It’s A Yes From Me: Making Your Application Stand Out

Hey there prospective Dins, 

First and foremost, I hope you’re having a good day! It can be easy to overlook the small good things during a stressful time, but I want to remind you there is so much to be grateful for. Whether you’re pretty sure you know where you want to attend college or if you have zero clues, I want to give you some pieces of advice to help you stand out throughout the admissions process. Although you’ve probably already submitted a lot of your applications, the good news is Furman has extended our deadline to March 1st! So, if you haven’t already applied to FU, this is your sign! 

One thing that I love about Furman’s application review process is that we take a holistic approach to our admissions process. Basically, this means we look at the whole student, as opposed to one aspect of them. For example, some schools may make an admissions decision based solely on test scores and grade point average, whereas Furman will equally weigh all aspects of the student. Some of these factors include demonstrated interest, high school involvement, letters of recommendation, and your whole transcript and test scores. If test-taking isn’t your thing (like me), Furman is a test-optional school, meaning you do not have to submit them in your application.

So, let’s unpack what demonstrated interest means. This phrase has taken on an entirely new meaning now that Covid-19 has entered the game, but it is still completely doable! In the past, demonstrated interest would mean meeting with your college counselor when they’re in your city, attending high school visits, going to local college fairs, coming to campus for tours, auditions,  interviews, and overnight visits, and so much more. Due to the nature of covid, we have had to revamp what demonstrated interest means, but no worries- you can still make it work! 

Moving forward, you can show demonstrated interest in a lot of different ways! You can reach out to your counselors, attend virtual tours and information sessions, ask to be connected with a current student, and if you are comfortable, we are allowing accepted, prospective senior students to come to campus for a golf cart tour! Believe it or not, demonstrated interest is most definitely considered when looking at applications, so this is one super important way you can stand out! 

I remember feeling so much better when my admissions counselor, Coady, told me that at Furman my entire application would be taken into consideration as opposed to one section. I was very involved in high school, and Coady reassured me that my involvement would be recognized and considered in the reviewing of my application. I was always a bit insecure about my test scores, but just as Coady reassured me that it would be okay, I’m here to reassure you you’re going to be just fine. 

Have more questions about how to stand out in the college admissions process? You know where to find me !! I hope y’all can take a deep breath after reading this post and realize it’s all going to work out. Your daily affirmation from Alex is: you are enough! Never, ever forget that. Lots of love from your biggest fan!

Have a happy week,

Alex