The Ultimate

EXTRACURRICULAR
GUIDE
for US Admissions

A CRIMSON EDUCATION PUBLICATION

“What’s the difference between an application that gets
accepted, and an application that gets rejected?”

“What does it take to get in?”

Tens of thousands of students each year ask This includes:

questions just like this when they start
applying to top US universities. Equipped with
high grades and impressive test scores, 01. What extracurriculars are
thousands of these same students will make it
past the first round of admissions standards,
and move onto the next stage of evaluations. 02. The holistic US application
process
It’s at this point that Admissions Officers will
begin to explore the student’s extracurricular
activities list. This is because they want to 03. Why they matter
know who you are outside of the classroom,
what you’re passionate about, and the impact
you’ve made on your community. They want
04. How extracurriculars are
to know if you will maximise the immense evaluated
resources available on their campus, and
contribute to their school in a productive way.
These judgments they make about who you
05. Real activities lists of
are, inside and outside the classroom, will admitted students
ultimately lead to either an acceptance or
rejection.
06. The power of capstone
Without strong extracurriculars, it’s impossible projects
for admissions officers to assess who the
applicant is as a person, which unfortunately, 07. How Crimson can help
may put the application into the rejection pile.

At Crimson Education, our global network of

experts update us with the most recent Let’s get started!
admissions trends and statistics — ensuring
that every single one of our students crafts a
powerful application that resonates with
admissions officers at the world’s best
universities. As such, we've put together this
eBook that covers how extracurriculars can be
used to set candidates above and beyond the
competition, and how you can become the
student that admissions officers fight to
admit.

01
01.
What Are
Extracurricular Activities?
An extracurricular is any activity that isn’t required for high school credit.
Think “extra-curriculum” - anything the student does beyond required
school assignments.

In short: Examples of extracurriculars:

Extracurricular experiences help convey Academic - clubs, competitions

who the applicant is beyond their
Arts - visual arts, performance,
academics
creative writing
This includes activities completed during Activism - social movements, campaigns
high school, at school, or outside of school
Science - science fairs, olympiads,
competitions, research
They can be online or in-person, and formal Language & Culture - language classes,
or informal exchanges

They help Admissions Officers Debate - debate club, Model

determine the applicant’s fit and how United Nations
the student will contribute to the
Sports - Intramurals, clubs, eSports
university’s community
Entrepreneurship - competitions,
internships, starting your own business
Media & Journalism - blogs, columns,
school newspaper
Music - band, lessons, composing
Politics - activism, student council
Religious - youth groups, retreats
Family Responsibilities - taking care of
siblings and/or relatives
Technology - coding, apps, websites,
hackathons
Volunteering - NGOs, charity work,
fundraising

02
02.
The Holistic US
Application Process
It is important to understand the unique, holistic application process that US
universities are renowned for. Top US universities look for students who
possess a combination of intellectual vitality, leadership, initiative, and
creativity. This is demonstrated through:

30% 40%
Essays Academics
Essays are an opportunity for students to Top universities seek students who have
showcase their personality, experiences, and consistently demonstrated academic
aspirations. Top universities look for students excellence through outstanding high school
who can write thoughtfully and reflectively grades, top school ranking positions, and
about themselves. participation in advanced courses, such as AP,
A-Levels, or IB classes.
Interviews
Some top universities also conduct personal Standardised Tests (SAT/ACT)
interviews with applicants. These interviews Standardised tests, like the SAT and ACT, are
allow the university to get to know the used to help measure a student's aptitude for
student better and assess their fit with the college-level studies. While top universities
institution. typically have high average SAT and ACT
scores among their admitted students, many
Letters of Recommendation of these institutions have transitioned to test-
Letters of recommendation from teachers, optional policies in recent years.
counsellors, and other mentors can provide
valuable insights into a student's character
and potential. Top universities look for
students who have strong recommendations
from people who know them well.

30%
Extracurricular & Leadership Activities
Top universities seek students who are actively
engaged in their communities. This is
demonstrated through a diverse range of
extracurricular activities, as defined above. They
value students who demonstrate initiative,
teamwork, and a commitment to making a
positive impact. This could include involvement
in sports teams, clubs, community service
projects, or other endeavours that align with
their personal aspirations.
03
03.
Why Do
Extracurriculars Matter?

“
Admissions Officers at top US universities
want to see a well-developed profile that
demonstrates intellectual curiosity, leadership
skills, and commitment to making an impact
COLUMBIA
on the community. Furthermore, they want to Students often ask us, “What are you
see that the applicant went beyond passive looking for?” Just as you are looking for
involvement and took on a higher level of the college that is the best match for
responsibility. The applicant’s ability to you, we are looking for students who are
demonstrate extracurricular involvement the best matches for us. Your application
across these categories will communicate to is our instrument of evaluation, and
admissions officers how they will be an asset beyond the opportunity to list your
to the campus community. academic credentials, we believe your
application allows you to express
Here are a few things top US universities have yourself: your passions, interests,
to say about the importance of background and, most important, what
extracurriculars: you might add to the Columbia
community.”

“ STANFORD
Learning about your extracurricular
activities and non-academic
interests helps us understand your
potential contributions to the
Stanford community. Students often
“
UC BERKELEY
What we look for:
Initiative, motivation, leadership,
persistence, service to others, special
potential and substantial experience
with other cultures
assume our primary concern is the All achievement in light of the
number of activities in which a opportunities available to you
student participates. In fact, an Any unusual circumstances or hardships
exceptional depth of experience in you have faced and the ways in which
one or two activities may you have overcome or responded to
demonstrate your passion more than them. Having a hardship is no guarantee
minimal participation in five or six of admission. If you choose to write
clubs. In general, we want to about difficulties you have experienced,
understand the impact you have had you should describe:
at your job, in your family, in a club, How you confronted and overcame
in your school or in the larger your challenges, rather than
community, and we want to learn of describing a hardship just for the
sake of including it in your
the impact that experience has had
application
on you.”
What you learned from or achieved
in spite of these circumstances”

04
 Extracurriculars - The X-Factor
Academics will unlock your “door”

Grades
Class Ranking
Curriculum Rigor
Standardised Test (SAT, ACT)

For example, approximately 85% of

Harvard applicants have a very
similar academic level!

Your extracurricular activities will

distinguish you from other candidates.

In other words, the vast majority of candidates who apply to top US

universities are excellent students with similar academics. While that is
enough to get an applicant through the first round, it is their extracurricular
activities that will distinguish applicants from one another, hence
determining whether or not they get accepted.

05
Here are some examples of various
extracurricular activities that many world-
renowned icons have participated in. As we Mark Zuckerberg
mentioned earlier, it’s important to go above
Harvard University
and beyond passive involvement. Just take a
look at these celebrities whose impactful high
school extracurriculars greatly contributed to
their current careers:
Multi-billionaire CEO, founder, and creator of
both Facebook AND Meta, Mark coded his first
messaging platform when he was 12. Also
known as “Zucknet”, he used Atari BASIC to
create this messaging program that his father
Meryl Streep would use at his dentistry practice and his
Yale University family would use at home. While still in high
school, he and a friend built an early music
streaming platform, Synapse Media Player,
which both AOL and Microsoft showed
With 21 Oscar nominations and 3 wins, interest in, and PC Magazine would go on to
critically acclaimed actress Meryl Streep review in 2002. Mark’s track record reflected
began her acting career in high school. She his long-term passion for programming, and
seized every opportunity to become the lead his ability to stay focused on his interests
in every play and musical, joined the would eventually culminate in his mastery of
cheerleading squad, and was eventually the subject — the crux of what would
elected as Homecoming Queen. ultimately become his acceptance letter to
Harvard.

Top US universities want to bring students to

their schools that they know are going to
make a big impact both during and after
Michael Jordan college. The main way they can measure this
UNC Chapel Hill is through the passion and impact
demonstrated in the applicant’s activities list,
essays, and interview.

Known as one of the greatest basketball

players of all time, Michael Jordan came from
humble beginnings. In high school, he
excelled in football, basketball, and baseball. In
Grade 10, he was rejected from the varsity
basketball team, which ignited his passion for
the sport and he decided not to quit. He
became a star on the junior varsity team that
year, and practised in the school gym before
morning class. That summer, he made the
varsity team, scored 35 points in his first game,
and never looked back.

Bobby
Crimson Athletic Student,
Accepted to MIT

06
04.
How Extracurriculars
Are Evaluated by
Admissions Officers

Commitment Innovative
This factor indicates the level of dedication Innovative leadership is rooted in creativity,
and time commitment the applicant has and is most commonly demonstrated when
allocated to their extracurricular activities. a student has started something on their
Admissions Officers also consider the duration own. The most powerful forms of innovative
of your child’s involvement with the activity, leadership are demonstrated when the
which indicates their sustained commitment student has created something unique and
and passion over time. unheard of.

