Undergraduate – How to build your profile for college admissions

Build Your College Profile, One Solid Block at a Time!

Universities and colleges today look for more than just good grades in a candidate’s profile. In this age of cut-throat competition, building your student profile for admission to your dream college can start as early as class 9th or 10th. For a life-altering decision such as college admission, it is never too early or late to be well prepared. Let us look at ways to build and present your profile for undergraduate college admission, one solid block at a time.

Enhance Your Academic Profile:

Undoubtedly, there is no elevator to success; you have to take the stairs. You must work hard and ensure that you get a good GPA. Whether we like it or not, good grades and strong scores on standardized tests like SAT/ACTs are vital for securing admission into a good college. Another way to bolster your profile is to take AP or Advanced Placement prep classes. Not only do these Tests/classes count for college credits for your Bachelor’s degree, they tell the admissions committee that you are working at a higher level in the school itself and are willing to walk that extra mile to achieve your goals.

Aim at acceleration credits scoring 3 or higher. Remember, even adding one AP course related to your future degree can add another dimension to your profile. Another option is to take classes that are more challenging in high school. When it comes to a crunch situation, if two students have the same GPA, the college may compare the difficulty level of the subjects offered during high school. So go ahead and enroll for that AP class. Do not be procrastinators or fence-sitters. Take up the challenge!

Online Courses:

In this era of digitization, online courses on offer from various sites like Coursera or EDX provide an excellent option to enhance your knowledge and learning. These courses are flexible, affordable and are available on demand. The best part? Top universities like MIT, Harvard, Stanford etc. offer introductory college-level certificate courses that can be completed at your own pace. Taking these online certificate courses adds depth to your profile while indicating that you are able to perform at the college level and are a self-starter, keen on creating a better version of yourself. Free courses on these sites do not lead to certification; you may have to pay and give an exam (in some cases) to be eligible for a certificate.

Academic Competitions/ Workshops/ Project Work :

You can participate in various competitions and workshops to gain brownie points on your profile. Of course, winning such competitions is a bonus. You can also join Honor societies, and other such academic communities to gain traction and visibility for your profile.
Taking up extra project work to embellish your profile can be a tall ask while juggling grades, standardized tests, and co-curricular activities. It is an additional workload but remember the rich rewards you can reap by adding value to your profile. You can seek advice from your counselor or teachers to settle on the project that you can work on but do remember, it should not be a part of your curriculum.

Extra-Curricular Accomplishments:

These little gems provide valuable insights into the admissions committee regarding students’ motivation, passions and ability to balance academics and activities. A profile is incomplete without extracurricular achievements. While building your profile, you must remember that the eventual aim is to stand out from the plethora of applications the college must have received. Universities today look for candidates who possess a well-rounded personality with diverse interests. However, they are not looking for a Jack-Of-All-Trade but a Master in one area of genuine passion.

Thus, a profile that shows involvement in too many activities runs the risk of compromising on quality. Find your passion and fuel it by pursuing excellence in that field. Remember, it is not the ‘breadth’ of your accomplishments but the ‘depth’ that is the real measure of merit. Therefore, sustained interest and achievement in a particular passion/hobby is far better than a handful of participation certificates or consolation prizes in a host of different activities. Don’t spread yourself too thin and highlight only a few important achievements instead of listing every competition or workshop you have attended from grade 1! A large number of activities will only highlight a lack of focus and inability to commit to something in the long term.

Another strategy to take your profile to the next level is to add relevant details. It is all very well to mention that you were good at singing, dramatics or sports but adding details like the competitions you participated in, where you won and your learning in the event makes it more engaging and authentic. A love for dramatics could translate into short videos of your performances on platforms like YouTube with relevant links to the same. Similarly, you can make a portfolio or an online blog of hobbies like photography, painting or traveling. Adding snippets of information to enhance the blog will also highlight your writing skills and add the necessary weight to your co-curricular achievements. In addition, it is not enough to be a part of a society or a club. You should highlight your role, the value addition you brought to the society or club.

The next question that comes to mind is the choice of co-curricular activities. Some activities that you can dabble in are:

• Fine Arts such as Painting, Drawing, Sketching etc.
• Sports
• Performing Arts like singing, dramatics, theatre, dancing etc.
• Photography
• Writing and Editing
• Blogging
• Environment and Sustainable Development
• Membership/ Position of responsibility in the Student Council or any other student bod

Pro tip: Show how you fit into the college of your choice. Make sure that your activities and skills match up to the mission/ vision statement and values of your dream college. The admissions committee wants to know what you will contribute to the university’s student body.Colleges love students who go the extra mile. You might as well have fun while doing so through the extracurricular route!

Internships / Work Experience:
You can show practical experience of working in professional spaces as a volunteer or an intern. It is a fantastic opportunity to enhance your profile and stand out from the crowd. Please write about your learning at the internship and get a letter of recommendation or two!

Volunteering / Community Work:
Whether it is actively working/volunteering at an NGO, fundraising for your selected cause, or volunteering at Old age homes, doing something for the community shows that you are willing to give back to the society by spending time and effort. The learning and experience you gain as a part of a large organization is a bonus!
Mission Admission involves hard work, perseverance, and consistent preparation, but that single eight-letter word, the coveted ‘Accepted’ will be well worth its weight in gold.