Passion isn’t hiding somewhere, waiting for you to “find” it. It’s something you grow by being curious, putting in the work, and sticking with things—even when they’re hard.

If you find yourself disappointed and confused in this position, I want to assure you that it’s completely normal. Rest assured, you’re not out just yet. Writing a compelling letter of continued interest might just boost your chances.

How you actually prepare and practice does make a difference. In this post, I’ll spill on how I would prepare for a college interview, with tips and strategies along the way.

You’ve perfected your personal statement, listed your extracurriculars in the best way possible, then you come across the mysterious Additional Information section. Naturally, the first question is “do I have to fill this out?”

Extracurriculars are a powerful way to showcase your unique strengths, interests, values, and skills. With college admissions being so competitive and too many activities to choose from, you’ve got to start now.

Many colleges are looking for similar things, which is to learn more about you. That said, many of the prompts can overlap, and with a bit of research and brainstorming, you can come up with a topic that answers multiple prompts.

Ever wondered why some students seem to have an effortless handle on their learning? They are efficient, quick learners, and consistently high performers. While intelligence and a growth mindset play a role, is there something more that sets them apart?

These questions are aimed to get a better sense of your skills, qualities, values, interests, and (maybe) life challenges. They want to learn more about who you are beyond just the grades and test scores. But what are UC admissions looking for, specifically?

One of the ways colleges get to know you is through your personal statement — a 650-word essay that shows who you are, what you value, what you could bring to the college community, and in some ways, whether you and the school fit together. 

Since writing a list is so simple, some students rush ahead with the task without really thinking it through. You only get a limited number of characters. How do you make the most of them? 

The first hurdle often is just finding the right colleges to apply to, and the sheer range of educational institutions in the US can make it really difficult to be aware of the options available.

Exploring new and existing interests, developing new skills, and learning more about yourself are critical to college application down-the-road.