Here are some ways students can

demonstrate innovative leadership:

Leadership + Startup Founder

+ Competition Creator
Here, evaluators assess whether your child has + App or Program Developer
held leadership positions within their + Campaign Leader
extracurriculars. Holding leadership roles
demonstrates an applicant’s ability to take
initiative, collaborate with others, and to make
a positive impact. In general, leadership might
be:
Independent
Institutional Independent leadership is demonstrated
when an individual creates, develops, and
Institutional leadership is when a student executes an initiative with little to no
has joined an existing organisation, and involvement from any other parties.
taken the initiative to oversee and govern
it. The student can further demonstrate Some examples of independent leadership
institutional leadership by guiding the include:
organisation and its constituents towards
new directions. + Launching a Successful Blog
+ Conducting Research
Here are a few examples of institutional + Producing a Successful Fundraiser
leadership: + Competitions & Internships/Work

+ Student Body President

+ Organization Ambassador
+ Club Leader
+ Team Captain

07
 Consistency with the Recognition
Applicant’s Profile Under this category, the focus is on any
awards, honours, or notable achievements
This criteria examines how well your child’s your child has received through their
extracurriculars align with their overall profile, extracurricular pursuits. It also
and if this establishes a cohesive personal demonstrates their ability to improve over
narrative. Does the applicant’s chosen time, showcasing their dedication to excel
activities reflect their genuine interests and in their chosen activity.
aspirations?

Impact and Reach

Top universities also want to see evidence of
impact within an applicant's school, local
community, and on an national/international
scale. This has become especially important
since the pandemic. Here are some examples:

School

Raising $5,000 for new

library computers

Leading a tutoring club with 30

tutors supporting 100 peers

Lobbying for Meatless Mondays at

the school cafeteria, and succeeding!

Local

Increasing involvement amongst

your peers as a City Youth
Council member

Starting a travelling library that

reaches underserved communities

Organising a 5K race to fundraise for

a local charity or small business

(Inter)National

Launching an educational
YouTube channel that reaches a
nationwide or global audience

Representing your state or country

at Model UN

Winning a major academic or arts

competition

08
+ Extracurriculars:
Key Takeaways

In the Common Application portal, the

candidate’s activities list will provide
context to who they are, and what they
are passionate about. Each candidate
will have ten slots to list activities, using
the following format:

Position description: 50 character limit

Organisation: 100 character limit
Activity description: 150 character limit

A well-developed Activities List

will contain:

Activities that show their intellectual

curiosity (eg: research with a college
professor)

Activities that show their leadership

(eg: starting a club, school leadership
positions, launching a business)

Activities that show their

determination to improve the lives of
others (eg: philanthropy)

At least 1-2 non-school affiliated

activities (eg: reputable summer
camps or internships)

Activities that have a relationship to

their indicated chosen major

09
+ Imagine Yourself as
an Admissions Officer!

Case Study
Below is an example of a Crimson student’s extracurricular profile. If you were an admissions
officer at a top university, would you let this person into your program based on their
extracurriculars? Continue on to see our analysis!

Activities List of a Successful Yale, Stanford, Columbia, Brown,

UPenn, Duke, Cornell, and UChicago Admit

01. INTERNSHIP 06. INTERNSHIP

Intern, Congresswoman Bilateral Safety
Corridor Coalition
Interned in Washington DC in a team of 3;
wrote 25+ letters addressing constituent Spread awareness & outreach regarding
concerns; attended 20+ hearings & briefings; human trafficking; delivered 5+ bilingual
toured constituents. seminars at Mexican Consulate on
recognizing signs of forced labor trade.

02. CAREER ORIENTED 07. ATHLETICS - JV / VARSITY

Dir. of Outreach, Lacrosse, Defenseman, MDCHS
The Barrio Impact (Ed.Nonprofit) Crusaders Varsity Lacrosse
Afterschool tutoring & guidance to Latino Attended daily practices; started
students; personally liaised with 100+ in games twice a week; chosen as
universities to request promotional materials; captain in 3 games during season.
searched for scholarships.

03. ACADEMIC 08. DEBATE / SPEECH

Captain & President, Vice President,
MDCHS Quiz Bowl Team Speech & Debate Club
Recruited 15+ members; lead weekly Organized biweekly meetings; recruited
practices; elected Captain '17; under 25+ students; debates on current affairs &
captaincy, improved to 3rd Place Quiz Bowl religion; facilitated public speaking
Metro League '17. improvement in peers.

04. INTERNSHIP 09. RELIGIOUS

Intern & Office Manager, Ammar Member,
Campa-Najjar Campaign Ambassador for Christ Corps
Managed day-to-day tasks such as training Represented school at various events
volunteers for congressional campaign; crafted such as Open House, Fall Festival, G8
promotional materials in English & Spanish; Visitation; served as bilingual tour
phonebanking. guide for Spanish speaking families.

05. OTHER CLUB / ACTIVITY 10. ACADEMIC

President & Founder, Team B Captain,
College Awareness Club National Ocean Sciences Bowl.
Founded club and recruited 50+ students in Organized biweekly practices & prepared
regular attendance at meetings; invited team of 5 for competition; expanded
prominent college alumni to speak about knowledge on environmental science
experiences at schools. topics such as marine policy & geography.
10
Let’s look at how this profile lines up with the strategy outlined in the last section.

Category Activity

2 activities related to Ambassador for Christ Corps

volunteering Bilateral Safety Corridor
Coalition

3-5 activities in which you are Director of Outreach

a leader President and Founder of
College Awareness Club
Captain and President of Quiz
Bowl Team
Vice-President of Speech and
Debate Club
Team B Captain of National
Ocean Sciences Bowl

1-3 academic activities Vice-President of Speech and

Debate Club

1-2 non school affiliated activities Intern for Congresswoman

(reputable summer camps) Intern and Office Manager

At least 1 quirky activity reflecting Lacrosse Defenseman

more unusual skills or hobbies

This student has not only met each

category, but has gone above and beyond
expectations by participating in highly
diverse activities that a) are actual jobs in
the career world, and b) are in largely
unconventional spaces for high schoolers.
This person is clearly driven, motivated by
social service, intelligent, and linguistically
talented. Their leadership is institutional,
innovative, and independent. In terms of
impact, their work impacts school, local,
and national communities.

Unsurprisingly, this student was a

successful admit to Yale, Stanford,
Columbia, Brown, UPenn, Duke, Cornell,
and UChicago. What an accomplished high
school student!

11
05.
Real Activities Lists
from Top Admits
Activities List of a Successful Stanford and Princeton Admit

01. SOCIAL JUSTICE 06. RESEARCH

Sec. and Spokesperson, Cancer Australian Educational Research,
Action Network U. of Newcastle
Advocated NSW gov. to pass legislation for Researched contemp. education issues w/
$100m AUD for palliative care access to lower Prof. Gore; Halogen Foundation
socioeconomic classes; collected 150K sigs; International Comp Winner.
lobbied MPs.

02. COMMUNITY SERVICE 07. COMMUNITY SERVICE

Youth Ambassador, Cancer Council Deputy Mayor,
New South Wales Newcastle Youth Council
Increased yth. participation by 250% in the Launched Youth Online Survey w/
region through outreach; raised $11K AUD Newcastle Council; 4000 participants.
through Relay for Life. Young Citizen of the Year Award Winner.

03. JOURNALISM / PUBLICATION 08. DEBATE/SPEECH

Freelance Journalist, Leader,
Group Co-leader MHS Debate Team
Published in The Huffington Post, Sydney Leader, National Team UN Evatt State
Morning Herald, The Age on various youth & Winner & National Finalist '16; Rotary MUN
sociopolitical issues. 2nd Nationally '17; Premier's Debating
Challenge State Semi-Finalists '15.

04. SOCIAL JUSTICE 09. ACADEMIC

Community Ldr, Oaktree Student, Harvard Summer School
(largest youth. led org). (7 week programs)
Worked closely with CEO to develop alternative Received A grade in two college level
curricula for use in developing countries; raised courses: Leadership in War & Peace,
$5K AUD. Introduction to Philosophy.

05. DEBATE / SPEECH 10. INTERNSHIP

Club Leader Intern for Minister
(MHS Speaking Club) for Environ. & Heritage
Winner Nat/State Cmlth of Aus Speech Comp: 1st Wrote speeches that were delivered by MP
nationwide '17; Lions Youth Quest State Winner & in Parliament; compiled daily briefs on
Nat. Finalist '16; ATCL Int. Diploma w/ Distinction & electorate needs; visited constituents to
90 credits. learn about key issues.
12
 Activities List of a Successful Duke and Tufts Admit

01. STUDENT GOVT. POLITICS 06. ATHLETICS JV / VARSITY

Prefect, House Captain, Peer Tennis Varsity Doubles Player in
Support Leader Tildsley Rep Tennis
Lead 140 students in School Spirit Private tennis and selective squads to
Competitions and won Spirit Cup. Organised complete in IGSSA representative
15+ events, lead fundraising $6,000+ for school tournaments (30 schools).
in Kenya vis Goods for Girls.

02. THEATRE / DRAMA 07. ATHLETICS JV/VARSITY

Lead Actor, Knox School Academy of Basketball Varsity Second Team
Performing Arts Shooting Guard
Lead female: Musical ‘Bye, Bye Birdie’. 4 dance Won IGSSA regional comp in 2016 (30
solos, cast of 85, 10 schools, trained jnr cast, schools). Awarded silver honors for sport
sold tickets for production. commitment.

