Great students who get noticed by colleges don’t just have high GPAs. They deliver great learning performances.
Lots of actors have great careers. But the few who win an Academy Award are recognized for one particularly great performance when
the movie and the role and the script seemed to match perfectly with their abilities. They’re not necessarily better actors than those who don’t win. And they aren’t necessarily great in all of their movies. But they work hard in every film, and when that one perfect role came along, they made sure to deliver their best performance.
That’s a lot like how great students approach learning.
Yes, you should work hard in all your classes. But the best students, the ones who love to learn and who will stand out to colleges are always on the lookout for their chance to shine in a subject. They do more than just get an “A;” they actually turn the experience into an award-winning opportunity.
If you have a history teacher whose class you can’t wait to attend every day, jump in and deliver an award-winning student performance. Put your hand up in class. Participate in the discussion. Tell the teacher how much you’re enjoying the class, and be specific about what you find interesting. Play the role of an engaged and enthusiastic learner, not just the kid who wants to get an “A.”
If you’re taking a video production class at school and you love it, find a way to deliver an award-winning performance and get really good at video production. Read how-to guides about it. Take a class outside of school at a college or community college. Put what you’ve learned to use by producing great videos of water polo games, or the school musicals, or the graduation ceremony.
If you love Spanish, don’t stop at AP Spanish. Go to Spain over the summer and come back fluent. Volunteer as a translator or language tutor for recent immigrants. Get a part-time job where your Spanish can be put to use.
And don’t do these things just because they’ll help you get into college. That’s like an actor taking roles he doesn’t want to do just because he thinks they might earn him an award. That doesn’t work in acting, and it doesn’t work in college admissions.
Award-winning performances come from someone doing what you love and flourishing at something you really enjoy. That’s why it’s not realistic to be an award-winner in every class. You’ve got to take the learning to new levels when the role is right.
Yes, it’s good to earn a high GPA. That’s like an actor who always gets good reviews for his films. But if you want to stand out to colleges, find the teacher, class and/or subject you enjoy the most and deliver an award-winning performance.