CollegeVine's free chancing engine, which accounts for all quantifiable elements of your application, including not just GPA but also course rigor, test scores (if you have them), and extracurriculars to give you personalized odds of acceptance at over 1,600 colleges around the country: https://www.collegevine.com/admissions-calculator
This tool will also give you suggestions on how to improve your chances, for example by earning a leadership position in one of your extracurriculars. Good luck!
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