Thinking Bigger – What Do Colleges Look for in Students and College Admissions

What do colleges look for in students? Our goal at ReadyEdgeGo is to help students destress from the pressures of high school. The leading cause of this stress is misinformation. We have encountered countless students and parents who have misconceptions about the “steps” they need to take in order to gain admission into a certain college or groups of colleges. This misinformation is the real cause of the stress and pressure.

Whichever university admissions rate you’re looking at, there’s no one set path for getting in. In this post, we’ll tackle some of the misinformation out there to help you make wise decisions that will set you up for success.

What Do Colleges Look for in Students for 99% of Universities

What Really Sets a Student Apart?

It’s not the numbers, that’s for sure, despite SAT requirements for colleges starting to come back. Stanford rejects around 69% of perfect SAT scorers every year, and we’ve seen the same trend apply to all the top universities in the United States. So, what gives? Why is it that so many students spend so much time and money on numbers, yet don’t always see the results?

Intellectual Depth Outside of Class

The first thing that comes to many people’s mind when they think about intellectual depth is “weighted classes” and AP tests. Students should absolutely take weighted courses in your areas of interest. However, what sets you apart is how far you went into studying it outside of class.

The type of extracurricular study you invests in matters. Sure, summer programs are nice, but they are also extremely common and expensive. Instead, we suggest reading more and asking meaningful questions about what you read. While everyone is spending $5,000+ on the same summer programs, you can spend $5 on a book and get the same value, if not better. That’s how you truly set yourself apart, since no one reads anymore.

Time to apply! Applications might feel overwhelming, with colleges demanding unreasonable accomplishments just to get in—but simply doing some focused reading and meaningful reflecting can put you ahead of the pack. — Photo by Masjid Pogung Dalangan on Unsplash

Meaningful Leadership

Leadership is defined by convincing others to do something that they otherwise wouldn’t have done. Thus, starting an AI club for your friends who are already interested in technology doesn’t really count. The same thing goes for becoming a class president who merely does what the advisor tells you to do.

So what do colleges look for in students when it comes to leadership? The key is whether you influenced others to achieve something they otherwise would not have accomplished.

To truly stand out, you have to encounter challenges and map out your own path. Don’t aim to follow the path that you’ve seen or heard numerous other students follow. In our 15 years of mentoring students, we haven’t encountered a single leadership experience that wasn’t challenging. By nature, leadership experiences require a challenge – it’s the only way we lead ourselves, and others, to something greater.

Service and Genuine Care for Others

This isn’t about completing your service requirement. It is also not about how many hours you accumulate or earning the Gold Award, the Presidential Service Award, Eagle Scout, etc. You may ask, “What makes me stand out from other applicants?” Students who serve only for the sake of benefiting their community because they genuinely care about others shine with the kind of nobility that simply can’t be faked. Yes, admissions officers truly can tell when you’re simply going through the motions, so start by building genuine connections with others that make you care deeply about their well-being—and then ask yourself, Given my interests, skills, knowledge, and experience, what can I do that will help these people most?

Whether you're checking out two year colleges or Ivy League universities, showing genuine care for those around you will boost your chances of being admitted. — Photo by Saulo Meza on Unsplash

Another myth is that colleges are looking for as many volunteer experiences as possible. Continuity is important, but having numerous experiences isn’t. It’s better to serve deeply in one experience rather than lightly in three.

What Do Colleges Look for in Students in the Top 1% of Universities

Intellectual Range Outside of Class

Okay, we get that you want to become a doctor, but that doesn’t mean all you should study is Biology. Yet that’s what we see again and again and again in the students (and their families) who want to “stand out.” Meanwhile, the top of the top pre-med and Biology ranked schools are virtually all liberal arts universities— which place a heavy emphasis on versatility and intellectual range, particularly in reading, writing, and critical thinking.

If you want to stand out, start studying other things beyond just your major. Be curious and well rounded!

Innovative Leadership

This term started in UC Berkeley Admissions several years ago. The top 1% of universities aren’t just looking for captains of sports teams or presidents of clubs. The top 1% are looking for something slightly different. How did you lead in a way that was innovative?

Class officers don’t typically do this. They usually just perform tasks that every other class officer did before them. Similarly, sports captains usually don’t do anything out of the ordinary. So how will you contribute differently and in a positive way? This often doesn’t involve a club, sport, or fancy title of “leadership.” It’s simply about solving a problem that involves other people, just in a unique way.

Impactful Service

Time for some real talk. Stop counting the number of hours you’ve served. Stop signing up for countless volunteer opportunities. Find the one or two service options that allow you to make a meaningful and lasting impact on people directly. Consider whether your work is changing someone’s life for the better, and for how long. For example, serving food to the homeless is a good deed, but does it transform a homeless person’s situation in a meaningful or lasting way beyond that day? Probably not.

Furthermore, those who serve the homeless in this way often don’t get to know the individuals they serve, making it difficult to discern whether you really made a meaningful impact. Fundraising often doesn’t impress much, either, since your work is often distant from the people you will ultimately help. Your service shouldn’t necessarily have anything to do with your major. In fact, it’s usually best to serve in a way that’s completely different from what you plan on studying, simply because it demonstrates a more well-rounded life experience.

Stay Ahead of High Education Trends

We specialize in youth mentorship and college counseling. From 8th grade to 12th, we have you covered for any stage in your high school career. Schedule a free consultation with us here.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Sarah Gooch

Essay Editor

Q:How many total years of experience do you have in your current role, including but not limited to ReadyEdgeGo?

A: I have five years' experience in coaching student writing, but this is my first year with ReadyEdgeGo.

Q: What about working with students do you most enjoy?

A: I love helping students find depth and meaning in their own stories—but I also just love it when they make me laugh!

Q: What do you like to do in your free time?

A: In theory, I enjoy painting and writing poetry, but these days I actually spend most of my free time socializing or watching movies with my husband.

Q: What is your one piece of advice for high schoolers?

A: Don't just focus on achieving top grades and credentials because they look good on applications, or your education will be meaningless. The numbers and awards have their place, but stay connected to your sense of curiosity, discovery, excitement, and wonder so that the content you're learning is constantly transforming you—it's something you care about, something you remember after the final exam. Work on the aspects of yourself no one can measure, like integrity, wisdom, kindness, and compassion, so that you're not only developing your academic and career potential but also investing in the type of adult you're going to be, the person you'll have to live with after you clock out every day for the rest of your life.

Doing the hard inner work of building your character and learning deeply instead of just earning grades will set you up for a satisfying, well-rounded life. Strange as it sounds, it will also put you ahead in your academic and career goals, because colleges and hiring managers aren't looking for an empty set of data on a spreadsheet; they want a fully fleshed-out person marked by passion, creativity, and a story no one else has lived.

So go on studying hard for tests, but also spend some time asking yourself what matters in life and who your role models are. Read up on topics that amaze you, and build something incredible just for fun. Cultivate that spark of joy you feel when you're immersed in a subject that fascinates you. If you can hit that balancing act of doing your homework and meeting deadlines but also investing in the kind of person you want to be, then trust that all the rest will follow: schools will recognize you as a dynamic, all-star person, and you will also build a life of happiness, close relationships, and peace.

GoBlog