Anyone with experience in either admissions or business can recognize the college application as a marketing campaign. Unfortunately, marketing isn’t exactly a core subject in high school. So what should students know about building a winning brand for college admissions?
Marketing professional Stacey Ross Cohen recommends that students to use social media strategically to highlight their interests and aspirations, such as creating online portfolios, blogs, podcasts, or YouTube channels. Students need a “success toolkit” tailored to their unique strengths and talents and should be consistent across platforms and touchpoints like email signatures.
Networking, interviewing, goal-setting, and empathy are all critical skills. Stacy advises teens to practice with mock interviews and information conversations. Setting intentional goals and strategies will help students stay on track. College admissions officers also value traits like entrepreneurship and empathy, so be sure to participate in activities that illustrate your strengths in these areas where applicable.
Ultimately, college-bound teens should already be engaging in many of these activities as part of their personal growth. The branding benefits follow naturally when you take smart steps to explore your interests and pursue your passions:
- Use social media strategically (e.g. online portfolio for artists, YouTube for performers)
- Consider all touchpoints (email signatures, usernames, etc.)
- Create content like blogs, podcasts to demonstrate interests/skills
- Join LinkedIn by age 16 to start building professional network
- Develop offline skills like interviewing, networking, relationship-building
- Pursue entrepreneurial ventures and community service to stand out
Learn more about Stacey Ross Cohen’s expert advice on how to build a winning brand to ace college admissions on the Tests and the Rest podcast.
Mike Bergin