Each applicant has a unique numerical code, but after a while many of the other numbers and key identifiers that accompany the applications begin to look the same. Everyone wants to major in biology, psychology, or business. They all scored a 1390 on the SAT and have a 3.7 GPA—a number that’s been deflated from high school standards through a recalculation by Emory. So again, the readers look for something that’s different. In a sea of sameness that becomes the committee’s deliberations after several hours, it’s once again a small element in a file that turns the group’s opinion. One place where applicants could stand out is in their essay, but most are unfortunately mind-numbingly similar. Teenagers have less than two decades of life to write about, and as a result, they often focus on the same things: overcoming an athletic injury, dealing with anxiety, depression, or their sexuality, or discovering themselves on a trip, with a fill-in-the-blank country such as Guatemala or Thailand. => Admissions offices cherish what is rare. Provide your unique voice & key details. [[What are college admissioners looking at & looking for?]]