While the past year has been unlike anything any of us have ever experienced, it is now abundantly clear that it is only a matter of time before students are once again taking to the beautiful and diverse college and university campuses all over the country and world.
If you are a high schooler, chances are good that you already are developing a bit of a list when it comes to the colleges and universities that you would love to eventually attend once you graduate high school. In fact, you may actually have one school that you have circled and stared at the very top of your list as your ultimate and incomparable dream school.
With that being said, you might not be totally sure about what it is that you really need to do in order to accomplish that goal of getting into the school of your dreams. No need to worry, however, we’ve broken down some of the top things that you must consider in order to get into the school of your dreams.
Great letters of recommendation
One of the most important things to keep in mind when you are applying to top schools is that you will need some wonderful recommendation letters for college. This means getting letters from teachers, counselors, community leaders or other adults who have a close relationship with you and can vouch for you. If you are specifically interested in getting into one specific school, you may even want to try to form a relationship with someone who graduated from that school. That way, they can specifically speak on how and why you would contribute to that school’s community and culture upon your acceptance and enrollment.
A focus on extracurriculars
Focusing on extracurriculars is a really important aspect of any student’s application to college. With that being said, there is one great tip that you should keep in mind. Instead of trying new things every semester of your high school career, make a point to commit to just a few out-of-class activities and communities that you are truly passionate about. This can be sports, theater, clubs, community work and so much more. There is no right or wrong answer when it comes to what extracurriculars you pick, just make sure to stick to them and – ideally – carve out a position of impact and leadership by your junior or senior year.
Make top grades in top classes
Last but not least, it is obviously crucial to get the best grades as possible throughout your four years in high school. Traditionally, it is believed that your sophomore and junior years are the two most important in the eyes of college admissions offices. With that in mind, getting great grades in easy classes is not all that impressive. You should be taking as many AP and honors classes as possible and scoring top grades in those classes in order to improve your chances of getting into the school of your dreams.
Story by Brad Bernanke
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