What Are Top Schools Looking For?

Activities that impress Colleges

• Leadership—this can be a “role” or it could be an initiative or action around a cause

• Excellence—this can be challenging to demonstrate being the best at something, but a back door may be to be recognized as the best of a less popular or niche skill.

• Commitment—showing passion to a given sport, initiative, activity or role. Does your narrative speak to dedicating years of practice, performance or service? What do you do during your summer breaks? What initiatives, articles, research, or competitions can you can expand upon?

• Wow Factor—something unique amongst your peers or doing something more expected of adults. This is hard to engineer, but a bonus if you happen to have it.

What do you think about these four factors.

How might Arts Programs or more selective schools be looking for examples of these?

• Art Competitions, recognized above your peers

• Performances (significant role or part of a small ensemble)

• Leaderships roles in a choir, band, theatrical show, editor of a publication

• Initiate and lead a community action or cause (e.g. race/gender/student awareness or PSA

• Lead a group mural, or assemble s student art exhibit to raise awareness of a passionate cause

• Help found a non-profit

• Have your writing, poetry, music, art pieces get accepted or published by a recognized group

• Found an arts education, dance movement, spoken word event or publication to benefit at risk students/ the elderly/ disadvantaged students, just as examples