<p>No, it's to the topic creator.</p>
<p>@ Julishark </p>
<p>............ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm ..</p>
<p>streak through the campus of your top college</p>
<p>okay, i've come up with a few more serious ones:
1.donate blood each week for a year and you could write your essay on that, im sure it would be incredible
2.get a sex change, transexuals are a great source of diversity
3.learn to play the banjo or some other obscure instrument (im not saying the banjo is obscure)
4.some how try to hook up with an admissions officer from your #1 college, it really isn't that hard. just spend the whole summer stalking the admissions officer in his/her hometown and seduce him/her. if you aren't physically attractive enough, wear a mask, like a Brad Pitt mask or like such as.</p>
<p>the most important thing is doing something you love, and doing it crazily</p>
<p>5.raising 10000 sheep and donating them all to africa or something
6.raising 1337 iguanas and selling all of them to national zoos, and using the money to buy a piece of land in the amazon forest for protection
7.imitate legally blonde and create a faux fur panties line</p>
<p>Become so poor you have to donate your sperm every month to help pay the rent; then proceed to write essay about aforementioned topic. Afterward, when it comes time to apply for graduate school, write about seeing your children for the first time after you hopelessly abandoned them to some middle-aged lesbian housewives. </p>
<p>:) </p>
<p>Was that too much? Too inappropriate? Oh well, this entire thread is a joke.</p>
<p>Girls Gone Wild has my vote.</p>
<p>ok i think I will just do something like donate blood and live with homeless people because that is interesting to me, umm so thx for the ideas and laughs :) oh and about blood, would it be unhealthy for me to donate once a week?</p>
<p>
[quote]
oh and about blood, would it be unhealthy for me to donate once a week?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Yes. I'm pretty sure the Red Cross won't let you.</p>
<p>Listen to the people who tell you that college admissions, including admissions to top colleges, isn't about doing crazy stunts. They're right.</p>
<p>ok i think I will just do something like donate blood and live with homeless people because that is interesting to me,>></p>
<p>You missed 90% of my point. Figure out who you are, what you really care about, and how you can contribute and make a difference. Choose an activity that fits with who you are, and that will help you grow. It's not just about what interests you, it's about living an authentic life. </p>
<p>What does donating blood have to do with who you are as a person? How does it show your personal strengths, how you live your life, etc.? Why are you doing it? What are you hoping to accomplish by doing this? (Aside from getting into college) How do you hope to change or improve yourself? What will you learn from the experience?</p>
<p>What does living with homeless people have to do with who you are as a person? How does it show your personal strengths, how you live your life, etc. Why are you doing it? What are you hoping to accomplish by doing this? (Aside from getting into college) How do you hope to change or improve yourself? What will you learn from the experience?</p>
<p>Doing something because it interests you is fine --- but lots of people give blood, lots of people are "interested" in homeless issues. What will this contribute to your life, to your personal development, to becomming the person you hope to become? That's how you should be thinking. Not just chasing after random activities just because you think they will help you get into college.</p>
<p>Don't answer any of my questions here. Just think about it in private, because, honestly, it takes some quiet and private time to figure out who you are. Then decide how you want to spend your time and effort based on that. Most of all: do what you do for the right reasons: to learn something about yourself, to grow, to mature, to give to others, to develop a talent, to discover a new side of yourself. </p>
<p>It's awfully hard to write a convincing essay about something you've done just because you think it will impress an admissions committee. Good essays require self-knowledge. So, start there, and pursue the activities that reflect the person who you discover you are.</p>
<p>There is a thread on how to impress adcom's with your activities, and Carolyn just summed it all up. It seems like you're trying to fake an activity that looks good for colleges... Unfortunately, this is a potential way to impress adcoms. It might have been possible to do so in freshman year, by doing a very rare activity, but now it's kinda late. The most important characteristic colleges want is passion, which was just summed up in the above post. To show passion, you shoud've comitted at least 3+ years to the activity.</p>
<p>ok guys serious question, my passion is guitar, but guitar is the most popular instrument in the world and I really don't think adcoms will be impressed with my guitar skills compared to the guy who's passions is writing national research papers...as the guy above said, lots of people do it so how can I use what I love to make a difference, I'm really drawing a blank</p>
<p>my teacher always said bungee jumping is really unique</p>
<p><<my passion="" is="" guitar,="" but="" guitar="" the="" most="" popular="" instrument="" in="" world="" and="" i="" really="" don't="" think="" adcoms="" will="" be="" impressed="" with="" my="" skills="" compared="" to="" guy="" who's="" passions="" writing="" national="" research="" papers...as="" above="" said,="" lots="" of="" people="" do="" it="" so="" how="" can="" use="" what="" love="" make="" a="" difference="">></my></p>
<p>Think deeper. What have you learned about yourself through playing your guitar? What have you learned about other people through playing your guitar? What personal qualities have you needed to become accomplished as a guitar player? What challenges have you faced to get to that point? How has playing the guitar affected your view of yourself, or of the world around you? Has it helped you connect with others? What have you GAINED from playing guitar? How has it helped make you who you are today? </p>
<p>The answers to these questions - and others like them - are what make YOUR story of playing the guitar different from everyone else's. Finding a way to get those answers across in your application is what will set your application apart as well.</p>
<p>^^ k thnx, i thought that I'd have to organize something huge that has to do with guitar or something to stand a chance</p>
<p>Here is a crazy idea that worked for my son. He applied to schools and let them know exactly who he was, including weaknesses that impacted his grades and strengths that helped him rise above them. He really tried to let the schools see his real self so he would not end up in the wrong school. As he was filling out applications and his (over zealous) private GC wanted him to change his essays (too trite, too common, too this, too that) to make him a more perfect candidate, we came to the conclusion that he should just be who he is. The admissions people know who is likely to be a good fit at their school so he just thought he would trust their judgement. He ended up getting in at every school he applied to, including 3 top 30 schools with scholarships at several, full tuition at one. I think the way to get in is to present admissions with a real person who they can relate to instead of some fictionalized candidate who is making stuff up, doing activities to build the resume, or sending photos or whatever to stand out. In this day and age, a sincere, honest application may be the exception that gets a student accepted. Re-read Carolyn's post and follow her advice. You will end up exactly where you are meant to be.</p>
<p>I'm revising my mountain climbing idea, now I think that you should climb the mountain in the college's clothes, AND with your ensamble of french horns. Play, and record, the college's anthem on your french horn while you stand at the summit. You know, Ivies are always looking for a good horn.</p>
<p>I'd say be yourself, with no pretensions. :o
I say this without a hint of rudeness; I think colleges aren't necessarily looking for people to do crazy things to get in.</p>
<p>But if you want to be "crazy", pick something you're totally in love with and do it extensively - in that case, only you can really answer what craziness you want to be involved in.</p>
<br>
<blockquote> <p>The admissions people know who is likely to be a good fit at their school so he just thought he would trust their judgement<<</p> </blockquote>
<br>
<p>Bessie, your point is ESPECIALLY important for the original poster because he is a transfer student. The original poster obviously feels they didn't end up at the right school to begin with --- so, that highlights the truth in what you are saying about being yourself. If you don't know who you are, then it's awfully hard to figure out if a college is right for you and if you are right for a particular college. That is actually more important than GETTING IN.</p>
<p>be yourself, you'll be a minority in the applicant pool.</p>
<p><<be yourself,="" you'll="" be="" a="" minority="" in="" the="" applicant="" pool.="">></be></p>
<p>Very wise words, pachydermia. Every college applicant should print them out and tape them to their bathroom mirror as a constant reminder. :)</p>