🙋‍♀️ Trying to stand out from a multitude of high-achievers for college application is at times overwhelming.

Sometimes it is almost even like a lost cause because whatever you try to put out as your defining

characteristic would not make a dent in this current hyper- connected world. Think of the Buzz Lightyear Clones meme. However, by starting early and planning ahead, having a focus, and presenting your experience eloquently, you can maximize your chances of being a stand-out for your dream college’s admission committee.

💁‍♀️ Have a Focus

When you choose a research project, internship, part-time job, or volunteer service, try as much as you can to choose the ones that are directly related to your interest and intended major.

✅ Research

Having research experience shows that you are ready for the academic college-level challenges. Here, we have to expand the definition of research. Normally when we hear the word “research,” we think of it is just only for hard sciences. But it could encompass all kinds of disciplines. It could be about how students spend their time during the lockdown. It could be about how your favorite band evolve their

musical arrangement throughout the years. To have a structure or guidance for your research efforts,

you have to have an advisor who could oversee your research. Approach your teacher whether they have extra time to act as an advisor for your independent research. Reach out to alumni from you high school who are already studying the same major you are interested in. Being able to include your research experience in your application can be the difference between you and the next student with the similar GPAs and test scores.

✅ Internships

Internships are a great way to show universities that you already have some experience in your chosen field. Compared to research where the primary focus is on academic skills, internship experience showcases you have required soft skills in your area of interest. For example, a student with an intended business studies major might intern in a local company's marketing department to see how theories are applied in the real world while at the same time interacting with people who are already working in this field. As a bonus, you will have a sense of what it is going to be like working in your intended field.

✅ Don’t be afraid to try new things.

Now it seems to be contradicting what is already said. Yes, the application looks best when it has a focus. However, we have to prepare for the case where the opportunities related to your area of interest are scare. In Myanmar in particular it is hard to find specific internships and sometimes we just have to make the best out of with what we have. Having an internship or volunteer service that is completely not related to your intended major is better than not having any experience at all. As long as you can reflect upon what you have learned from it, it is a useful experience.

✅ Don’t forget what’s important

“Be a stand-out” or other similar buzz words become ubiquitous these days. The unintended effect is that you start to compare yourself to tens of thousands of applicants all over the world and doubt your own self-worth. Instead, we can, and should, emphasize on presenting your true self—passion, values, interest—with integrity. By starting early and planning ahead, you can not only gather experience for college application but also genuinely cultivate your own personal growth.