<p>Viable applicants don’t one day say:" Hmmm. How will I stand out?"</p>
<p>What will get you in or not into schools like H have already been decided. Either you’re innately a true academic superstar – or you’re not. Either you’re outstanding as a student in your HS community and have what it takes to add to a community such as H – or you’re not.</p>
<p>I interview over a dozen applicants a year for one of H’s peer colleges. The direction to us in the write up is this: everyone starts as a “5” – which means roughly “average given the competitive pool”. I find some I mark lower. I find some that I mark higher. Most just merit a “5” – yet they are super high achievers for the most part. They are who they are. There’s not much to alter that.</p>
<p>Penguin: your die has already been cast. Asking strangers on how to market yourself better as a “stand out” – in my experience – says that you’re most likely not going to stand out. The best thing any Ivy aspirant can do is to focus on top GPA and test scores. How are yours?</p>
<p>Regardless, best of luck to you in your endeavors.</p>