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The real secret to college admissions

With thousands of high schoolers applying to college each year, everyone asks, ‘What do I do the get in?” The answer-’Be well rounded’-is a common one, but it is not necessarily true. Admissions officers don’t want people who are basically mediocre at many things; they would much prefer someone who has a spike in their application.
Alexandra Popusoi
  min read
·
  Nov 27, 2024

So what is a spike?

A spike is basically a time where you essentially do something that stands out in the college application. It can be a national award or starting a business, but is something that proves that you have more potential than the other applicants. Doing the same thing as everyone else, and not showing that you excel in it, makes you fit in with everyone else, and will not make the admissions officer form a connection with you. 

 

For example, somebody might aim for straight As, be a member of a few clubs, like CSF or Key club, and maybe have 100 volunteer hours. That student is not proving to be the smartest in their class, or be a leader, or make an exceptional impact in their community. They are essentially trying to do everything, while not succeeding at anything. If there was another student who maybe was the president of a single club and get 1000+ volunteer hours, they would have a much higher chance of getting in, even though the quantity of their extracurriculars aren’t as high. 

 

To get that spike in your application, you can do a few things:

  • Choose something to focus on. If you are in computer science, don’t volunteer at a hospital. College admissions won’t care, and it will only waste your time. Instead, focus on making an impact in the community through computer science. Try to intern at a company, or work with a professional, but focus on something in your field of choice.

  • Do not get discouraged. A spike is one of the hardest things to achieve, since it takes so much time and energy. Don’t give up if you feel like you are behind or don’t have a chance. Put in the work and energy and it will pay off.

  • Do not listen to haters. A lot of people will try to bring you down or do not want you to succeed. You will need to tune them out and focus on your goals. Many people prefer to listen to their friends, but that can be the difference between being accepted and rejected from a top college. Take advice, but do not just do whatever everyone else tells you-admissions officers will look at you, not them, so do what is best for you.

Essentially, while a spike is hard, it is achievable through time and effort. Make sure to do everything that you can, and make yourself stand out. Good luck on your college journey!