How do you make yourself competitive when applying to colleges?

It looks great on a college application when you have a lot of volunteer work listed and extra curricular activities you were involved with. If you are wanting to apply to a Catholic college for example, showing you have been involved with the youth group at your church or a lector would look great on a resume for college. You could get your priest to write a letter for you as well. If you are wanting to go to college for communications, for example, on your college resume talk about the speaking events you have won (debate etc.).

Ensure that you conduct activities that show you care about giving something back to society. Engage with younger scholars as a coach or mentor; whether for academic studies or their personal lives. Join a non-profit that helps underserved and underprivileged people of any age.

Think carefully about your life story: what has happened in your lifetime - within your family or among your friends - that was a particular challenge that maybe made you want to give up - but which ended up making you a stronger person. In what ways do you think you life has confronted you with challenges that other people haven’t had?

make a list of your successes: those things that you have done that you are proud of.

While scores and GPA are important, the biggest thing that colleges will look at will be how you are challenging yourself both in and outside of the classroom. For example: taking advanced classes, pursing extracurricular passions, volunteering, etc!