College ready
Grades open the door. Stories set you apart.
Colleges want more than grades. They want students who lead and serve.
Strong college applications show real commitment, a genuine role and growth over time.
Here is how teens build that record, starting now.
Leadership and serviceThe record colleges look for
What colleges want
Depth beats a long list. Every time.
Admissions officers read thousands of college applications. Here is what makes one stick.
What do colleges look for besides grades?
Admissions officers want substance, not titles. They look for real commitment, a genuine role and growth over time in extracurricular activities. One activity where your teen truly led beats a dozen clubs they only joined.
Commitment
Sticking with something for years, not weeks.
A real role
Leading, organizing or building something others use.
Growth
Showing how they changed because of it.
Service
Giving time to others without being told to.
Community service
Service counts. Sometimes it breaks the tie.
Community service is one of the clearest ways college applications show character.
Does community service help with college admissions?
Yes. In a 2018 survey of 264 admissions officers, 58 percent said community service helps a student's chances. 53 percent said it can break a tie between equal applicants, according to Poets and Quants.
- Tutoring younger students
- Running a food pantry drive
- Park and stream cleanups
- Helping seniors with technology
- Translating for families at local events
- Starting a project for a cause you care about
Pick one cause
Pick one cause and stay with it. Colleges usually value 100 hours in one place over 10 hours in ten places.
Depth over hours100 hours in one place
The essay
Your essay is you. Not your resume.
The personal essay is the one part of college applications fully in your teen's voice.
How do you write a strong college application essay?
Pick one real moment that shows who you are, then explain what it taught you. The Common App personal essay runs up to 650 words, so focus on one story, not your whole life. Write in your own voice and revise it more than once.
The same skills help with scholarships. See our scholarship essay template for a simple four part structure.
Timeline
Start early. Finish calm.
Great college applications are built over four years, not four weeks.
9th and 10th grade
Try activities, then pick one or two to go deep. Start logging service hours.
11th grade
Take on a leadership role. Visit colleges and build a list. Ask teachers for recommendation letters by spring.
Summer before 12th
Draft the personal essay. The Common App opens each August 1.
12th grade
Send college applications by fall deadlines, file the FAFSA from October and apply for scholarships.
How we help
Which one of these sounds like your teen?
Our youth leadership program helps teens build stronger college applications from wherever they start.
"I have nothing to write about."
Our program gives teens real leadership and service experience, plus stories for their essays.
"I need service hours fast."
Hours matter less than commitment. We help teens find service they will stick with.
"No one in my family has applied."
A mentor walks first generation families through every step.
"College costs scare us."
Pair applications with free FAFSA help and our scholarship.
A mentor at every stepFor first generation families
Common questions
Quick answers about applying.
Ready to build the record?
Our youth leadership program gives teens real leadership and service experience.
Is it better to join many clubs or lead one?
Lead one. On college applications, colleges value depth and a real role over a long list of memberships.
Does community service really help admissions?
Yes. In a survey of 264 admissions officers, most said community service positively affects acceptance.
How many service hours do colleges want?
There is no magic number. Colleges care more about commitment and impact than a total.
When should my teen start the college essay?
The summer before senior year is a good time to write a first draft of the personal essay.
How does the program help with college applications?
It gives teens real leadership and service experience, plus stories to write about in their college applications.
Who should write recommendation letters?
Teachers from core classes who know your teen well, plus a counselor. Ask at least a month before the deadline.
Youth leadership
Grades open the door. Leadership and service carry your teen through it.
Free for Northern Virginia high school students.
About EAESSI
Evelyn Ancrum Education Support Systems (EAESSI) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Spotsylvania, Virginia. We help uninsured women get breast screenings and help Virginia students pay for college.
General educational information
This guide is for general education. College requirements vary, so check each school's admissions page. Survey figures on this page come from this source: