by Steven Tagle
Steps to Improve Your College Application
Undergraduate admissions have become dramatically more competitive, with greater numbers of students applying to more colleges every year. In February 2025, the Common App reported that the number of students applying through its portal in the 2024-2025 cycle increased by 4% from the 2023-2024 cycle, while the total volume of applications rose by 6%.
With the average student submitting 8-12 applications, acceptance rates are down, and colleges that used to be considered “safety” schools are inching into the “reach” category. It’s no longer enough to have a high GPA and test scores along with a strong record of extracurriculars. You need to create a compelling application package that shows admissions officers how you can contribute to the incoming class and why you should be chosen over other, similarly qualified applicants.
As a graduate of Stanford University who has taught and mentored hundreds of high school and college students over the years, I know what universities are looking for and can help you set yourself apart from the pack. Here are five tips you can use to level up your college applications.
1. Get a head start on college planning.
The single best way to reduce stress during the college application process and increase your chances of getting accepted is to start early. Ideally, you should begin planning for college as early as ninth grade.
By strategizing which classes to take, trying out various extracurricular activities, building relationships with your teachers and counselors, and exploring your career interests, you can develop a strong foundation for your applications by the time you reach eleventh grade.
Time is on your side, because to take on leadership roles within a club or project, you often need to get involved as an underclassman. Identifying and applying to summer opportunities such as internships, research, and pre-college programs also requires forethought and planning. And performing well on standardized tests (e.g., the SAT and ACT) might involve test prep courses, independent study, and advanced registration.
If you start planning early, you can reap the rewards of your efforts as a rising senior, when your transcript and resume will reflect the work you’ve put in throughout your high school career. You’ll be ahead of the game, rather than rushing to take the SAT, signing up for clubs at the last minute, and risking submitting a package that doesn’t reflect your true abilities and potential.
But if you’re reading this article as a junior or senior, don’t lose hope. You still have ways of making your application shine.
2. Develop your hook.
Every year, students with less-than-perfect grades and test scores get accepted over those who might look better on paper. The reason is that the accepted applicants have a hook: a personality trait, attention-grabbing experience, or intellectual passion that sets them apart from their peers. Often, the hook also indicates how the student could contribute to the incoming class.
For example, when I was applying to college, I emphasized my passion for writing, which was supported by leadership roles on my high school newspaper and literary magazine, a summer internship at Harvard’s Loeb Theater, summer coursework, creative arts awards, and the performance of my first stage play.
Craft your application package to spotlight your hook. Do you have a passion for languages? Are you a natural-born leader? Do you have any rare accomplishments or experiences? You can shape your essay and short-answer responses to tie your application’s narrative together and show admissions officers what makes you unique.
3. Add detail and reflection to your essays.
College essays and short-answer questions give adcoms a glimpse of who you are as a human being. They offer you a chance to show off your personality, flesh out information in your application, share who you are, discuss what drives you, and explain how you’ll contribute to campus culture. You can improve your essays by adding detailed scenes and lots of self-reflection.
Details can bring your essay to life by helping the reader step into your head and experience events as you did. What did the beach air smell like the day you learned to swim? How did the water feel on your skin? How were the walls of your summer camp’s cabins decorated? What exactly did your grandmother say to encourage you?
In addition, reflection is a strong sign of maturity and authenticity, and as such, can show the adcoms that you are able to process your feelings, think deeply about your context and personal history, and make informed decisions about your future path. In addition to describing important events and people in your life, make sure to analyze their significance and show the admissions readers how they affected you.
4. Patch weaknesses in your application.
If there are areas where your application is weak, such as low grades, limited opportunities for advanced coursework, or no extracurriculars in your field of interest, make a strategic plan to improve or work around them. You can hire a tutor to help you with that difficult class, sign up for community college courses to strengthen your profile, find a summer internship to explore a career you’re interested in, or check out a book to help raise your SAT or ACT scores.
Keep in mind that resilience and the ability to overcome adversity are traits highly valued by colleges and universities. You might consider writing about your attempts to overcome a significant obstacle and the lessons you learned in Common App Essay #2. Alternatively, you might request a letter of recommendation from an instructor who can speak to your perseverance in the face of hardship. Finally, if you experienced difficulties in your home life that affected your academic performance, you might choose to address them in the Additional Information section of the application. Remember, it’s best to give the adcoms as much information as possible so they can have a full, well-rounded picture of you and your context.
5. Contact university professors.
Another way to distinguish yourself from other applicants is by engaging with faculty members at your top-choice schools. If you’re planning a campus tour, consider visiting the academic departments you’re interested in, sitting in on classes, or emailing a professor to introduce yourself and ask questions about their research. Networking is an important but underused skill in college admissions. Often, creating relationships with university faculty early can help you make a case for why you want to attend a particular school and lead to unexpected opportunities.
A Stanford graduate and the recipient of prestigious fellowships from the Fulbright Program and the Institute of Current World Affairs, as well as a Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowship for New Americans, Steven Tagle has taught and mentored students for 20 years. As a published writer, journalist, and former speechwriter for the U.S. ambassador to Greece, he knows how to draw out applicants’ unique stories and craft compelling personal statements that help their applications stand out from the pack. Click here to get in touch.
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