How to Get to an Elite College
Show lots of interest in the school., Contact coaches if you plan to play a sport., Contact professors in your area of interest., Show passion in your extracurricular activities by seeking out activities you love, starting new projects, and taking...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Show lots of interest in the school.
Go to alumni Q & A sessions, admissions officer meetings and other events.
Order a prospectus.
Take a tour or spend an overnight if possible.
The college wants to admit students who are excited about the school. -
Step 2: Contact coaches if you plan to play a sport.
They can put in a good word for you. , They can give you a good feel of their work and department, plus they can also put in a good word. , It's better to focus on one or two activities you love and give 100% effort to than to make a half-hearted effort on five. , Get involved in activities and projects because you love them, not because "everyone else is".
For example, if you're passionate about learning Hindi, go online to learn it, study it! In your application, be sure to highlight these efforts. , Find a cause that you are passionate about, and commit a significant amount of time to working on it.
Colleges want to admit good citizens as well as good students, and showing that you've spent four years tutoring in a low-income neighborhood or organizing donation drives for an environmental group is good proof of this. , Interesting jobs or internships are definitely a plus, but a summer of hard work for your uncle's construction business is more impressive to admissions than a contrived trip to France for the vague purpose of "cultural experience". , While it may be tempting to dash off an essay about how you learned leadership skills from being the captain of the football team, consider how many other football captains probably wrote a similar essay.
Make sure your essay is in your "voice".
Start writing your essay early to allow for revision. , While you may think you sound smart by pontificating on United States foreign policy in Iran, you'll sound the opposite.
However, if you write about how your parents fled Iran because of U.S. policy decisions, and how this effects your choice to go into immigration law, write away! , Be enthusiastic, make eye contact, and ask lots of questions.
Dress nicely for your interview-- it shows you care. , A college is more interested in someone who says they want to be an immunologist with a focus on viruses than someone who "might want to be a doctor" or "doesn't know.".
Your plan should make sense with your past experiences and activities.
Admissions is more likely to believe someone who says they know they want to be a doctor after volunteering at an urban clinic than someone who randomly thinks they want to be a doctor but has only held banking internships and doesn't like blood. , Be sure to challenge yourself academically.
Take the most challenging classes you can, even if you could get an "easy A" in a less difficult class. -
Step 3: Contact professors in your area of interest.
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Step 4: Show passion in your extracurricular activities by seeking out activities you love
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Step 5: starting new projects
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Step 6: and taking on meaningful leadership roles.
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Step 7: Be unique.
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Step 8: Give back to your community in a meaningful way.
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Step 9: Choose genuine summer experiences
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Step 10: such as work.
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Step 11: Write a sincere essay about something that matters to you.
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Step 12: Avoid pretentious writing.
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Step 13: Show passion in your interview.
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Step 14: Have a plan for your future.
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Step 15: Take school seriously.
Detailed Guide
Go to alumni Q & A sessions, admissions officer meetings and other events.
Order a prospectus.
Take a tour or spend an overnight if possible.
The college wants to admit students who are excited about the school.
They can put in a good word for you. , They can give you a good feel of their work and department, plus they can also put in a good word. , It's better to focus on one or two activities you love and give 100% effort to than to make a half-hearted effort on five. , Get involved in activities and projects because you love them, not because "everyone else is".
For example, if you're passionate about learning Hindi, go online to learn it, study it! In your application, be sure to highlight these efforts. , Find a cause that you are passionate about, and commit a significant amount of time to working on it.
Colleges want to admit good citizens as well as good students, and showing that you've spent four years tutoring in a low-income neighborhood or organizing donation drives for an environmental group is good proof of this. , Interesting jobs or internships are definitely a plus, but a summer of hard work for your uncle's construction business is more impressive to admissions than a contrived trip to France for the vague purpose of "cultural experience". , While it may be tempting to dash off an essay about how you learned leadership skills from being the captain of the football team, consider how many other football captains probably wrote a similar essay.
Make sure your essay is in your "voice".
Start writing your essay early to allow for revision. , While you may think you sound smart by pontificating on United States foreign policy in Iran, you'll sound the opposite.
However, if you write about how your parents fled Iran because of U.S. policy decisions, and how this effects your choice to go into immigration law, write away! , Be enthusiastic, make eye contact, and ask lots of questions.
Dress nicely for your interview-- it shows you care. , A college is more interested in someone who says they want to be an immunologist with a focus on viruses than someone who "might want to be a doctor" or "doesn't know.".
Your plan should make sense with your past experiences and activities.
Admissions is more likely to believe someone who says they know they want to be a doctor after volunteering at an urban clinic than someone who randomly thinks they want to be a doctor but has only held banking internships and doesn't like blood. , Be sure to challenge yourself academically.
Take the most challenging classes you can, even if you could get an "easy A" in a less difficult class.
About the Author
Diana Cox
Specializes in breaking down complex home improvement topics into simple steps.
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