Guest Post: Standing out on College Applications by Amanda Purifoy, American College Counselor in Taiwan

photo by Vasily Koloda

Amanda Purifoy is a proud Texas native who has worked in education for nearly 16 years. She is a licensed PK-12 School Counselor and EC-4th Teacher. She has taught in the USA, China, and the UAE. She is currently a college counselor in Taiwan, helping students achieve their dreams of attending the best colleges and universities around the world. 

Here, Amanda provides some useful advice for students hoping to attend universities outside of Taiwan.

"How can I make my college application stand out?"

 Many students ask me, "How can I make my college application stand out?" To be honest, there is no "one answer fits all" for the 7,000+ universities that are out there. However, what I do want students to know is, colleges look at everything starting from 9th grade. Nowadays, if you plan to apply to the Ivy Leagues, it's not enough to have perfect grades and become "President" of every after school club. This can be achieved by most students. The first question I usually ask students is "What have you done in your high school years that you believe no other student at school can say that they have done?"

Universities often assign one reader for all applicants who come from the same school. This way, they can identify any discrepancies in the application or pick certain students that "stand out" from one particular school. So, in other words, the first step is for students to stand out amongst their classmates.

Advice to Students

So, as a college counselor, the advice I give to students is:

1) Of course, start researching universities and what they require for admission very early. 

2) Build good relationships with teachers, counselors, coaches, mentors. (You will need them to write excellent letters for you when applying to college.)  

3) Write a personal statement that will "wow" an admissions counselor.

4) Participate in summer pre-college programs hosted by universities you may be interested in.

5) Seek out opportunities related to your future college major.

6) Volunteer in your local community. 

7) Take advantage of in-person college visits to make a name for yourself. Ask questions during the visit and make sure to introduce yourself to the admissions counselor. I cannot stress this enough! Asking thoughtful questions is the best way to get the college admissions counselor to remember you. 

Following these steps can help students become competitive candidates for admission to the best universities in the world!