When some students apply to college, they’ve done all the work to be qualified, but aren’t prepared for some of the most basic common questions like why they’re applying to a particular school or which activity has meant the most to them. So here are four pre-college questions for juniors to think about. These aren't necessarily the exact questions colleges will ask you, but they get to the heart of what colleges want to know (beyond numbers like your GPA and test scores). If you want to get the most out of these, imagine that someone is asking you to answer them in detail in an interview. That will force you to really think about your answers.
1. What’s your favorite subject/class/teacher and why?
You don’t have to love every subject equally, but college is school. And if you’re going to spend four years learning someplace else, it’s good to think about your favorite subjects, classes and teachers. What made those learning experiences so rewarding? How did those situations bring out the best in you as a student?
2. What’s a subject you’d like to learn more about but haven’t had the chance to yet?
You don’t necessarily have to know what you want to major in when you apply to college, but if a college interviewer asks you what you plan on studying and all you can do is shrug your shoulders, that will paint a portrait of a student who has not thought about the learning part of college. Colleges are academic supermarkets where you can learn virtually anything you want to learn. Even if you aren’t ready to commit to a major, where would your current curiosity take you? Are you doing anything to satisfy that curiosity today?
3. To which extracurricular activity are you giving the most time, and why?
Many colleges will look beyond your list of activities and ask you to discuss what made them so rewarding, to share stories of your involvement and give them a sense of why you chose to spend your time the way you did. Asking yourself this question doesn’t just prepare you to discuss your activities when you apply to college. It also lets you do a little activity audit and make sure you’re spending your time the way you really want to spend it, not just plodding through something because you hope it will help you get into college.
4. What is one club, team, group or other organization you’re involved with that would miss your contributions if you stopped showing up?
I’ve noticed a lot of colleges have started requiring essays about how applicants plan to contribute to the campus community. “Contributing” in that sense means making an impact—a noticeable difference because of your effort and contributions. And one of the best ways to answer it is to point to a situation in high school where you’ve made that kind of impact. You don’t have to be the fastest kid on the track team to have a great attitude and be a great teammate. You don’t have to be the editor of the paper to write solid articles and stay up late to help with layout when necessary. You don’t need to be the manager of the store where you have a part time job to show new employees the ropes and make their first day a little easier. Think about the involvements where you do more than just show up, where you’re really making an impact, and you’ll have some evidence to show colleges just how valuable your contributions really are.
5. What parts of college are you most excited about? (Hint: pick at least one academic and one non-academic).
The stress around college admissions and the corresponding journey to get there makes some students forget just how wonderful college will be. It’s good to daydream about what your life will be like once you get there. Thinking about that now will make the work you’re doing now have more meaning, and it will probably remind you just how many places could give you those things, even if they aren’t highly competitive colleges.