<aside> 📢 US Colleges are trying to figure out how excellent & impactful of a person you are. They want the best, be able to enrich their lives, and to come and bolster the reputation of the university. Both sides win. Who is the best applicant to do this?

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The US admission process gauges your ability to:

1. Handle the academic rigor at the uni*.* Which is why you’ve got to have the grades and prove you can handle multiple responsibilities and keep up the grades at college.
2. Be intellectually curious, shown through your ECs, projects, research, writing, research, ball juggling, whatever. This is very different from having straight A’s/A*’s.
3. Be a success in life. Your ability to apply the resources at the college and become even more impactful. **They say they want students that will 'change the world', a lot. This is why you **show that you're resourceful - your ability to make lemonade from lemons. Because resourcefulness is a common trait of world-changers. Do you make change in your community? They’re looking for people that make things happen.

Think like an admissions officer. These are questions they ask themselves as they read through your application:

• Is this student exceptional?

• Does this student do more than get ‘A’s and do more than what they’re told? Does this student only follow assigned responsibilities?

• Does this student go out of their way to pursue their passions?

• Does this student go out of their way to effect change?

• Is the world better off with this student? Is this student’s school/community a better place with them there? Will this campus be a better place with them on it??

• Have I seen this type of applicant before?

• Which of these two students do I admit? Who will benefit more? Who is a better investment?

• Do I give this spot to a US Citizen or this International student?

• Does this student have politician potential? (Top applicants will have competed and won debate competitions, and will be involved in student government, or have worked with local politicians.)

• Does this student have leader/CEO potential? (Top applicants will have started a business or 3.)

• Does this student have software start-up founder potential? (Top applicants will have created an app.)

• Does this student have Nobel Laureate potential? (Top applicants will have done a research internship or have officially published some work.)

• Does this student work hard?

• Does this student challenge themself?

• Does this student’s teachers’ comments reflect who the student says they are?

• Is this student self-motivated? Are they resilient?

Ideally, you want to tick all these boxes. Most people who get into your dream colleges don’t tick all the boxes. … So how do they get in? They exhibited traits that signalled excellence. You don’t *need ***to have published research, as an aspring physicist, it’s just one strong signal that you are exceptional. Reflect on you, your life and it’s experiences to hone in on your signals - then make sure you display them in your application.

Here is an example of your competition for top universities