As we move through another college admissions cycle, I have been hearing the same questions from parents and students: What are colleges really looking for? Has anything changed because of AI? How much do essays matter? And with admission becoming increasingly competitive, what can students do to stand out?
While there is no single formula for admission, one thing remains clear: colleges are looking for students who have challenged themselves academically, performed well in their courses, and demonstrated genuine interests and involvement outside the classroom.
Academics Still Come First
There is a great deal of discussion about essays, extracurricular activities, demonstrated interest and other parts of the application. However, the academic record remains the most important part of the application at the vast majority of colleges.
Junior year is particularly important. Students should focus on maintaining strong grades while taking a challenging course load that is appropriate for them.
For students preparing for college applications, this is not the time to lose sight of the basics: attend class, complete assignments, prepare for exams and ask for help when necessary.
The Essay Should Add Something New
A strong essay does not simply repeat what colleges can already see on a transcript or résumé.
The application already tells a college what a student has accomplished. The essay should help admissions officers understand who that student is.
What does the student value? How do they think? What experiences have influenced them? What makes them different from another student with similar grades and activities?
This has become even more important in the age of AI.
Students have access to tools that can make almost any piece of writing sound polished. But a polished essay is not necessarily an effective college essay. Admissions officers want to hear the student’s authentic voice and perspective.
AI can be useful for certain parts of the process, but students should not lose their own voice in an effort to produce a “perfect” essay.
Activities Should Show Genuine Interest
Students do not need a long list of activities simply to fill their résumé.
In many cases, depth is more meaningful than quantity. Colleges want to see how a student spends their time and whether they have developed meaningful interests, taken on responsibility or made an impact.
This does not mean every student needs to start a nonprofit or become president of five clubs.
A student who has committed significant time to one activity that genuinely matters to them can be far more compelling than a student who has joined ten organizations without meaningful involvement in any of them.
There Is No Single “Perfect” College Applicant
Perhaps the most important thing I can tell families is that college admissions is not about checking every possible box.
There is no required combination of AP courses, leadership positions, internships, volunteer hours and summer programs that guarantees admission.
The strongest applications are cohesive. The academic record, activities, essays and recommendations come together to give the college a clear picture of the student.
That is why I encourage families to focus less on what everyone else is doing and more on helping their own student make thoughtful choices.
The college admissions process has certainly changed, and it will continue to change. But the fundamentals remain remarkably consistent: strong academics, meaningful engagement, thoughtful choices and an application that genuinely represents the student.
Those are the things that continue to matter most.
At American College Counselors, we help students and families navigate this process from 9th through 12th grade. Whether a student is just beginning to think about college or is preparing to submit applications, we provide personalized guidance throughout the process, from developing an academic and extracurricular plan to building a thoughtful college list and completing the applications and essays. Our goal is to make the process more manageable for families while helping each student present the strongest and most authentic application possible.