<p>To be fair, if you want to know how to improve your app, it really depends on where you are going to. Certain colleges really look for certain things. If we don’t have a clue where you really want to go, it’s sort of hard to come up with suggestions.</p>
<p>In addition, looking over the current activities you have, I honestly do not see something ‘special’. By ‘special’, I am referring to something that makes YOU specifically stand out from the rest. Most outstanding college applicants have similar applications to you (i.e. tons of leadership qualities and etc.). However, the ones who get accepted are the ones who are able to define their ‘hook’, or a ‘pitch’. It is highly important to develop this ‘hook’ in your essays, or activities.</p>
<p>thanks shadowing, I know I have no hook that’s why I am trying to build on that aspect of my resume. Any examples of a hook?</p>
<p>A hook is sort of hard to define. You can either imply it through the various activities you do (i.e. science and math clubs, competitions, etc. for tendency to science and math), or explicitly (i.e. in the essays).</p>
<p>From how I see it, you can continue to develop your leadership skills for your app. It might be a good idea to elaborate on your own special hobby, or skill in the essay. After all, you may sure look like the typical ‘great’ applicant, but what makes you … YOU? The admissions officers read the essays to get a sense of who you are. It is in this essay you would write your ‘hook’.</p>
<p>For instance, I know a person who is now a millionaire that got into MIT with a score of 1300 (on the 1600 scale). How? He had a great hook in his essay that showed them that he was completely different and dedicated.</p>
<p>Simply put, you can look great on your resume, but your essay has to show your individual ‘hook’.</p>
<p>Some examples that I can probably throw out is a focus on certain fields. You can also elaborate on special projects you worked on. Other ideas that I have on the top of my head as I type this post up are special hobbies, such as yoyos, music, boating, etc. Another idea I can throw out is to write your essay in a completely different way than the admissions officers would expect. I am not saying this as a suggestion, but I do know someone who drew the middle finger on their essay for Brown and got accepted.</p>