Dear Teen (and parents),
Really, you should care more about what YOU want. Instead of thinking about doing things because you think that’s what colleges want to see, think about doing things that help you explore who you are and build on your interests. Now that’s a thought! I hear so many people say things like “What should I be doing for college?” or “What are colleges looking for?” While those are very good and appropriate questions, many people seem to think that means they need to do everything so they are a good candidate for college. When the reality is that if you explore things you are interested in and try new things to see what you are good at and what you like…you just might become a great college candidate! Of course you have to get good grades, take challenging courses, and do the best you can on the ACTs and/or SATs. But to add to that, it will be about letting colleges see who you are. They do that by looking at your activities, interests and experiences. So do things that you are interested knowing more about or things that are fun for you! Build on those interests. Seek out new experiences. Don’t be afraid to try something new and see if you like it. That’s how you get to know yourself. All of this will help you decide a direction for your future and that’s what colleges want to see. So having the most community service hours may not be the things that get you in…it may be that you can paint a fairly clear picture of who you are and that a college education is the next step in getting you where YOU want to go! So, yes we really do care about what colleges want…but we care MORE about you being YOU in the process.