3 Tips for Writing About Your Non-Profit in Your Admissions Essay
/When you have your sights set on a dream school, it’s not uncommon to bend over backward trying to get in. Whatever you do, avoid falling into this trap that could hurt more than help.
Don’t Start a Non-Profit Just to Improve Your Chances at College Admissions
Yes, colleges want to see leadership, but they want to see what that looks like in you specifically. When your non-profit is an abandoned Instagram page, it’s a red flag almost as bad as the cliched service trip abroad. To the admissions team, it gives the impression that you're only doing it for the application. Another dead giveaway is starting a non-profit senior year - the timing is so close to application season that it will raise suspicion.
If you feel like you don’t have enough life experience to write about, try out for a leadership role for the club you’ve been in since freshman year (it doesn’t matter what club it is as long as you enjoy it!). Learn responsibility the pragmatic way with babysitting. Audition for the school play before it’s too late. Journal about your failures and your wins. This authentic growth will tell the story the college admissions teams actually want to see. Letting your true character shine makes for a much more compelling personal essay than a generic essay about community service.
Or, if you’re still passionate about your non-profit idea, find a similar existing non-profit and volunteer! There are plenty of remote and in-person opportunities to get involved. These non-profits have likely created opportunities for you to make the biggest impact. The stories you’d get out of that experience can come across as much more honest on the Common App essay.
Now if none of the above applies to you and you’re still committed to starting a non-profit (and not just doing it for the wrong reasons), here are three tips to present your non-profit in your admissions essay in a way that seems genuine:
1) Save it for a Supplement
Your personal statement is supposed to reveal who you are. Be honest with yourself: how invested are you in your non-profit? Are there other activities that you devote more brain space and time to? If the non-profit doesn’t capture everything you’re about, consider saving it for a supplement asking specifically about leadership or your favorite extracurricular.
2) Use Concrete Details
A ditched non-profit shows anything but growth and colleges can see right through this cliche. Prove to them that you’re legit. If you have metrics of visible growth and impact, describe them. Write details that paint a clear picture of what inspired your non-profit, how you plan for it to grow, how much time and effort you’ve spent building it, and what you have done to make an impact with it.
For example, Ahmed Muhammad got into Stanford with his admissions essay about his non-profit. How? He talked about how he was inspired while babysitting his niece and nephew and partnered with other existing non-profits to create Kit Cubed, which sells science kits in an accessible way. In fact, he’s reached over 2,000 kids so far! This is clearly a passion of his — the results and effort speak for themselves.
3) Avoid These Red Flags
Finally, remember to avoid all the issues below when writing about your non-profit in a personal statement:
Vague language: Be as detailed as you can. Include how many hours you spend a week running the business and the sacrifices you’ve made to keep it going. Quantify as much as you can to convey a serious commitment.
Saviorism: Balance the line between humble and cocky. Be self-aware of your privilege and how you write about helping the underserved.
Dishonesty: The admissions team will know if you exaggerated. It’s not worth fudging the numbers to sound more impressive.
Bottom line: All you need to remember is not to embellish because who you really are is enough for college admissions officers.
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