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Student Theme

Your college applications should clearly express a student theme.  A student theme is a clear, consistent and compelling picture of your personality and character.  It is a portrait of WHO you are and what interests you. Your theme should show how your interests, strengths and character relate to your goals and achievements; it should clearly link (1) your interests, (2) your activities and (3) your college/career goals.

For example, a college-bound student may be planning to major in biology with a pre-med emphasis. Ideally, this student’s theme should paint a picture of an enthusiastic student with high achievements/honors in biology and other sciences, involvement with science organizations, volunteer service at a local hospital, and personal gratification from working with others. This student’s personality, character, and accomplishments should be included (to the extent possible) in every part of the application including:

• Student Résumé
• Essays
• Letters of recommendations from adults
• The application itself (include the most important aspects of your student theme into the list of extracurricular activities, short answer questions, and leadership questions on the application).

Your student theme should be a common thread used in every part of your college applications.  Incorporating your student theme into all application materials will help college admissions officers focus on your key characteristics and strong points; a student theme will highlight what makes you unique and what assets you will bring to a college community. Having a consistent student theme in all application materials will increase the odds of you getting accepted to college.

Also, if you have a unique talent or achievement that makes you stand out from other student applicants, it should be included in your student theme as well.  For example, if you have earned a medal as part of the student Congressional Award program, play a difficult and unusual musical instrument, have a unique athletic ability, or have started a student club that has made a huge impact on your community, try to incorporate your talent or achievement into your student theme.  

Additionally, your theme must clearly demonstrate your real passions and ambitions, not what you think admissions officers want to hear. If your theme portrays someone who is not you, it will come across as not genuine and admissions officers will know your information is artificial and insincere.

Work with your parents to select and develop the most important aspects of your personality and interests you would like to convey to admission officers. Think about your best academic subjects and academic accomplishments, your favorite or most accomplished extracurricular activities, and your future college and career plans. To create a student theme, begin brainstorming key words; jot down words such as scientist, leader, athlete, writer, politics, communication, community service, etc. that indicate your interests and strengths. Work to complete activities and earn achievements to support a long track record of success that supports your student theme.

Remember to tell adult recommenders to include important aspects of your student theme in their letters of recommendation.