What does it take to get into a great school? How do you know how many clubs to join, how to balance academics and volunteering, which classes to take? Blue Stars has seen hundreds of students struggle with these questions.

Think about this: You wouldn’t try to build a piano if you’ve never seen a piano, would you? You wouldn’t set out to win the world soccer championship without first watching expert players win games.

To become a highly competitive student yourself, you need to know what other highly successful students did to get into their dream schools.

So how do you find out what they did?

Blue Stars has gathered some powerful information for you in our Profiles of Highly Successful Students doc below. In it, you’ll learn about what top colleges look for, what successful profiles look like, and where you stand in comparison. Don’t forget the self-assessment on the second page!

• Read Profiles of Highly Successful Students below
• Use the Self-Assessment to think about your current admissions profile
• Develop your action plan — what activities will demonstrate your initiative and engagement?

*Insider Tip: While a general overview of the backgrounds of highly successful students can help, remember: there are no cookie-cutter answers! Each student’s strengths and each college’s approach to admissions is different.