Distinctive

By Nora Lessersohn

Junior year is supposed to be the year you really “come into your own” as a high school student. Normally, you could excel in clubs or sports, in the classroom, and at summer programs. But this year, many of these opportunities are unavailable. So, how do you stay engaged, keep up morale, and show colleges how capable and accomplished you are without the usual trappings of success? We have some ideas.

1. Lean into your passions. The pandemic has only put a finer point on our normal college admissions advice: do what you love. While it may be harder to work in a lab or play music in-person with peers, you’ll also find that online options are more robust than ever: for example, summer courses that may have been cost- or geographically-prohibitive before may now be moved online, making them cheaper and easier to take. Beyond classes, creativity is always free. Check out our earlier blog post for inspo on unusual ways to express your interests during the pandemic. 
2. Volunteer – from home! Not only will this give you a sense of purpose and help you feel connected to others during a period of isolation, but schools are looking more than ever for compassion, caring, and character in their students. Check out our list of online volunteering opportunities or speak with us about ways to get involved! 
3. Make a testing decision that is right for you. In a world of increased “test optional,” “text flexible,” and “test blind” admissions opportunities, determine your testing plan (and your college list) based on your personal strengths and comfort level with testing during a pandemic. 
4. Turn on your camera when you’re in class on Zoom! We know it’s annoying to be on camera, especially when you may not be feeling your best (we’ve been there, too). But your teachers will appreciate it and it may help you focus. Plus, you still need to develop relationships with your teachers this year — not least because you need two of them to know you well enough to write letters of recommendation when you apply to college! If you are struggling to connect with your teachers, please ask us for advice on getting to know them better.
5. Interact with colleges virtually. It’s a major bummer that you still can’t visit schools and take campus tours like you could in a “normal” year, but colleges have been doing a great job of offering virtual tours, online information sessions, and virtual programming so you can still engage with their school and get a sense of what makes them unique. Since identifying “fit” and interacting with the schools on your list may be more important than ever in the college admissions process, engaging in these online activities is an easy first step. 
6. Look for learning opportunities with people you already know. Does your older sister own a small business? Maybe she could use your help with social media! Does your uncle work for a non-profit? Maybe they could benefit from your ability to code! Colleges won’t think it looks “bad” if you gain experience alongside people you know: they’ll just see that you’ve been resourceful and, hopefully, that you’ve been able to make a real contribution! 
7. Take time to relax and regroup. Living — and growing up — during a global pandemic is likely more stressful than you even realize. Don’t feel bad if you are finding it hard to focus or just to feel good — even when you feel you need to be more productive and impressive than ever. While you may not be able to cure yourself of the blues, you can feel better about feeling bad. For advice on how to feel centered when everything is a bit chaotic, check out our blog post from earlier in the pandemic. 
8. Think deeply about what you want to study in college. As we always tell our students, for the most part, you can apply to school as a Chemistry major and end up studying Art History. But that doesn’t mean your intended major doesn’t matter for your college applications. Your intended major is basically the “argument” of your application, a way of “branding” yourself to help communicate your strengths as clearly as possible to an admissions committee. If your intended major is a little bit unusual, all the better! For example, if you want to be a doctor and have completed research on gender inequality in the American healthcare system, maybe you can apply as a Women’s and Gender Studies major to emphasize your concern for women’s healthcare issues. 
9. Embrace the relative stillness and think about who you are. A strong sense of self not only makes writing your college applications easier (all the essays require serious self-reflection!), but colleges want students who are thoughtful and self-aware. Victoria used her own “moment on the couch” to figure out exactly what she loved doing and what she wanted from the next phase of her life!
10. READ! Not only will reading give you new ideas and help you be a better writer (and thinker), but you’ll be surprised at how many colleges will ask you to write admissions essays about books you have read. If you use this indoors time to log some reading hours, we promise that your brain and your college applications will benefit. Not sure what to read? Ask us for suggestions!