Personality in Admissions

I don’t want to brag here, but I am kind of a big deal in the personality department. My senior superlative at Trinity High School, Class of 2001, was “Best Personality.” Of course, I was immediately crestfallen when this was announced, because isn’t that just a nice way of saying I’m ugly? Well, I’ve learned to embrace both my looks and my personality because they’re all I’ve got. You should too, and here’s how that applies to college admissions.

The college application through the Common App can feel like you’re just submitting a routine form. But this is where you’d be wrong. This is a place you can also show tidbits of who you are. If you’re funny, be funny. If you’re a serious person, you can be serious here, too. But your voice matters.

An example of how you can shine a bit through the Common App form is in the “Activities” section. You’re asked to describe your activity in 150 characters (yep, you got that right, characters, not words!). They want to know about any achievements, awards, etc. But, for some activities, they can be rather self-explanatory. I mean, everyone knows what a babysitter does, right? So, this is where you can get creative. Compare the following two descriptions for a babysitter in 150 characters:

“Master Lego builder, turn-taking coordinator, film choice mediator skills, tasked with keeping foreign objects out of mouths. First Aid/CPR certified.”

Vs.

“Cared for children ages 3-9 years old. Carried out bedtime routines, prepared meals, and provided enrichment activities. First Aid/CPR certified.”

Both of these descriptions are apt descriptions of what it’s like to babysit. Yet, I get a very different sense of the applicant’s personality from each of these descriptions. 

The moral of the story is–let your personality shine through.