What to do to make college applications strong and appealing

You are in Class 11 and exams are looming in February and March. College applications are on the horizon. If you are wondering how to make the most of the next six months, here is how to make this time count.

Maintain grade levels: Obvious but critical. As cliched as this is it, grades are the most important when it comes to college applications. Make a schedule, follow it, put phones away when studying, and find techniques that work for you.

Summer programmes: These are a great way to further explore your academic or extracurricular interests because you can go beyond your school curriculum and explore university style academics. In India, there is the Ashoka Young Scholars Programme, Young Tech Scholars at Plaksha, Young Leaders for Active Citizenship, and summer school at UCL India, Indian School of Innovation and Design and FLAME University. If you’re looking for a competitive programme that adds value to your application, consider Lodha Genius in India or SUMAC Stanford, M&TSI at Wharton or the Yale Young Global Scholars.

Internships: These give you the opportunity to work in a real-world environment allowing you to see what your future work would look like. However, if you’re in school and below 18, it’s hard to get a formal internship. It is more likely that you will get an observer role, which is more informal and involves shadowing someone at work. But take this opportunity, as internships not only look great on college applications but also allow you to gain exposure, develop practical skills and help you gain clarity on what you like and don’t like.

Testing: Standardised tests are another important aspect of the application process, and understanding which tests you need early can save you stress later. Depending on where you’re applying, this could include exams such as the SAT or ACT, English proficiency tests such as IELTS, AP exams, the U.K.-specific admissions tests, or entrance exams for private colleges in India. These test scores don’t define you, but play a role in how colleges assess readiness for university-level academics. The key is planning; knowing which tests are required for your target universities, preparing consistently, and giving yourself enough time for retakes if needed. When approached strategically, testing becomes a manageable part of your application rather than a last-minute hurdle. Get the SAT/ ACT done in Class 11 so you can focus on Class 12 when you get there.

Self-led projects: This will show the college who you really are beyond school and grades. Self-led projects show initiative, curiosity, and a desire to learn beyond the curriculum. These can take different forms such as:

Development-oriented projects allow you to explore subjects you’re genuinely interested in, whether that’s building a skill, studying a topic in depth, or applying classroom learning to real-world questions. Examples include writing a blog on a topic of your interest, hosting a podcast for students, designing and developing a basic app to solve a problem, starting a book club or hosting classes/ workshops for kids/ elderly.

Academic projects such as participating in essay competitions like the John Locke Essay Competition or the Harvard Economics Essay Competition, or the Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition which are competitive and prestigious. You could also write a research paper on a topic that deeply interests you. Research papers are complex and highly academic, so you must really want to take on that workload. Whether the paper gets published or not doesn’t matter, but the fact that you worked on one adds great value.

Community-focused projects are a popular choice with Indian students. Remember, this is not an item to be checked off on a to-do list. Your intent, consistency and passion about a cause matter the most when it comes to community service. This can involve teaching underprivileged students (not necessarily academic subjects; even art, music or digital literacy skills), or fundraising and more. It is crucial to find what speaks to you and stick with it.

A strong college application takes time, consistent effort, and planning. While grades may be the foundation, how you use your time outside the classroom is what brings your application to life.

With inputs from Kritika Malhotra

The writer is Founder and CEO, Inomi Learning, a Gurugram-based career and college guidance firm. Email: info@inomi.in