“One of the most common misconceptions about the college application process is that sheer prestige—an elite private school, a competitive summer program, a big-name internship—will make you stand out to top colleges,” says Grace Lee, managing director at Command Education, a boutique college consulting firm that is the go-to resource for those in-the-know. “In reality, the applicant pools at top colleges are flooded with students who boast these credentials.” Lee would know. At Command Education—where services include a customized plan tailored to each individual, comprehensive college application support, near-peer mentorship, passion project development and assistance with extracurriculars, merit awards, competitive internships and research opportunities—94% of students have been accepted to one of their top three school choices over the past five years. “The distinguishing factor of a standout application is how a student connects the dots to tell a compelling story about their growth, passions and goals for the future through their accomplishments,” Lee says. And starting early is also key. Here, Command Education’s guide to what students—and parents—should be doing at every stage to assure college admissions success.
Middle School: The Executive Skills Phase
While college applications might seem to be in the distant future, middle school is an essential time for students to lay the groundwork for high school success. Students should aim to develop their executive functioning skills, solidify their math and reading abilities and build a support network they will carry into high school. Though colleges consider activities and involvements beginning the summer before a student’s freshman year of high school, younger students should still be intentional about their activities. The freedom and lack of pressure during a student’s middle school years affords them the opportunity to explore their interests and discover what excites them in and outside of the classroom. “Top colleges are looking for students with unique, authentic passions who have tangibly explored their areas of interests before even stepping foot on campus,” says Lee. “Students who become Ivy League material cultivate their interests over time—starting early allows students to get to know themselves, discover what truly motivates them and gain meaningful experience in their field through coursework, extracurriculars, summer programs and independent initiatives in their communities.”
While not necessarily showstopping activities on an Ivy League application, summer camp, intramural sports, theater workshops or volunteering at the local animal shelter can provide key opportunities for middle school students to develop the confidence, communication skills, and curiosity that will benefit them throughout their high school years.
Parents can encourage their middle school students to self-reflect on their experiences, asking questions like:
- What are the clubs, classes and activities you would like to try this year?
- What activities or subjects make you feel most excited or energized? Why?
- If you could spend a whole day learning about anything, what would it be?
Freshman and Sophomore Years: The Experimentation Phase
The single most important quality in the college admissions process is one that cannot be manufactured: authenticity. Ivy League and other top colleges want to admit students who have challenged themselves, taken inventory of their skills and passions and approached their interests with creativity and originality. This means there is no one-size-fits-all approach to the process—the path to a successful application will look different for every student.
Freshman and sophomore years are a critical time for a student to chart their unique path. Particularly during freshman year, students should continue to experiment and explore by trying out different clubs, classes and opportunities outside of the classroom. This is also an ideal time to apply to competitive, merit-based summer programs to make the most of their months off school. Applications for the most competitive programs have deadlines early in the school year, often even before Thanksgiving.
By sophomore year, students should begin the process of tailoring their involvements around their “hook”—the guiding passions at the core of their application narratives. They should seek leadership opportunities in the clubs that most excite them, enroll in the most challenging coursework in their field of interest and begin brainstorming ways to deepen their knowledge of their field through a passion project, an independent initiative through which students mobilize their core interests in service of their broader community.
“Elite institutions are looking for students who are junior specialists in their area of interest—but this doesn’t mean that they want students who are solely focused on one subject,” says Lee. “In fact, some of the most successful students are those who show their creativity and ambition by combining their disciplinary interests in surprising ways, like interrogating the relationships between physics and literature or linguistics and computer coding, for example. When students begin high school with ambition, self-reflection, and curiosity, their early years can lead to exciting and unexpected connections that define their applications when the time comes.”
Finally, by the end of sophomore year, students should have completed the foundational coursework needed to take a diagnostic SAT or ACT, allowing them to gauge their target score.
Junior Year: The Expertise-Building Phase
Junior year is when the rubber meets the road—rather than exploring and experimenting with their interests, students should focus on developing expertise in this stage. Not only should students be striving toward their goal standardized test scores, earning top grades in the most challenging courses offered and pursuing continued learning through independent research and academic summer programs, but they should also be in the execution stage of their passion project.
Whether organizing a local STEM camp for middle and high-school students, self-publishing a guide to indigenous plants for fellow foragers or launching a student-run art exhibition, a passion project is a hands-on experience that allows students to develop key leadership, communication and subject-specific skills while tangibly demonstrating a commitment to using their learning for the betterment of their communities. It should offer a preview of the ways that a student plans to use the knowledge they gain in college to make a positive impact in their field.
“Many students and parents assume that they need to solve world hunger, partner with a globally recognized brand or generate millions of dollars in revenue to impress Ivy League admissions officers,” says Lee. “But this simply isn’t true. Admissions officers know that applicants are teenagers—they aren’t expecting them to accomplish what a Fortune 500 corporation or established non-profit might. Instead, they look for initiatives that showcase what students really care about and how they have addressed a need in their community with their own ingenuity and resourcefulness.”
By the spring of junior year, students should have a draft of their balanced college list, including a mix of high reach, reach, match and safety schools. Spring break is an ideal time to conduct college visits, as classes are in session and prospective students can get a glimpse of life on campus!
Senior Year: The Execution Phase
By senior year, students should have laid a strong foundation of coursework, extracurriculars, summer involvements and independent projects—and tie it all together as a cohesive story. “An uninspired and unstrategic narrative is one of the most common reasons that students blend into a sea of other applicants,” says Lee. “Students need to think critically about how to articulate their distinct achievements in their unique voice to admissions officers. What makes you different from not only the tens of thousands of other applicants, but also from the smaller pool of students applying to your specific major, from a similar background or with a similar list of activities and involvements?”
During the summer before senior year, students should brainstorm and draft their Common App essay, finalize their college lists and research the requirements for each school to which they are applying, including deadlines, required materials and Early Decision and Early Action options. By mapping out a timeline in advance, students can avoid last-minute stress and submit their best work.
Contact Command Education and mention Brentwood City Lifestyle for a complimentary 45-minute strategy session. 212-368-1000; info@commandeducation.com; commandeducation.com
"Admissions officers know that applicants are teenagers—they aren’t expecting them to accomplish what a Fortune 500 corporation or established non-profit might," says Lee. "Instead, they look for initiatives that showcase what students really care about."