03. THEATRE / DRAMA 08. COMMUNITY SERVICE

Lead Actor, Abbotsleigh School for the Volunteer: Habitat
Performing Arts for Humanity Fiji
Music Theatre: ‘The Little Mermaid’. Leading Selected as 1 of 10 (50 applied) to go to Fiji
role ‘King Triton’. 2 solo numbers. Cast of 80, and spend 2 weeks building/planning
sold tickets for production. house for single mother living in small
rural community.

04. DANCE 09. STUDENT GOVT. POLITICS

Member of Team ‘Abbotsleigh Crew’ Petition for Women in Government
School of Competitive Dance
Initiated school movement to petition
Varsity, Jazz, Hip-Hop teams. Hip-hop 2 x 1st
Julie Bishop/MP after Prime Minister
2016, 1 x 2nd 2017 in regional comps (30 schools).
resigned - need for women in
Toured USA in 2015.
parliament.

05. MUSIC VOCAL 10. OTHER / CLUB ACTIVITY

Member of Choir, Jazz Ensemble, PADI Scuba Diving
Chamber Choir Certifications
10+ solo performances at major school events. Advanced Open Water Rescue Diver.
(Speech days, Chapel services, Parent concerts.) Enriched Air, underwater photography
Extended tuition, AMEB honors. certifications.

13
 Activities List of a Successful Princeton, Brown,
UChicago, and Johns Hopkins Admit

01. MUSIC VOCAL 06. THEATER / DRAMA

Co-President, Allegro Council Cast Member,
(Music Council) Various School Musicals
Led team of 20 students to organize & promote Played lead role of Tobias in Sweeney Todd
20+ events all across campus: vocal & jazz '19; ensemble member in Guys & Dolls '17;
concerts, musical showcases; coordinated with featured role in Urinetown '18; designed all
music faculty. posters.

02. COMPUTER / TECHNOLOGY 07. JOURNALISM / PUBLICATION

Member, Lawrenceville Computer Managing Editor, Working Title
Programming Club (Literary Magazine)
Taught 10+ members languages such as Managed publishing and submission
Python, Javascript, CSS/HTML; competed in schedules; coordinated writers, editors,
local competitions; placed 5th in competition and artists; personally contributed to
at Rowan University. every single issue (7+).

03. MUSIC VOCAL 08. ATHLETICS - JV / VARSITY

Co-President, Softball, Team Captain,
Rouge Acapella Group Lawrenceville JV Softball
Led team of 17 all girls performers; arranged Starting pitcher; elected team captain in
all pieces; arranged performance Junior year; planned and led practices with
opportunities within school: revisit days, coaches; learned a brand new sport.
fundraisers, concerts.

04. COMPUTER / TECHNOLOGY 09. OTHER CLUB / ACTIVITY

Software Developer, VP of Community Service, Int.
Lawrenceville 24H Pass System Student Association
Hosted orientation events for 100+
Utilized Javascript to create a centralized
students; organized fundraisers for
mobile/web app to share course info between
international social issues; raised
teachers & 800+ students; replaced antiquated
money for Save the Children.
paper system.

05. MUSIC VOCAL 10. ATHLETICS - JV / VARSITY

Singer (Alto), Basketball, Team Manager,
Lawrentians Choir JV Girls Basketball
Weekly practices; 6 performances a year, Organized game schedule with opposing
including during revisit days, choral concerts, and teams; managed scorebook during games;
Christmas gatherings. assisted coaches with managing practices.

14
 Activities List of a Successful Dartmouth, University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, Tufts, and Northeastern Admit

01. COMMUNITY SERVICE 06. COMMUNITY SERVICE

President, Best Buddies President,
International (WY Chapter) NJHS (WY Chapter)
Spearheaded music therapy initiative; raised Coordinated service opportunities for 200+
$3000 for therapy for students w/ disabilities; students at school and in local community;
facilitated and developed 100+ mentor-buddy fundraised over $2000 for Chicagoland charities.
relationships.

02. MUSIC INSTRUMENTAL 07. COMMUNITY SERVICE

Violinist, Chicago Youth Junior Exec. Board Officer,
Symphony Orchestra Misericordia Home
Selected through rigorous audition process; Social media chair for springtime
prestigious Chicagoland youth orchestra; 14+ fundraiser; 150+ hours of service;
free community concerts for public schools; organized teen outreach camp for
weekly rehearsals. prospective residents.

03. SCHOOL SPIRIT 08. WORK

President, Gymnastics Coach,
WY Freshmen Mentors IK Gymnastics
Organized annual freshman orientation (500+ Progressed from assistant coach to
new students) and BBQ; coordinated team- coaching own recreational classes; part-
building activities; paired new students to time job.
peer advisers.

04. ATHLETICS CLUB 09. ACADEMIC

Gymnastics, Captain, Student, Yale Young Global Scholars
IK Gymnastics Chicago
Studied Frontiers of Science and
Ranked Top 50 '16 '17 USA Gymnastics Men's
Technology; advanced topics in gene
Trampoline; led practices of 15+ athletes;
editing and public health; final group
coordinated team travel and timetables at
presentation on food insecurity.
competitions.

05. COMMUNITY SERVICE 10. ATHLETICS - JV / VARSITY

ESL Tutor, Heartland Alliance Sailing, Founding Member,
Human Care WY Varsity Sailing Team
Taught advanced ESL to adult learners; weekly 1 of 15 initial team members; organized
classes; only high school aged volunteer; 100+ transportation to practice on Lake Michigan;
hours of tutoring. fundraised gear and startup costs.

15
 Activities List of a Successful Columbia Admit

01. JOURNALISM / PUBLICATION 06. COMMUNITY SERVICE

Creative Editor, Volunteer Mentor,
The Picador (School Newspaper) Camp Blast (Children's camp)
Selected as Creative Editor; oversee Outside Lead children through scientific, artistic, and
The Bubble and Culture column; responsible wilderness activities; served as photographer
for layout management; wrote articles on and shot videos for camp's promotional use.
socialism.

02. ART 07. JOURNALISM / PUBLICATION

Vice Organizer, Reporter & Photographer,
MUSE Exhibition (Hanoi) Shades of Hanoi (Magazine)
Art exhibition with over 10,000 attendees; 40 Reported on local events and issues for
pieces displayed; raised $3000 for gender magazine; oversaw visual layout
equality awareness; oversaw PR campaign & including photos; wrote article on
liaised with sponsors. demolition of local historical bridge.

03. INTERNSHIP 08. THEATER / DRAMA

Economics Column Intern, Actress, Bring it On & All Shook Up
TienPhong.vn (VN News) (Musicals)
Conducted interviews with prominent Performed as Bridget and Lorraine in
economists; attended banking & economic annual school musicals; attended daily
conferences; collated materials for column; practices; member of set design team.
translated articles to English.

04. THEATER / DRAMA 09. SOCIAL JUSTICE

Composer, Writer, Producer, Leader, Annual Student-Led Conferences
Fragments (Musical)
Organized workshops with team of 15
Oversaw the production of a completely
on raising awareness for disabilities
student run musical; composed 4 songs;
(G11) and privilege (G10); moderated
developed script; managed 30 actors & 20
debates on prominent social issues.
backstage volunteers.

05. COMMUNITY SERVICE 10. MUSIC VOCAL

Co-founder, Soprano Vocalist,
Share Org. (Sex Ed. Nonprofit) HolderNotes (A-capella)
Wrote, designed, printed over 200 sexual Attend weekly practices; arrange
education awareness pamphlets for distribution contemporary music for a-capella
in underprivileged areas of Northern Vietnam; ran performance; perform at school events.
5 workshops.

16
 Activities List of a Successful Yale, Stanford, Columbia, Brown,
UPenn, Duke, Cornell and UChicago Admit

01. INTERNSHIP 06. INTERNSHIP

Intern, Congresswoman Bilateral Safety
Corridor Coalition
Interned in Washington DC in a team of 3;
Spread awareness & outreach regarding human
wrote 25+ letters addressing constituent
trafficking; delivered 5+ bilingual seminars at
concerns; attended 20+ hearings & briefings;
Mexican Consulate on recognizing signs of
toured constituents.
forced labor trade.

02. CAREER ORIENTED 07. ATHLETICS - JV / VARSITY

Dir. of Outreach, Lacrosse, Defenseman, MDCHS
The Barrio Impact (Ed. Nonprofit) Crusaders Varsity Lacrosse
Afterschool tutoring & guidance to Latino Attended daily practices; started in
students; personally liaised with 100+ games twice a week; chosen as captain
universities to request promotional materials; in 3 games during season.
searched for scholarships.

03. ACADEMIC 08. DEBATE / SPEECH

Captain & President, Vice President,
MDCHS Quiz Bowl Team Speech & Debate Club
Recruited 15+ members; lead weekly Organized biweekly meetings; recruited
practices; elected Captain '17; under 25+ students; debates on current affairs &
captaincy, improved to 3rd Place Quiz Bowl religion; facilitated public speaking
Metro League '17. improvement in peers.

