How can I develop a standout factor? Answered
While i do have a high GPA im not number 1 in my graduating class. So my grades won't be my stand out factor. I am yet to take the SAT, or the ACT. As for my extracurriculars, i am a Kickboxing National champion and a boxing national competitor. I am the leader of the male empowerment in my school. I never ran for student government because it was always a popularity contest. I started a grant writing club, i organized meetings with surgeons, doctors, for our male empowerment group. I also co founded our debate team at our school. To add on to that i created a research program for students that are striving to become doctors/surgeons to get more hands on work. I don't know if this is enough to make up for the lack of excellence in my grades. Is it enough? Please help me.
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2 answers
"Excellence" or "standout" are honestly very relative terms. Similarly, high schools differ greatly in their difficulty in the first place. A student in a very difficult school district with a lower rank may still have a better chance than a valedictorian in a rural school. While I would say that your extracurriculars are impressive, this also strongly depends on which colleges you're aiming for. In terms of Ivy Leagues, only having strong extra curriculars is likely not enough for admittance. They like to see a good balance between gpa, SAT/ACT scores, and extra curriculars. Therefore, it would only be about 1/3 of the criteria judged. However, many other less-prestigious colleges would find your activities very impressive. It all depends on your target schools.
But to simply make yourself more standout, you'll want to focus on studying for your SAT/ACT test. For many schools, this is the #1 factor they look at when admitting students. While outside activities make you unique, a good all-around student has to also show that they are talented academically.
Lion i would say dont be obessive about ECs but if its junior year for you currently it would be super helpful to improve essays and securing recomendation letters from teachers you have a very good relationship (for me its my debate teacher but can be anyone) a english teacher or DECA advisor. Also your favorite/intended colleges Id reach out to their admission office to show interest (google yield rates college). While you have a very small chance to an Ivy school Id say you have a great shot to AAU colleges such as UCLA Florida. Depending on your essays and rec letters you have a coinflip of getting into a public ivy such as UMich UNC chapel ot UT-Austin
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Id like to add onto rary that gpa SAT/ACT and ECs arent the onlything colleges look at ACT/SAT scores do help alot you could ace it but not get admitted due to gpa Id doubt thats a problem for you but it can happen.
Also the Iowa system admission process doesnt care about ECs at all just your regents score which is
3 times ACT score+ 30 times GPA+ 5 times years of coreclasses and you need at least a 245 to be admitted to North Iowa Iowa St and Iowa