Every year, a new wave of applicants has to go through the treacherous and stressful process of applying to colleges, determining how they will spend the next four years of their lives. Some students have a particular university they want to attend that has low acceptance rates, putting additional pressure on the entire process. So, how do students improve their chances of getting into that dream college? It’s a relief to know that not only is it possible, but it’s been achieved by many MHS graduates.
At Milford High School, students have access to one of the best sources for applying to schools — their counselors. Milford High School Counselor Gina Pryor provided her advice on what is the best extracurricular activity in the eyes of colleges. She stated that it’s not the activity you chose, but your commitment and passion for it. For example, “The most impressive extracurricular activity is one that showcases your passion and leadership, such as a personal endeavor that holds meaning to you. If you’re applying to Michigan and looking at applying to a specific college, reflect on what you have done for your specific interest.”
Students need to demonstrate how they have already taken a step into their desired field of study, and that they don’t just join clubs for the numbers. She continued to share her best advice to students applying.
“Find the area you’re passionate about and really do something to stand out to make a difference,” stated Mrs. Pryor. She concluded by speaking about the essay portion of the application, and to steer away from AI and use your own voice.
The essay shows colleges the real you, so take advantage of the opportunity to highlight your accomplishments or share your back story. Colleges don’t want generic responses or extracurricular activities; they want to see what makes applicants stand out.
One popular dream college, only a 45-minute drive from MHS, is the University of Michigan. This university has an in-state acceptance rate of around 40% (Join Leland), an out-of-state acceptance rate of 18% (Join Leland), and admitted students typically had an unweighted GPA of 3.8-4.0, and a SAT score ranging from 1440-1540 (98th-99th percentile). These academic accomplishments are challenging. However, academics are not the only aspect that matters to these colleges; there are more factors to ensure you receive that email with confetti!
The class of 2025 salutatorian, Tyler Hannert, is currently a freshman at the Literature, Science, and Arts College at Michigan University. Hannert was accepted in the first round of applications. Hannert explains that the news didn’t elicit a strong reaction from him while he read his acceptance letter, alone at his desk. The excitement didn’t hit him until much later, he explained.
“I took 12 AP classes, which definitely helped,” said Hannert. He continued to explain how his AP classes involved a diverse curriculum that demonstrated a variety of courses that helped him get into this renowned school.
His greatest advice to those who are applying to college was, “I think the focus should be on choosing a challenging schedule as well as not putting all your eggs in one basket. Because one thing about prestigious colleges like Michigan is that they genuinely care more about your overall application, like your college essay, rather than just stats like GPA.”
Hannert then went on to talk about how he was captain of the MHS boys varsity soccer team, employed, and volunteered for one program consistently over the years, showing leadership and commitment to a variety of activities. Hannert’s personal experience emphasizes that grades don’t entirely determine one’s future; a diverse selection of extracurriculars, a well-written personal essay, and the drive to succeed can get you much further in life than an A. Even the 2025 Salutatorian can agree that his impressive GPA was not the only crucial factor in his acceptance into the University of Michigan.
Some strive to go to a college for the social life, some for specific academic programs, but some are driven to attend a college for the athletic scholarship opportunities. Milford Senior Chloe Caldwell is committed to Ohio State and will receive scholarship money to continue playing lacrosse at the Division I college. Caldwell shared her recruiting experience, including how she decided on spending her next four years at Ohio State.
“I discovered Ohio State from traveling a lot during my recruiting year,” said Caldwell, “Going to a lot of different schools and exploring all of the campuses.”
To discover your dream school isn’t always through the grapevine or knowing alumni; sometimes it’s a personal experience that helps someone find the best fit — just like how it was for Caldwell. Ohio State is not an easy school to get into by any means; it has an out-of-state acceptance rate of around 24%, meaning that applicants have to be impressive on and off the field.
Caldwell expresses how she is somewhat worried about her chances of getting accepted, as she claimed, “I am definitely a little stressed. Ohio State, generally speaking, is rather hard to get into academically. So, I have to make sure that I hit all of the qualifications to get in when applying early.”
Although Ohio State is a rigorous college with demanding standards, Caldwell, beyond her athletics, has taken various leadership roles and is part of many extracurricular activities. Caldwell has been in Leadership for the past three years, part of Special Olympics, a volunteer, on the honor roll, and is a part of the LVC group.
But beyond all that, this is what Caldwell truly believes makes her unique compared to other applicants: “I believe that my love for the game is what ultimately helped me stand out when trying to get recruited for Lacrosse.”
It’s not her grades or extracurriculars that set her apart from others; it’s her passion for lacrosse and the way she fights to be the best of the best. Other than talent and smarts, those who achieve their spot in their dream college – or are planning to – all share one thing in common, just like Caldwell and Hannert do: they’re determined.
After speaking with these two qualified students who are go-getters, the tips they shared to get into your dream college can range from GPA to volunteering.
To increase your chances of getting into your dream college, you need to be a student who values academics and has a wide range of experience in all areas, but most of all, don’t be afraid to fail. Failure isn’t rejection, it’s just redirection.