04. INTERNSHIP 09. RELIGIOUS

Intern & Office Manager, Ammar Member, Ambassador for Christ Corps
Campa-Najjar Campaign
Represented school at various events
Managed day-to-day tasks such as training such as Open House, Fall Festival, G8
volunteers for congressional campaign; crafted Visitation; served as bilingual tour
promotional materials in English & Spanish; guide for Spanish speaking families.
phonebanking.

05. OTHER CLUB / ACTIVITY 10. ACADEMIC

President & Founder, Team B Captain,
College Awareness Club National Ocean Sciences Bowl.
Founded club and recruited 50+ students in Organized biweekly practices & prepared team of 5
regular attendance at meetings; invited for competition; expanded knowledge on
prominent college alumni to speak about environmental science topics such as marine
experiences at schools Internship. policy & geography.

17
 Activities List of a Successful Columbia Admit

01. ACADEMIC 06. ACADEMIC

Founder & Leader, Fun Maths Competitor,
Problem Solving Society Various Maths Competitions
Recruited 40+; weekly problem solving Qualified for British Maths Olympiad in Y12;
sessions; devise sets from "Superbrain Qualified for Intermediate Maths Olympiad
Collection"; invite guest speakers; share in Y11; High Gold Intermediate Maths
passion for maths. Challenge in Y11.

02. STUDENT GOVT. / POLITICS 07. COMMUNITY SERVICE

Y13 Vice-Captain, Reading/Maths Mentor,
Dulwich College City Heights E-ACT Academy
Voted by teachers & students from shortlist of Volunteered during lunch period to read
40 candidates; manage Senior Prefect Body, to students at school in disadvantaged
Charity & Union Committees; report weekly to area; tutored basic maths and helping
Headmaster. with homework.

03. COMMUNITY SERVICE 08. JOURNALISM / PUBLICATION

Organizer, Foundation Schools Senior Editor, DC Mathematica
Maths Competition (Annual publication)
Spearheaded multi-school competition Reviewed 35+ submitted STEM articles;
involving 140+ competitors across 3 schools; editing, proofreading, designing,
raised 350 GBP for Magic Bus charity, publishing; wrote 2 articles; proceeds
supporting further education. donated to Affcad UK charity.

04. ACADEMIC 09. OTHER CLUB / ACTIVITY

Member, Physics Society Writer, House Poetry Competition

Won 1st place in consecutive annual

Attend weekly meetings; gave presentation on House Poetry Competitions in Y10 and
'The Cheerio Effect' and piezoelectric Y11; Headmaster’s award for best poem:
technology; assisted recruitment efforts by "As I Return" sonnet in Y11.
making posters.

05. CULTURAL 10. RELIGIOUS

Founder & Co-Leader, Member, Religion,
Russian Culture Society Theology, Ethics Society
Recruited 60+; regular presentations on language, Presentation on ‘The Issue of Homophobia in
food, history; invited guest speakers; designed Russia’; selected to present to all Y10&11 students;
most desirable tie; organize club stall for fair. attended weekly meetings; awarded society tie.

18
 Activities List of a Successful Harvard Admit

01. RESEARCH 06. INTERNSHIP

Research on Diet Intern,
and Skin Health Newnan Dermatology Institute
Co-authored a journal article and Shadowed derm processes; assisted NPs
submitted to Journal of the American with writing patient notes; performed non-
Academic dermatology. surgical processes — sterilized surgical tools;
prepared equipment tables.

02. COMMUNITY SERVICE 07. RELIGIOUS

Volunteer, Audio Technician,
Stepping Stone Mission Worship Team
Assist with preparing and distributing Operated a mixing board at Sunday and
food at soup kitchen for the homeless; Friday youth services; produced and
awarded President’s Volunteer Service edited Worship Team’s sound to
Award (silver level). contribute in servicing the youth.

03. CULTURAL 08. DEBATE / SPEECH

Founder and President, Selected Participant,
Origami Club Harvard Pre-College Program
Teach origami to 33 members to promote Took “Speaking with Power, Passion and
cultural diversity; organised origami events at Purpose”; performed a speech on four
Stepping Stone Soup Kitchen; fundraised $91 different occasions on issues such as
for Stepping Stone. conserving food resources.

04. STUDENT GOVT. POLITICS 09. COMMUNITY SERVICE

President, Chairman of Community Service, Key Club
Student Government Association
Served as liaison between Key Club and
Organised first ECHS Cancer Run; restored local organizations — Abby’s Angels
interclub Committee; oversaw homecoming (Teen Driving Safety), Soles for Cole
decorations and parade; represent study body (Awareness for Cystic Fibrosis).
at faculty meetings.

05. SCIENCE / MATH 10. SCIENCE / MATH

Captain Math Team President,
Mu Alpha Theta
Spearhead the Math Team in regional
competitions; became the first captain to lead the Organized tutoring sessions and meetings; tutor
team to Fayette Invitational. students struggling in math classes to promote
youth academic achievements in mathematics.

19
 Activities List of a Successful UChicago Admit

01. INTERNSHIP 06. SCIENCE / MATH

Microbio Research Intern CHN Student, Stanford Pre-Collegiate
Academy of Sciences Summer Institutes
Conducted experiments on the production of Top performer in Discrete Math course;
plant-derived chemopreventive-precursor excelled in college level course work in
glucoraphanin; used gene knockout and cryptography, programming, algorithms,
recombination techniques. number and graph theory.

02. OTHER CLUB / ACTIVITY 07. MUSIC INSTRUMENTAL

Co-founder and President, Violinist
Transfer Student Club
Founded Club; mentored over 5 students in Played violin and attended weekly
acclimatization; spearheaded creation of lessons since age 10; performed in
FAQ page, guidebook and blog for students school orchestra.
to share stories.

03. SCIENCE / MATH 08. COMPUTER / TECHNOLOGY

Captain, Math Team Member, Robotics Team

Captained team of 15 in multiple regional Self-taught C language and programmed

contests; recruited 5 new members; robot; constricted robot; performed tests;
developed advanced training materials; top competed in regional Botball competition.
individual scorer.

04. SCIENCE / MATH 09. COMMUNITY SERVICE

Member, Member, Key Club
Science Olympiad Team
Attended weekly meetings; performed
Ist place Bedford HS Annual Women in Science 30 hrs of community service per year;
Comp.; led team for monthly competitions; led helped events such as town musical,
experiments for optic lab event; structured lunch for the homeless, and book sale.
study guides.

05. COMMUNITY SERVICE 10. WORK

Member, Private Chinese Tutor
National Honors Society
Tutored 7 year old in Chinese; taught basic
Passed selective admission; attended regular reading, listening, speaking and writing;
meetings; performed 20 hrs of community derived lesson plans and homework; shared
service per year; organized school events cultural activities.
such as Seminar Day.

20
 Activities List of a Successful Harvard Admit

01. COMMUNITY SERVICE 06. COMMUNITY SERVICE

Founder Eduklase Online Vice President,
Education Info Portal Kalliope Organization Committee
Recruited 8-ppl eboard; built & regularly Initiated schl first charity green fashion
updated website for the underprivileged; show; liaised with designers, models &
promoted it to gain 10k + visits in 6 performers; attracted 600+ audiences; raised
months; partnered w/ local NGOs. 1k+ for bursary fund.

02. CAREER ORIENTED 07. DEBATE / SPEECH

VP, HK Youth Law & Current Speaker TEDx Youth@AISHK
Affairs Association
Compiled stats and anecdotes of third-world
Recruited and supervised eboard volunteering; delivered speech on
operations; initiated 2 day mock trial maximization of service impact; conducted
workshop for 70+ underrepresented panel discussions w/ 100 audience.
students; invited local lawyers to lecture.

03. DEBATE / SPEECH 08. ACADEMIC

President, Participant, Stanford Summer
School MUN Club Humanities Institute
Wrote global affairs reports; recruited and Discussed intersectionality of racial
tutored 50+ juniors; assigned prepwork to 10 identity w/ prof & peers; wrote final paper
ppl; chaired 4 intra & inter schl MUNs. on evolution of transracial identity; daily
creative writing.

04. SCIENCE / MATH 09. ENVIRONMENTAL

Team Leader, Dyelectricity Organizing Committee, HK Youth
Science Research Team Environmental Summit
Rsrched on replacing metallic dye of Designed promo material to attract 80+
dye-sensitized solar cell w/ kitchen peers; negotiated to gain food
waste; lowered cost by 45% ; presented sponsorship, promoted environ awareness
in Intl Student Science Conference. on campus to local and intl students.

05. DEBATE / SPEECH 10. DEBATE / SPEECH

Captain, Volunteer,
School Mock Trial team Crossroads Foundation
Delegated rsrch tasks amongst 5 Sorted, tested and repaired donated
members; prepared and delivered electronic appliances; arranged, packed
written and oral arguments in the High and loaded goods for shipping; assisted
Court before full jury and judge. poverty simulations for the public.

