I’m going to be a senior in the fall, and I’ve realized that I don’t have many state or local awards of any sort.
My school gives out awards, and I have a Rensselaer Medal Award–but that it.
So, How important are awards in the college application process?
Depends on what kind of schools you’re applying to but generally: they can help but aren’t necessary
They’re not very important in the application process. It does make students feel better to put something on all the little lines, though.
One reason is that they are fairly subjective. You might get the award for top math student in your school while one district over they have a HS with an entire cohort of students more advanced than you.
Aside from two athletic awards from freshman and sophomore year, I had no awards. Many of my friends have little/no awards. We all got into great colleges. As long as you have other things to round out your application, don’t stress.
Awards are one way to show your achievement or interest in an area. Unless you’re dealing with the really big ones (e.g. the Olympiads), awards will not give your application much of a boost. What you’ve actually done is more important.
For example, an arts-related award will have little bearing for a college that accepts arts supplements.
Well, I’ll agree awards that are given by one’s school are definitely not all too important or beneficial, but state- and national-level awards from different organizations can definitely not only showcase your interest in an area but also help your application by showing achievement. I’d say that it’s definitely not necessary, so you’re fine. But I’m just saying: state-level awards, or ones at the national level ideally, will help college applications.
Depends on what kind of schools you are applying to. State U doesn’t care. It’s usually grades and test scores and proof from teacher recs and essays that you aren’t a liability. Selective schools? Depends on how selective: State or national level awards help, but aren’t essential. And there are lots of other ways to demonstrate outstanding achievement and excellence - getting published, public performances, entrepreneurship, exceptional letters of rec from employers/bosses, etc…Don’t get hung up on awards. Pursue what you love. It will bring you joy, provide you with something interesting to talk about/share in your essays and interviews, and might even get you into a school you’d like to attend.
Depends on the award. An Olympic gold medal or an Intel award will help. An award for best English paper in your HS won’t do too much. My advice – don’t worry about what you don’t have and focus on what you have achieved.
Mm, got it. I’m a little less worried now. Thanks!
For schools that require interviews, it sometimes gives the interviewer a leading question, something to talk about to help make you less nervous. Especially when the name is something they may not have heard of.
My boyfriend (at the time) back in HS was convinced that every line of the application had to have something, so he put down that he was “a finalist for an Alfred E Neuman award”
No wonder that relationship did not last…
Anyway, congratulations on the Rensselaer Medal Award @charmandquark
definitely depends on the award