Last-minute Application boosts

You don’t have too much time until college apps, and you’re willing to do anything to improve your application. What do you do?

Quick Boosts (Weeks to 2 months)

If you only have a few months or even a few weeks, your options are limited, but you still have some. Here are some things to look for:

1. Honor Societies: If your Honors section isn’t filled up yet, joining an honors society might be what you need. National Honors Society, National Technical Honors Society, Science National Honors Society, and others are some options. Look to see what your school has.
2. Leadership Position: This one is a bit risky and unlikely, but you still have a chance. See if clubs or organizations have positions open, create a resume, and apply right away.
3. Volunteer: Everyone knows to just go out there and sign up, but there might be a better technique. Colleges prefer dedication towards one specific cause more than spread out causes. Find an organization, and start volunteering there specifically to show your dedication towards that cause.

3 months+

If you have at least 3 months before applications are due, you might be able to work on getting a project started from the ground up. Here are some ideas you can try, but are not limited to:

1. Starting a school club: Starting a school club can take some work, but it can be easier when making it an in-school or after-school club. Using your school’s resources, such as teachers, rooms, etc., you can create meetings and advertise to students to grow your club. A growing club that does activities can show impact and drive.
2. Higher Leadership Positions: This was in the previous section, but it was put here because it is much more feasible. With multiple months, most leadership position elections for clubs will be done, and you can take the time to make good resumes and get more involved with the organization.
3. Research: This is a recent thing that people are starting to add to their applications, and if you do something like this, you’ll still be able to stand out. Many people do research by getting internships at colleges and such, but that’s unlikely to happen in 3 months. Instead, you can create your own project. Pick something to research, conduct studies, analyze your results, and create a published paper. Your journey and learning during the research can also be something to talk about in essays.
4. Passion Projects: How feasible this is depends on your passion. If it’s easy to get started on, you might be able to grow your project to a high scale, but some are tougher than others. In regards to what to pick, you can pick any hobby or passion that you want to share and support people academically. Perhaps you make a TikTok account teaching math or make a website to teach finance.
5. Head start on essays: If none of these things sound like something you can do, remember that essays are the majority of your application. With a few months left until the college application season, you can spend more time writing the best essays possible, refining every last detail, and creating compelling stories.

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Final Thoughts and Summary

Depending on how much time you have left for applications, the range of things you can do changes. Whatever time is left, though, you should make the most of it. Before this guide ends, here are all the activities in order of the least time to most time.

1. Head Start on Essays (Any time helps!)
2. Honor Societies
3. Volunteer
4. Leadership Positions at small organizations
5. Starting a school activity
6. Leadership Positions at big organizations
7. Research/Passion Projects (Depends on the topic of research and the passion you plan on pursuing)