21
 Activities List of a Successful Stanford, UPenn, and
Johns Hopkins Admit

01. COMMUNITY SERVICE 06. MUSIC INSTRUMENTAL

IYOW Charity Converts Founder Piano and Viola
and Director
Viola AMEB 8th Grade; piano AMEB 7th
Leader of 90 students; raised $4121 over Grade; chamber music trio member, charity
two years for the Aboriginal Literacy concert musician.
Foundation; plan/organise rehearsals,
technicians, venues, equipment.

02. DEBATE / SPEECH 07. COMMUNITY SERVICE

Member of the Victorian State Local Community Service
Squad for Debating
St Catherine’s Aged Care weekly with
Victorian State Squad member (Top 13 in severely disabled; Lentil As Anything non-
state); Victorian British Parliamentary profit charity restaurant; Junior School
grand finalist (Top 4 in state); Australian Writer’s Club mentoring.
intervarsity participant.

03. DEBATE / SPEECH 08. THEATRE / DRAMA

Middle School and Senior School House Drama Captain,
Debating Captain Playwright and Publicist
Run trainings; volunteered as House Debating School Performing Arts Festival;
adjudicator; debating coach for school teams; Proficiency and Publicity award; cast.
multiple best speaker awards; regional Wrote, directed organised rehearsals,
finalists Year 11. lighting/sound for school play.

04. JOURNALISM / PUBLICATION 09. ATHLETICS CLUB

Writer and Editor for Badminton
various publications
Badminton for leisure and fitness; weekly
Text editor and writer for school classes; competed in Girls Sports Victoria;
newspaper; writer for The Signal Express played interschool competitions.
and BQ Australia Chinese Weekly (China
Southern Airlines inflight paper).

05. ART 10. COMMUNITY SERVICE

Visual Arts Volunteering with Hand Up
Australia Udaipur
Self-directed projects; weekly art classes;
five artworks shortlisted for IB Top Arts Building school in rural India; interacted
exhibition (Top 20 IB artists in state). and taught local children; initiated
planning, team building, fundraising.

22
 Activities List of a Successful
UPenn (Huntsman Program) Admit

01. OTHER / CLUB ACTIVITY 06. DEBATE / SPEECH

AFI International Youth Debating Competitions
Ambassador (UN and EP) and Trinity College Diploma
Chair the 35th Youth Human Rights Through competing in Rostrum Public
Summit in the United Nations, Speaking, Mock trial, Voice of Youth and
representing young people’s voices at the Speech and Drama, I have practiced for and
forefront of international discussions. completed my ATCL diploma.

02. COMMUNITY SERVICE 07. OTHER / CLUB ACTIVITY

President and Founder International Courses,
Programmes and Leadership
Founded a youth-run charity that
provides literature opportunities to rural, Stanford summer course, Oxford Law summer
migrant areas and developing countries course, Dale Carnegie Leadership course,
that cannot afford English texts. President of Harvard Model United Nations
(honourable mention).

03. INTERNSHIP 08. MUSIC - INSTRUMENTAL

MEP EP Internship (One Belt One Lead Cellist, Organ, Piano,
Road Initiative) Flute, Harpsichord
Interned at the European Parliament, Played on the organ weekly for chapel
presented the reports of Guangdong for the services, in orchestra for Cello and Flute
One Belt One Road Initiative and attended and volunteer at North Haven Nursing
Programmes independently. Home by playing piano.

04. STUDENTS GOVT. / POLITICS 09. CAREER ORIENTED

SRC Prefect - Students Youth Parliament
Representative Council (Minister for Women’s Affairs)
Represent the student voice by Led the unanimous passing of a resolution
organising initiatives (school charity), in the Senate after creating a report into
fundraising events (color run) and the underrepresentation of Women in
fundraising for the Smith’s Family. STEM fields.

05. ACADEMICS 10. ATHLETICS - JV / VARSITY

Published Fictocritical Thesis Fencing, Sports
and Activities
Produced a published major work that
challenged dominant constructions of Trained and competed in Fencing
Chinese diasporic identity in Australia. (National), Badminton (Firsts), Volleyball
(Firsts), Chess (Founder), Swimming (Squad
team), Netball (Seconds).

23
 Activities List of a Successful Harvard Admit

01. STUDENT GOVT. / POLITICS 06. ATHLETICS - JV / VARSITY

Senior Prefect Basketball, Power Forward in
(School Captain) First/Second Squad
Whole school responsibilities, Managing Playing in the Firsts and Seconds
Prefect Group (23 boys) / Running major throughout the basketball season in the
whole-school events / Public Speaking / highly competitive GPS/CAS competition.
Directing charity activities.

02. MUSIC INSTRUMENTAL 07. ATHLETICS - JV / VARSITY

Music Captain Track and field / Sprints
/Middle Distance
Helping run concerts / Liaising with
music department staff / Organising a State 800m bronze / Regional 800m silver
charity concert / Running music / Kenny Cup for Best All-round Senior
committee (8 boys). Sportsman / Open 100/200 Championship
School Representative.

03. MUSIC INSTRUMENTAL 08. FOREIGN EXCHANGE

Assistant Concertmaster Participant
(School Orchestra)
Living / Going to school in Paris for 3
Helping lead the First Violins or School months / Hosting French exchange
Orchestra and Senior String Orchestra students for 3 months in Sydney.

04. MUSIC VOCAL 09. DEBATE / SPEECH

Tenor in ‘Grammarphones’ Debating A Team
(Senior A Cappella Group) / Mooting Team
Singing and rehearsing as a tenor in Debating as a member if the As / Runners-up in
the most selective vocal group the Independent Schools Debating Association
within the school. / Participating in Regional Mooting.

05. ATHLETICS - JV / VARSITY 10. COMMUNITY SERVICE

Cross Country, Violinist
Cross Country Captain
Violinist in a string trio to raise money for
Leading the Cross Country squad / NSW Kids in Need and Australian Chamber
Finishing second in the competition / Orchestra Music Education Program for
Qualifying for the Independent Schools Disadvantaged Kids.
Representative Team.

24
 Activities List of a successful Art/Theatre/Music applicant who gained
admission to Top Liberal Arts colleges Oberlin College, Grinnell
College, and Kenyon College

01. THEATRE / DRAMA 06. DEBATE / SPEECH

Benvinda Drama Group, Model UN Delegate,
Member Secretary, and Chair
Group dynamics, improv/voice/body City, State, National conferences. Became
training. Studied makeup, hair, script the School’s MUN Security Council Director
writing, and performance techniques (e.g. and Secretary-General: organised
viewpoints, masks, storytelling). conference for 235 participants.

02. THEATRE / DRAMA 07. STUDENT GOVT. / POLITICS

Connections, Royal National Student Council, Senior Year
Theatre of London Representative
Selected to intl. network of dramatists Had weekly meetings with the School Board;
and actors; attended workshops; defended projects at Assembly of
performed in theater festivals (including Representatives from all grades, then
Brazil Connections Festival '18). presented to school admin.

03. THEATRE / DRAMA 08. STUDENT GOVT. / POLITICS

Musical Theater Group, Political Commission,
Member Founder and Spokeswoman
Vocal coaching, backstage, Organized presidential debate simulations,
jazz/tap/contemporary dance training, and moderated controversial topics and
acting w/ former Broadway actors. Restaged workshops to 100+ students (jrs/srs),
musicals in Off-Broadway theaters. hosted university professors.

04. SOCIAL JUSTICE 09. COMMUNITY SERVICE

Coletivo Maria Quitéria, Fraternity Experience Program,
President and Co-founder Charity Outreach
1st Feminist Collective of 150-yr Catholic Worked at daycares, asylums, refugee
school; started with student debates to centers. Planned weekly activities for 20+
10 girls; did lectures to 200+ people, volunteers; fundraised; organized child
video with over 17k views. protection projects.

05. CULTURAL 10. COMMUNITY SERVICE

Brazilian Leadership Volunteers’ Association of Hospital
Bootcamp, Participant das Clínicas
Selected among 150+ applicants to Responsible for weekly interventions at the
participate in immersive leadership and pediatric ward, ICU, and CCU. Organized
social innovation development program; games/exercises that were carried out by
co-founded the non-profit Pont.E. 20+ other volunteers.

25
06.
Capstone Projects
One of the best ways you can set yourself apart from tens of thousands of other
academically qualified applicants is through a capstone project. Admissions
officers love seeing Capstone Projects on an application because it shows that
the applicant is a leader who is passionate, driven, and independent.

+ What is a
Capstone Project?

A Capstone Project is a large, intensive, self-

driven initiative that a student pursues for
several months. It is a way to thoroughly
investigate a topic, cause, or organisation that
the applicant is passionate about. It
showcases their ability to independently
explore their interests and is often the most
impactful extracurricular on an Activities List.

When Crimson students and their

Extracurricular Mentors develop a Capstone
Project, we use the United Nations “5 Ps”
framework used to shape their Sustainable
Development Goals. These include:
People
Planet
Prosperity
Peace
Partnerships

In the context of an application strategy,

a successful Capstone Project is:
A memorable solution to an
existing issue
Oriented towards community service
Interdisciplinary: combines the
student’s passions, interests and
skills in a unique way
Measurable in its impact
Fits into the student’s application
theme and Personal Narrative
26
+ Timeline of a
Capstone Project

Here is an example of how a Grade 9 student

can develop their Capstone Project.

