1 answer
Addison
Student
Fruitland Park, Florida
1
Question
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What qualities do I need to develop to stand out from my peers?
I'm about to graduate high school, and the program I'm interested in has a limited number of seats. What should I do to stand out from all the applicants?
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1 answer
Char R.
Registered Nurse
79
Answers
Dallas, Texas
Updated
Char’s Answer
Hi Addison,
First off, congrats on the upcoming graduation! If you want to stand out, you have to meet as many of the program qualifications as possible. Most importantly, if you over qualify in a certain area, that's the area you want to highlight!
For example, let's say a program has these requirements:
1. Need at least a 3.5 GPA
2. Must have 40 hours of volunteer experience
3. Must write compelling essay
Now, let's say you have a 3.6 GPA, average writing skills, but you've done over 100 hours of volunteering. Now, it's obvious some students will have a 4.0 and better writing skills. But my guess is many students who have the highest GPAs are spending the majority of their time studying, and might not have a lot of time to volunteer. You can use this to your advantage! While a high GPA is great, many programs are looking for students who can balance school and other areas of life. They know that students may have a job and other priorities during college, but they need to know that you will be able to stay in school and finish, regardless of the obstacles. Having a lot of volunteer experience while maintaining over a 3.5 GPA is a superpower! This is what you will highlight in your essay. You would focus on how you were able to balance school and other priorities, like helping others.
I would suggest reviewing the program qualifications again and find which one you over qualify for, then highlight why that particular qualification would make you a very good candidate. Another suggestion is to look at the school's mission statement on their website and highlight how you share the school's same values/mission. This should get their attention.
Good luck!
First off, congrats on the upcoming graduation! If you want to stand out, you have to meet as many of the program qualifications as possible. Most importantly, if you over qualify in a certain area, that's the area you want to highlight!
For example, let's say a program has these requirements:
1. Need at least a 3.5 GPA
2. Must have 40 hours of volunteer experience
3. Must write compelling essay
Now, let's say you have a 3.6 GPA, average writing skills, but you've done over 100 hours of volunteering. Now, it's obvious some students will have a 4.0 and better writing skills. But my guess is many students who have the highest GPAs are spending the majority of their time studying, and might not have a lot of time to volunteer. You can use this to your advantage! While a high GPA is great, many programs are looking for students who can balance school and other areas of life. They know that students may have a job and other priorities during college, but they need to know that you will be able to stay in school and finish, regardless of the obstacles. Having a lot of volunteer experience while maintaining over a 3.5 GPA is a superpower! This is what you will highlight in your essay. You would focus on how you were able to balance school and other priorities, like helping others.
I would suggest reviewing the program qualifications again and find which one you over qualify for, then highlight why that particular qualification would make you a very good candidate. Another suggestion is to look at the school's mission statement on their website and highlight how you share the school's same values/mission. This should get their attention.
Good luck!
Thank you so much! This is really helpful and means a lot. I'm excited to follow your advice - I wouldn't have come up with it myself.