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First-Gen: Creating Your College Application

3 min readโ€ขnovember 29, 2021

First-Gen: Creating Your College Application

It's important to think about what colleges are looking for in students. This concept can be super daunting at times, as it may seem like they are trying to find the perfect students with a 4.0, three jobs, varsity sports, and tons of extracurriculars. First off, take a breath. Second, remember colleges are curating a diverse, engaging student body. Your academics and stats will not be identical to another applicant, and that is perfectly okay! Of course, these factors help you along the way, but colleges will be looking at who you really are as a person, and how you will contribute to the greater school community. You want to make sure you build your application as a story so that all the little bits and pieces connect together to represent you and your journey in high school!

We've helped explain some of the personal aspects you should add to your application in regards to being a first-generation student. To read more about how to write a general application, see here.


Essays

Your experience as a first-generation student can be a powerful personal statement topic. Share how your experiences have shaped you, and how you've grown, gained perspective and focus. It can be hard to open up, but vulnerability will help give admissions officers a peek into your life. Step back and look at the role you have played in your family and look for a story that shows the reader what you have learned. Consider speaking about aspects of your culture, and how that changed your experience growing up. Good writing is not only about the mechanics (grammar, spelling, syntax, etc.), it's about the story you have to share.


Extracurriculars/Activities

Demonstrating your passion and commitment to 1-2 activities related to your interests will reflect better on you than including a drawn-out list of disparate activities. You aren't limited to simply sports and clubs! This is also a great way to draw in some of the cultural events you may attend or communities you may be a part of.


Letters of Rec

Reach out to mentors, coaches, and teachers who know you best, so that they can speak not only to your achievements but to who you are as a person.


Academics

Taking honors classes or AP courses can give you a significant advantage. Many local community colleges also offer courses for high school students that grant college credit, also just as helpful in applications! These types of courses will also lower your overall college time and cost, which may be beneficial in balancing home and school life.


Additional Information

This section has so many possibilities, and is a great place to write about personal aspects. Don't overlook it! You can mention significant responsibilities that may have affected other parts of your application, like working to help support your family.

๐ŸคConnect with other students learning about College Applications withย Hours

First-Gen: Creating Your College Application

3 min readโ€ขnovember 29, 2021

First-Gen: Creating Your College Application

It's important to think about what colleges are looking for in students. This concept can be super daunting at times, as it may seem like they are trying to find the perfect students with a 4.0, three jobs, varsity sports, and tons of extracurriculars. First off, take a breath. Second, remember colleges are curating a diverse, engaging student body. Your academics and stats will not be identical to another applicant, and that is perfectly okay! Of course, these factors help you along the way, but colleges will be looking at who you really are as a person, and how you will contribute to the greater school community. You want to make sure you build your application as a story so that all the little bits and pieces connect together to represent you and your journey in high school!

We've helped explain some of the personal aspects you should add to your application in regards to being a first-generation student. To read more about how to write a general application, see here.


Essays

Your experience as a first-generation student can be a powerful personal statement topic. Share how your experiences have shaped you, and how you've grown, gained perspective and focus. It can be hard to open up, but vulnerability will help give admissions officers a peek into your life. Step back and look at the role you have played in your family and look for a story that shows the reader what you have learned. Consider speaking about aspects of your culture, and how that changed your experience growing up. Good writing is not only about the mechanics (grammar, spelling, syntax, etc.), it's about the story you have to share.


Extracurriculars/Activities

Demonstrating your passion and commitment to 1-2 activities related to your interests will reflect better on you than including a drawn-out list of disparate activities. You aren't limited to simply sports and clubs! This is also a great way to draw in some of the cultural events you may attend or communities you may be a part of.


Letters of Rec

Reach out to mentors, coaches, and teachers who know you best, so that they can speak not only to your achievements but to who you are as a person.


Academics

Taking honors classes or AP courses can give you a significant advantage. Many local community colleges also offer courses for high school students that grant college credit, also just as helpful in applications! These types of courses will also lower your overall college time and cost, which may be beneficial in balancing home and school life.


Additional Information

This section has so many possibilities, and is a great place to write about personal aspects. Don't overlook it! You can mention significant responsibilities that may have affected other parts of your application, like working to help support your family.

๐ŸคConnect with other students learning about College Applications withย Hours



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APยฎ and SATยฎ are trademarks registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse this website.


ยฉ 2024 Fiveable Inc. All rights reserved.

APยฎ and SATยฎ are trademarks registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse this website.