+ Grade 9

Explore an issue that you take a strong

personal interest in
Apply the UN’s 5P Framework to the issue
and identify the three ideals that resonate
the most with you and your chosen issue
Join a global youth community which
focuses on the same issue

+ Grade 10

Decide on the goal of your project

Develop your impact framework
through the 3Ps you’ve chosen
Mobilise and build a team through
your network
Share your project with the world

+ Grade 11

Develop a list of partners through a

multi-stakeholder approach
Participate in annual festivals
or conferences
Publish research related to the
global issue
Participate in global competitions
and aim to be recognized through
winning an honour or an award

+ Grade 12 If you are not sure how to

get started, our experts can
Get nominated into a youth leadership help you break these down
position within a world-renowned
organisation using the knowledge you
to actionable items. Book a
have gained consultation to learn more.
Continue attending and presenting at
high level conferences, and building a
global network Book Now
27
+ Evaluating a
Capstone Project
You can evaluate the success of your capstone
project through the following 3 categories:

Impact

Number of Participants
Number of Activities
Number of Partners
Number of Views (Social Media)

Innovation

Number of Ideas Generated

Number of Articles Published
Number of Prototypes Developed
Number of App Functions

Inclusion

Number of Countries
Number of Volunteers
Number of Languages Employed
Number of Open-Source Resources

28
+ Crimson Students’
Successful Capstone Projects

Maya

Global Leadership Global

Project Extracurriculars
Name: TerraYouth Global Competition - Global Finalist
at Learning Planet’s ASPIRE 2030
Mission: Dedicated to helping young Hackathon
people learn about and get involved in
environmental entrepreneurship and Global Conference - UN Foundation’s
innovation, with the objective of starting Better Together World Congress
an eco-business in the future

Reason: As this student is pursuing an

environmental studies and engineering
dual major, it is important to demonstrate Global Honor/Award
that the student embodies both the “left”
and “right” brain required to become a Youth Councillor of a UN SDSN
successful changemaker in tackling these (Sustainable Development Solutions
issues. Network) NGO

Activities:
1. Launched a green-focused magazine
called the Eco Enquirer
2. Created the Time with the Trees Podcast Student Outcomes
featuring NGO experts
Top 5 US
3. Started a “Adopt-A-Tree” Tree Planting
Initiative in Local Community that is tied This outstanding result is due to a dual
to a RaaS (Reforestation-as-a-Service) approach of environmental studies and
platform engineering, and then using the Top 10
Activities list to demonstrate and
Impact: action across both sides

1. Published 5 times in national and

international media
2. Over 250 individuals engaged in
their events
3. More than 500 subscribers
to Podcast

4. Presented at 3 global
conferences, including one
with UN Foundation

29
Willy

Global Leadership Global

Project Extracurriculars
Name: Early Voting Initiative Global Conference - UN Foundation’s
Global Goals Week
Mission: Advocating for youth to play a
Global Authorship - UNICEF Published,
stronger role in political and economic
with more than 150 media activations
activism, starting the earliest voting age of
18, in order for them to create the systems Global Club - Study Abroad Club
change they wish to see in their lifetime connecting students in boarding schools

Reason: As a student aiming to pursue a

dual degree in political science and social
entrepreneurship, this Initiative was
custom made to highlight the importance
of integrating political and economical Global Honor/Award
issues to create long-term change
Youth Council Member for
Activities: KIDsforSDGs, a global awarded NGO

1. Supported web platform development of

two political activism related NGOs, one of
which is funded by Google.org

2. Created a do-it-yourself political activism Student Outcomes

kit to help students start a movement
at school Top 5 US
3. Authored a series of articles educating This outstanding result originates from
how youth can “vote with their wallets” in the focus this student project has in
the most impactful way addressing current and urgent needs
of Generation Z, as well as the maturity
Impact: shown in designing an interdisciplinary
leadership initiative
1. Five NGOs as partners
2. Twenty-five student-led initiatives
created across three countries
3. Three conferences attended and
presented

30
07.
Crimson
Students’
Unique Position
Crimson students receive a 360°
strategic evaluation from their team to
help students maximise their chances of
admissions. This is done by:

Evaluating their goals, profile, and

overall candidacy to understand
where and how we can maximise the
student’s chances of acceptance

Using our database of Crimson’s

6000+ accepted students — one of
the biggest in the world — our team
of Strategists stay updated with the
most recent admissions trends,
which complement their expertise
and help them craft informed
admissions strategies.

Applying exclusive, up-to-date insider

knowledge about university
admissions from our team of 40+
Former Admissions Officers.

31
08.
Our Extracurricular Services

Core Extracurricular
Support
An expert strategist will work with your
children to find and develop their current
activities, then strategically identify new
projects to showcase their leadership skills.
Crimson also provides strategic support
when writing the Activities List so that the
student can demonstrate their personal
narrative in a powerful way.

Capstone Advising
Our in-depth, 1-on-1 mentorship service is
provided by an expert tutor who will help
your children identify, create, and complete a
Capstone Leadership Project.

Extracurricular
Enrichment Opportunities
We provide dedicated support to students
that enhance their profile — from research
projects to internships at world-renowned
companies. Crimson has the following
organisations that help students around the
world boost their candidacy in unique,
outstanding ways.
31
The Holistic Application Process 28
Final
Takeaways
In this eBook, we delved into how
Admissions Officers at top US
universities evaluate the most
subjective parts of each application:
extracurriculars and an applicant’s
personal narrative.

In the highly selective world of US college

admissions, we know exactly how
challenging it can be to cultivate an
application that stands out to admissions
officers. As stated at the beginning, tens of
thousands of applicants to top US
universities have both perfect grades and
test scores. As such, admissions has become
highly dependent on extracurriculars: who
are you outside of the classroom, what kind
of impact have you made, and will those
aspirations grow if you become a member of
their university?

This is where things can be challenging —

building a compelling personal narrative
through extracurriculars that explicitly
showcase both who you are and your future
potential requires time, creativity, and a
well-crafted strategy.

Crimson understands the complex

intricacies of US university admissions and is
committed to providing all students with
the personalised guidance and strategic
support they need to excel. Each student is
uniquely matched with a comprehensive
team of experienced experts who work
closely with each student to develop a
comprehensive application strategy —
ensuring that their application stands out,
thus increasing their chances of
acceptances at top US universities.

32
About
Crimson
Education
Crimson Education is the world’s leading
admissions consultancy. From admissions
strategies to research opportunities to a
global high school, we offer the most
comprehensive scope of admissions services
available in the world. We employ over 900
full-time staff in over 20 countries and work
with all students, no matter where they live.

Every one of Crimson’s students are uniquely

matched to experts who will best-fit their
needs. This includes Exam Tutors,
Extracurricular Mentors, Essay Prep
Specialists, and Application Strategists. Our
approach cultivates a highly personalised
service that leaves no stone unturned in the
application process.

All our experts come from the same top

universities our students apply to, including
Yale, Columbia, Stanford, MIT, Oxford,
Cambridge, and many more. This highly
individualised approach has resulted in our
students gaining admission to the Ivy
League, Oxbridge and other top universities
at up to 5x the general applicant rate.

Our commitment to our students goes

beyond the college admission process. We
facilitate internships, ambassadorships, and
career opportunities that stretch every
student’s lifetime. We are dedicated to
providing students with the opportunities
they need to perform masterfully on the
international stage, utilising the education
system of the 22nd century to build the
leaders of tomorrow.

This is the Crimson Effect:

The power to transform lives

through world-class education

33
OUR RESULTS
Every year, we are amazed by what our In general, Crimson students are 4.5x more
students accomplish. In fact, many of our likely to gain admission to a top university
students receive not just one, but two or three than those who apply alone. Those who
offers to the world's best universities. They are worked with us for four or more years are 9x
faced with the wonderful dilemma of needing more likely to gain admission to their target
to choose between several highly competitive university compared to those who joined us
universities! later in the application cycle. Check out our
statistics below

Crimson Student Admissions Rates Compared to

797 General Applicant Rates (2023)
Crimson US
General
School Student
Offers to Ivy Admit Rate
Admit Rate
League
Universities
Princeton 3.90% 15%
MIT 4.7% 27%

6,000+ Harvard 3.4% 15%

Stanford 4% 14%
Offers to the
US Top 50 Yale 4.30% 21%
universities
UChicago ~4.5% 15%

Johns Hopkins 6.0% 28%

1,280+ UPenn ~5.70% 27%

Caltech 3.90% 16%

Offers to the
US Top 10 Duke 6.0% 20%
universities
Northwestern 7% 22%

Dartmouth 6.0% 21%

287 Brown 5.50% 21%

Vanderbilt 6.70% 35%

Offers to
Oxford and Rice 8.60% 25%
Cambridge
Washington U. in St. Louis 13% 50%

Cornell ~7.5% 28%

1,850+ Columbia 3.70% 26%

UCLA 9.7% 41%

Offers to the
UK Top 10 UC Berkeley 11% 45%
universities

34
How do Crimson students compare
to international averages?

4.5x
More likely to gain acceptance to the most
competitive universities in the world than the
average general applicant

2-3x More likely to get accepted into Oxford or Cambridge

compared to the average general applicant

IVY LEAGUE US TOP 10

24.75% 24.55%
The average acceptance The average acceptance
rate of Crimson students rate of Crimson students
who applied to the who applied to the US
Ivy League Top 10

vs. vs.
~5.2% ~4.85%
compared to the compared to the
average average
acceptance rate acceptance rate
of general of general
applicants who applicants who
applied to the Ivy applied to the
League US Top 10

35
WHAT SETS
US APART
We understand that choosing the right Global Network of Experts: Our team of
education is one of the most important experienced experts includes former
decisions a student and their family will admissions officers, strategists, and mentors
ever make. That's why Crimson is from the world's top universities.
committed to providing you with the best
support and guidance you need to Advanced Education Technologies: We
succeed. create and invest in education technologies
that help students reach their full potential
There are three distinct qualities that set and increase their chances of admission to
us apart from every other admissions top universities.
consultancy in the world. These include:

Personalised Approach: We take the time

to understand each student's individual
needs and goals, then develop a
personalised and comprehensive plan to
help them achieve them.

