How to Stand Out
Start by doing what you truly love so you develop a compelling story that makes you stand out.
Top colleges want applicants who demonstrate qualities that make them stand out.
While academic performance is a pre-requisite, applicants who demonstrate qualities the colleges value are the ones who get admitted.
How to demonstrate these qualities is probably one of the most misunderstood and confusing parts of the application process.
The quality of your engagement with an activity you love is the best way to demonstrate what qualities you possess!
The activity does not have to be world changing, neither does it have to be difficult, but the depth of engagement must be authentic!
At X Factor Admissions, we work with you to develop you into the unique person that the elite colleges want on their campus.
These are qualities the top colleges want in their admitted students.
Why are these qualities so important?
Find out what these qualities are
Our Blogs on How to Stand Out
Avoid activities that won't impress admissions officers
These type of activities are passive in nature, and will never make you stand out no matter how expensive they were for you to participate in them.
Can a sport not played at college help me stand out?
While an athlete who plays a non NCAA sport cannot be athlete recruited and leapfrog the admissions process, an athlete who excels in their chosen sport will still stand out in their college application.
Top colleges want people who are original
In college admissions, it is tempting to imitate what someone else did because that someone else got admitted to Princeton, Harvard and Stanford.
Independent Activities that Help You Stand Out
Imagination, passion and a willingness to step out of their comfort zone are key drivers of high school students’ ability to pursue independent activities that help them stand out from the crowd.
How to Stand Out with School Activities
Even student leaders who hold elected office in high school may not pass the bar to stand out. Why is that?
Key admission criteria used by top colleges
Do you know what the top colleges are looking for in an applicant? Find out here!
How to impress admissions at top colleges
The more selective the college, the more demanding they will be in wanting applicants who stand out from the crowd.
