There’s no magic formula of grades, test scores and activities that will guarantee you an admission to your dream college. But there is one way to make sure you get yourself closer. At the end of each day, ask yourself this question:
“Am I more college-ready today than yesterday?”
Your successes will leave you more prepared for life at whatever college is lucky enough to have you. And even more importantly, asking yourself the college-ready question will help you focus on what's really important–the effort, not just the outcomes.
If you take a challenging chemistry class but don’t get an A, you’re still more college-ready. If you take an AP class but don’t pass the associated test, if you run for a club office and don’t win, if you make the varsity volleyball team but never come off the bench, you’ve still worked hard. You’ve accepted a challenge and emerged relatively unscathed. You’re probably more confident and even more eager to prove what you really can do. And yes, you’re more college-ready.
You don’t have to be perfect to get into college. You just have to keep working, keep improving, and keep getting a little more college-ready than you were yesterday.