Three Tips to Make College Applications Stand Out

Higher education professional Amy Kennelly Viellieu possesses nearly a decade of experience in scholarship and college admissions evaluation. In addition to completing a program at the Academy for College Admission Counseling, Amy Kennelly Viellieu reviewed thousands of applications during her seven years in the Office of College Admissions for the University of Chicago.

Due to the volume of applications that college admissions officers must read, it is essential for applicants to make themselves memorable. Below are three tips for creating a stand-out college application.

1. Write unique essays: Every college has its own criteria for the essay portion. While some portions of an essay may be useful for several applications, applicants should expect to write separate versions for each school.

2. Choose referrals wisely: Letters of recommendation are one of the most important aspects of an application as it gives reviewers insight into the applicant’s character. The most impactful recommendations come from someone who has witnessed the applicant’s strengths firsthand, such as a teacher, coach or counselor.

3. Diversify perspectives: Applicants should be mindful of presenting themselves as a well-rounded scholar. For example, if a student’s extracurricular activities are mostly sports-related, the recommendation should be written by a teacher rather than a coach. This will give the reviewers a better understanding of the applicant.

PossePlus Retreat Captures Youth Views on Current Events

Former college admissions administrator for the University of Chicago Amy Kennelly Viellieu leverages her experience with application evaluation in her work with the Posse Foundation. Amy Kennelly Viellieu has held volunteer and paid roles with the foundation, which selects promising high school seniors and prepares them to enroll and excel at one of its partner institutions. These include highly-selective schools such as the University of Michigan and the Cornell University.

Every year, Posse Scholars host PossePlus, a weekend retreat held on their respective campuses to encourage conversations amongst the student body and faculty. The tradition was first proposed by Posse Scholars at Vanderbilt University to include a wider segment of the student population in important dialogue. Every retreat focuses on a topic selected by Posse Scholars.

In 2019, the PossePlus retreat centered on political issues affecting the country. A survey capturing participant opinions found that more than 95 percent of students were dissatisfied with the current state of affairs in US politics. More than 5,000 participants also shared their views on healthcare, the economy, higher education costs, and immigration.