Hey guys! Here is a new Harvard Undergraduate Microbiology Society x Youth STEAM Advisors opportunity if you guys are interested: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/youth-steam-advisors_youth-steam-advisors-is-excited-to-partner-activity-7340800727134412800-W2ZB?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAEW8knsBJRc_8Z6_MS6gIdK0f7Dv2RwBydM

Let’s settle this once and for all: Do you REALLY need a 4.0 GPA, 1600 SAT, and 10 extracurriculars to get into your dream school? 🤔 👀 TRUE or FALSE? 💬 Vote below, then tell us WHY you voted that way in the comments! (Hint: The answer might surprise you. 😉)

Honors & awards can be one of the most overlooked yet powerful parts of your application. They provide an objective benchmark for your achievements, helping admissions officers assess your impact beyond grades. This is especially valuable for international students, where school context or local grading systems may be difficult for colleges to evaluate. But with only 5 spots on the Common App, you need to be strategic about what you include and how you present it. 💡 What Counts as an "Honor"? Colleges care about external validation, but not all awards carry the same weight: 🏅 National & International: Olympiads, Intel ISEF, National Merit, Scholastic Art & Writing, global research or leadership awards. 🏅 State & Regional: State Science Fair, All-State Music, regional debate/math competitions, state-level championships. 🏅 Local & School: Valedictorian, district sports awards, school-based academic competitions, top leadership recognitions. ‼️ Context Matters! Always add details like acceptance rate, number of competitors, or how selective it was—otherwise, admissions officers have no way to gauge its significance. A regional competition with 50,000+ participants and a 2% selection rate can be more impressive than an "international" award with only 10 winners. ✨ No Big Awards? Here’s What You Can Do! You can still showcase achievement through highly selective recognitions: 🔹 Publications & Features: Research in peer-reviewed journals, artwork in exhibitions, media coverage in major outlets. 🔹 Competitive Scholarships & Grants: Funding for research, entrepreneurship, or creative work through a selective application process. 🔹 Major Recognitions from Competitions or Organizations: Named to a national leadership list, earning a significant award, or receiving recognition for high-impact work. Even if you don’t have "traditional" awards, official recognition of your work can be valuable. ❓Where to Find Awards & Competitions? If you’re looking to build your honors list, start with:

Morning students! If you’ve ever thought:💭 “Am I even good enough for my dream school?”💭 “Do I have what it takes to stand out?”💭 “What if I don’t get in anywhere?” Let me tell you right now: YES, you belong here. ❤️ The college admissions process can feel overwhelming, but here’s the truth: 👉 Admissions officers aren’t looking for perfect students—they’re looking for real students. 👉 You don’t need to have a 4.0 GPA or be an Olympic athlete to get into a great school. 👉 Your unique story, passions, and growth matter way more than you think. You are capable. You are enough. And you have more control over this process than you realize. 🚀 Let’s start strong! Drop a 💪 in the comments if you’re ready to OWN this journey. 👇

💡So you’ve got a list of activities—but are they actually strong enough? Are they telling the right story? Here’s how to evaluate & improve your extracurriculars to make them stand out. 1️⃣ Start with These Key Questions ✅ Do I have depth, or am I just collecting activities? → Are my activities focused around 2-3 core areas where I’ve spent meaningful time? ✅ Do I have a balance between academic & non-academic activities? → Academic (1-2 areas): Research, competitions, tutoring, subject-based clubs, projects. → Non-Academic (1-2 areas): Sports, music, activism, entrepreneurship, hobbies. ✅ Have I shown leadership or initiative? → Have I taken responsibility, started something, or improved an existing project? ✅ Is there measurable impact? → Can I point to specific results (money raised, people helped, things created, awards won)? ✅ Have I grown over time? → Did I move from participant → contributor → leader? If you’re missing some of these, don’t stress—let’s talk about how to improve. 2️⃣ How to Make Your Activities More Impressive 🔹 Deepen Your Commitment - Focus on making a bigger impact within the activities you’re already involved in. - Take on a leadership role or create new initiatives within your current activity. - Example: If you’re in a club, you could organize an event or mentor younger members. If you’re already excelling in a sport, consider becoming a team captain or organizing training for others. 🔹 Broaden Your Reach - This is about expanding the scope of your activities, allowing you to grow your impact beyond your immediate circle. - Example: If you’re passionate about science, don’t just participate in your school’s science club—start a community outreach program to teach younger students, or collaborate with other schools on a science project. If you love photography, you could expand it into online workshops or partner with local businesses for a photography campaign. 🔹 Align Your Activities with Your Academic Interests - Colleges want to see how your extracurriculars reflect your academic passions. - Example: If you’re applying for computer science, make sure your activities include coding projects, internships, or competitions rather than just unrelated extracurriculars.