36
01.
Personalised Approach
Crimson offers strategic support for students looking to apply to top universities in
the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Europe, and more. From initial
assessment to post-acceptance guidance, all support is tailored to maximise
students’ chances of success. In our dedication to helping every student reach their
full potential, we provide individualised services for all students, regardless of the
stage they are at.

University Admissions Consulting

When a student begins their journey with Crimson, they will receive unlimited, individual
support from a Strategy Consultant, an Application Mentor, and a Student Success
Manager— all of whom are part of the student’s core team. Together, these team
members provide the following services:

Full Application Strategy University Selection (Pre and Post

Application)
Our counselors have over 350 years of
combined experience, many having Guidance through the university selection
served on admissions committees at process by making recommendations
Ivy League schools, Oxbridge, Stanford, based on university characteristics,
Duke, and others. Beyond university resources, acceptance rate statistics, and
selection, they work with students to personal preferences.
develop a strong overarching theme
for their applications that aligns with
their personal passions, achievements, Essay Development
and ambitions.
Access to our extensive essay database for
analysis on best practice, guidance on topic
selection and interpretation for all
Customised Roadmap
application prompts, as well as
Extensive planning of the student’s brainstorming creative approaches tailored
admissions journey using our tailored to the student’s personality, experiences,
in-app roadmap in order to develop a and to the institutions applied to.
differentiated and clear pathway in
preparation of the applications. The Ongoing revisions of essay drafts to deliver
roadmap will be updated regularly to core ideas in a concise and targeted
accurately reflect student journey. manner, leaving a lasting impression on
admission officers.

Candidacy Positioning Holistic Application Oversight

Evaluation of the student’s candidacy Assistance navigating the intricacies of

and application strategy based on the student’s application, constructing
relative strengths and unique résumés, writing activity lists, and
characteristics, specifically compared ensuring all information is correctly
to other candidates in their country, submitted to the target institutions.
community, and school.
37
Extracurricular Activity Advice Strategic Advice on Letters of
Recommendation
Prioritisation of current extracurricular
involvements and creation of new How to approach and inform potential
projects premised on a thematic recommenders to write letters that
narrative complementary of the highlight the student strategically and
student’s interests and passions in are in alignment with other components
conjunction to present a clear, focused, of the application.
and differentiated profile.

Admissions Test Strategy and Academic Advising

Support
School grade analysis and advising on
Choosing the standardised tests most curricula/subject selection to maximise
suitable for the student (SAT/ACT/AP) results in conjunction.
and optimising target test score range
with respect to their school selection Advising on academic opportunities
and availability. beyond what’s offered at the student’s
school.

Post Application Mentorship Regular contact with students and

their parents
Submission of post-application
supplementary materials, guidance for All students and their parents receive
post-application correspondence with regular reports to ensure satisfaction
colleges, drafting of deferral letters (if with Crimson services, and to track
necessary), and further school choice progress.
consulting if the student is admitted to
multiple
programs/colleges/universities.

38

20
 Supplementary Services
Outside of core services, students and families may choose to add on the
following additional services:

Academic and Test Tutoring Capstone Advising

Crimson provides a wide range of tutoring An in-depth, outcomes-focused 1:1

services for a wide range of subjects. These mentoring is provided by a dedicated
include, but are not limited to: expert tutor with the goal of
developing a comprehensive and
Standardised Test Tutoring (SAT, ACT, AP)
impressive extracurricular activity list
Curriculum Tutoring (IB, AP, A-Levels)
(consisting of 8-10 activities) and
Aptitude Test Tutoring (Medicine,
completing a Capstone Leadership
Dentistry, and Veterinary Medicine)
Project throughout the duration of
MedView UK UCAT
our collaboration.
Medview UK BMAT
Graduate School Test Tutoring (GRE,
GMAT, LSAT, MCAT, IELTS, TOEFL)
IELTS, TOEFL, and general ESOL Tutoring
Informational Interviews (US,
Subject specific tutoring
UK, EU)
Debate and Model UN Tutoring
Olympiad Tutoring Prepare for college interviews with
research techniques, personal responses,
bespoke answers to key questions, mock
Financial Aid interviews with successful admits, and
tailored resources for nuanced interview
Crimson’s Financial Aid service pairs
formats.
students with an expert who helps
students research scholarship
opportunities, develop aid strategies, and
guides students through their forms and
applications prior to submission.

Former Admissions Officer (FAO) Services (US and UK)

Students will receive personalised feedback from
Former Admissions Officers (FAOs) through the
following services:

FAO Hours - One-on-one virtual meetings with

FAOs to discuss candidacy advice, academic
insights, extracurricular guidance, and application
support.

FAO Review - A comprehensive assessment of a

student's application to a single university,
including an admissions officer's perspective,
academic evaluation, extracurricular analysis,
Common App personal statement, and
supplemental essay reviews, all aimed at Eileen D.
enhancing the application's competitiveness. Former Ivy League
Admissions Officer
Crimson FAO Review Board - For VIP students, the
Crimson FAO Review Board involves a thorough
assessment by three FAOs, complemented by a
39 summary from the strategist.
US Boarding & Day School Admissions Summer Program Support

Crimson BDSA Strategy includes support Includes support for G9-12 students
for students looking to apply to private US identifying and selecting summer
boarding and day schools. We also support programs, along with application
applications to private Canadian schools, essay support and final application
whose process is very similar. This service review. This service includes:
includes:
Strategist guidance identifying
Candidacy development (academic and and selecting summer programs
extracurricular) Application Mentor support
School selection and visits when writing application essays
Letters of recommendation strategy Strategist final review of the
Application oversight application
Essay support
Interview preparation

Academic Enrichment Graduate School Admissions (US,

(UK and EU) UK, EU)

Students will work through 1:1 sessions Crimson’s Graduate School

with a subject-specialist Academic Admissions program features expert
Enrichment Mentor. Each session will be admissions strategy and hands-on
a deep-dive into subject knowledge and support for students applying to
content that is of utmost importance for Masters and Doctoral programs in
UK and EU University Admissions. Each every field including: STEM, Social
module involves: Science, Humanities, MBA (& related
Business programs), Law, and
Guiding the student on appropriate Media Medicine.
(books, journals, podcasts etc) to
compliment the curriculum.
Leading the student through a series of
authentic learning tasks that will help
them to integrate knowledge, skills and
attitudes.
Preparing them for the academic rigours
of university lectures, tutorials and beyond.

40
 Our Subsidiaries
At Crimson, we pride ourselves on being a one-stop shop for all students. Whenever a
student or their family has a need, we are able to meet those needs expeditiously and at a
very high standard. Our subsidiaries work to meet our students' needs, no matter where
they are in their admissions journey.

Indigo Research Delta Institute

A competitive high school research Delta Institute offers work experience

program that provides high school programs with top global companies at
students with 1:1 mentorship from top the pinnacle of their respective
professors and PhDs to transform your industries. We offer students first-hand
academic passion into publishable experiences in career pathways they are
research. interested in, which helps them develop
an experience-driven understanding of
what their potential future career would
look like.

Crimson Global Academy (CGA)

Crimson Global Academy (CGA) is an

internationally accredited, world-class
online private school delivering live,
real-time learning to students all over
the world. Designed to challenge,
students graduate with the
International GCSE and International A-
Level qualifications which are globally
recognised for their academic rigour,
flexibility, and breadth of learning.

It is a transformative schooling
experience that aims to serve as many
students as possible through its global
networks, diverse extracurriculars, and
access to cutting-edge educational
technologies.

41
Crimson Rise Medview: Medical School
Consultation Bundles (UK, AUS, NZ)
A strategy service for students ages
11-14. Rise includes tracks for hard- This includes consulting, test prep,
hitting uni admissions preparation, interview/core paper/revision prep, and
earlier-stage skills development, and experiences prep for students applying
interest exploration. to medical programs in the UK, Australia,
and New Zealand.

Revision Village Admit Yogi

Dedicated to providing the highest Created by students at Stanford,

quality IB Maths resources in the world, AdmitYogi is a lower-cost service that
Revision Village is an award-winning lets students access successful
education website that has helped over application profiles from students who
1.3 million IB students prepare for their IB got into top universities. This service
Maths Exams. Over 50% of the resources aims to provide students with insights
created by Revision Village are made on what highly selective universities are
free for all users worldwide. looking for including essays, awards,
activities, demographic data, GPA,
and more!

Crimson Athletics SummerApply

The Crimson Athletics department Students often struggle to figure out

provides 3 services that target where the world’s best, most reputable
admissions strategy for student athletes: summer programs are. SummerApply
compiles all of these programs into one
Athletic Strategy Consulting catalogue- from Pre-Med Academies by
Athletic Campaigning Harvard to internships with Uber, students
Athletic Recruitment Video can easily research and apply to summer
programs that are unique and will help
them stand out from the crowd.

CRIMSON
ATHLETICS

42
02.
Global Network of Experts
As a policy, all Crimson Strategists, Mentors, and Tutors must have graduated
from a Top 30 university in the world. From world-leading university alumni to
PhDs, Former Admissions Officers to multi-degree academics, every student’s
team will guide their students through the entire application journey.

Alisha M. Abbigail C.

University of Illinois, UCLA Oxford, LSE

Alisha has a BS in Community Health with a Abbigail graduated from Oxford University
concentration in Health Planning and with a BA in English Language and Literature.
Administration from the University of Illinois She then completed her Master’s in
at Urbana-Champaign and a Master’s in International Social and Public Policy at
Health Policy and Management from UCLA. London School of Economics (LSE). Most
Most notably, her students have received notably, she has helped students secure
admissions to Yale, Harvard, Princeton, offers to Oxford, Cambridge, LSE, UCL,
Columbia, NYU, USC, and UCLA. Imperial, King’s, and many other top Russell
Group Universities.

Heitor S. Beatrix S.

Swarthmore College, Stanford University of Texas at Austin, Columbia

Heitor graduated from Swarthmore College Beatrix graduated with honours from the
with a BA in Political Science and Educational University of Texas at Austin with a
Studies with a Minor in French. He is currently Bachelor’s in Business and Corporate
completing a PhD in International Communications. She is currently pursuing
Comparative Education at Stanford (2025). a Master’s in Social Work at Columbia. Most
Most notably, he’s helped students gain notably, her students have received
acceptances to Harvard, Princeton, Yale, acceptances to Duke, UChicago, UT Austin,
Stanford, Princeton, Columbia, and UCLA. and UCLA.

43
Christine L. George B.

Brown University, Oxford Harvard, UCL

Christine graduated from Brown with a BA in George graduated from Harvard with an AB
East Asian Studies and International in Sociology and African American Studies. He
Relations. She then graduated from Oxford then completed an MSc in Public Policy with
with an MPhil in Modern Chinese Studies. a concentration in LGBTQ+ Health at
Christine is based out of Seoul, South Korea, University College London. Most notably, he
and mentors students looking to attend has helped students gain acceptances to
universities in the US and UK. Harvard, Stanford, Columbia, UPenn, Yale,
Cornell, and UChicago.

Natalie S. Pandora L.

UC Berkeley, Hong Kong University of Cambridge University, University of the

Science and Technology Arts London, Royal College of Art, UCL

Natalie received a Bachelor’s degree from UC Pandora graduated from Cambridge with
Berkeley and a Master’s in Social Science an MA in History, an MA in Painting from
from the Hong Kong University of Science UAL, an Master of Research from RCA, and
and Technology. Most notably, she has PGCE from UCL, and is currently
helped students gain admission to schools completing a PhD at Cambridge in
including UPenn, Cornell, and UChicago. Architecture. Most notably, her students
have received acceptances to Cambridge,
Oxford, Durham, Imperial, and UCL.

Carolina L. Brenda H.

Duke University University of Michigan, Cornell

Carol graduated from Duke University with a Brenda graduated from University of
double major in Psychology and French and Michigan with a double major in
a Minor in Education. Most notably, she has Psychology and Economics. She then went
helped her students gain acceptances to all on to receive her Master’s in Management
Ivy League schools, Stanford, and Duke. in Marketing at Cornell University. Brenda’s
students have received acceptances to
Columbia, Dartmouth, Johns Hopkins, UCs,
Penn, NYU, and USC.

44
The Crimson Team
The Crimson team will coordinate and communicate internally to ensure the
student is receiving the best, most personalized support possible. Each contributor
will help the student with different aspects of the preparation and applications.

For our University Admissions Consulting service, every Crimson student’s team features
the following:

Strategist

As the leading expert in every student's team, the Crimson Strategist is responsible for developing a
personalised strategy that highlights the student's unique strengths, achievements, and goals. Equipped with
a deep understanding of university admissions requirements and a proven track record of success, the
Crimson Strategist will help the student stand out from the competition and increase their chances of being
accepted into the world's top universities.

During formal strategy consulting sessions, the Strategist will:

Support the student by developing a comprehensive preparation plan for their university admissions,
including individual targets and milestones for their academic and personal goals, and a strategic timeline
for completing the application process.
Develop a compelling personal narrative to maximise chances of acceptance.
Help the student select universities based on their goals, preferences, likelihood of acceptance, and
personal narrative.
Monitor the student's grades and test scores, and ensure extracurricular activities are aligned with the
student's passions and aspirations.

Student Success Managers Application Mentor

Students receive ongoing support from the The Application Mentor will review the student's
Student Success Team via multiple contact profile and help the student prepare for all their
methods to ensure the quality of their program Admissions Essays and Interviews during the
and experience. This includes: application year. This includes:

Ensuring that they are on track to meet all of Brainstorming, planning, and revising the
their admissions milestones and deadlines student's university admissions essays to
Keeping their parents informed of all key steps ensure they play a crucial role in the student's
and accomplishments application
Monitoring their performance
Making relevant changes as needed Preparing the student for university interviews,
Allocating or replacing members of their team providing invaluable advice on how to
Responding to requests and inquiries from approach each questions and guide the
Crimson parents and students student through practice interviews.

If the student and their family decides to purchase additional Crimson services, the student can
receive guidance from more specific experts, such as an In-Depth Extracurricular & Leadership (ECL)
Mentor; Financial Aid and Scholarship Mentor, Academic and Test Tutor, Former Admissions Officer
Reviewer, among others.

45
03.
Advanced Technologies
To meet the standards of our outstanding students, Crimson has developed and improved
high-level education technologies that facilitate access to a diverse range of experts and
resources from around the world, adapt to individual learning needs, and promote a more
inclusive and personalized educational experience.

The Crimson App

The Crimson App is an exclusive learning management system that helps students achieve
their admission goals through customized learning plans, progress tracking, and vast
resources. Data on student performance is collected and reviewed to ensure informed
decision-making.

Student-Mentor Roadmap Applications Exclusive Resources

Matching
Easily keep track of Manage the school We provide access to
Students are paired with upcoming tasks and list and track the exclusive video content and
best-fit mentors based activities, to best application process interviews with world-
on psychometric, optimise your time. easily. renowned business leaders
expertise, interest, and and entrepreneurs.
performance data.

Pathfinder
Contained within the Crimson app, Pathfinder is a master list of everything a student can do
during high school to increase their chances of admission to top US universities. Pathfinder
includes over 280 goals, each with an assigned point value based on how much admissions
officers will value that achievement. As students complete goals and accrue points, they move
up through ‘levels’ in Pathfinder, which correlate with increasingly competitive universities.

Launchpad

We offer a unique and engaging community for students from around the world to learn,
grow, and connect. Access premium content, including webinars and expert presentations,
join groups with students who share your passions, and participate in community events
like Crimson Shark Tank and online MUN competitions. Plus, connect directly with Crimson
alumni at top schools to find mentors, project partners, and more.

18 46
STARTING YOUR
JOURNEY WITH
CRIMSON
01
Discovering the
educational goals
04
In our free initial consultation YOU Success!
with the Academic Advisor, we ALONE It's time to take action! With
will get to know the student's
the Crimson team by the
interests, goals, and strengths.
student's side, they can start
their journey to acceptance at
While the Academic Advisor is
the best universities in the
there to understand the student's
world!
academic goals and aspirations,
the family can ask as many
questions as they like in return!

YOU
02 WITH 03
Generating
CRIMSON
Identifying the
strengths and the unique
weaknesses game plan
Now that we've discussed the At Crimson, we don't believe in
student's goals and aspirations, the adage that 'one size fits all.'
it's time to evaluate the Instead, we design a
student's odds of admission to personalised programme
their initial preferred university tailored to each student's
choices. individual strengths and
weaknesses. Every student's
Based on the student's profile, a journey at Crimson looks
personalised program tailored unique.
to their individual strengths and
weaknesses is built. Following the consultation, we
will develop a customised
Crimson programme for the
student, taking into account
Examples: their academic goals and
budget.
Extracurricular Mentoring
Application Strategy Once the student is satisfied
Test Prep
with their individually crafted
programme, their educational
Essay Prep journey begins!
Best-fit University Selection
 Ready to
Get Started?
Talk to Us

CRIMSONEDUCATION.ORG