The impression a college gets of your student will affect their admission decision. Dressing for success is so much more than the clothes your student wears to a college interview. It’s how your student presents himself to the colleges and what image they see of him as they look at the overall picture.

How do you impress a college? It’s a combination of showing interest, marketing yourself and making a positive impression on social media.

Show interest

Colleges want to know you are interested in attending. They don’t want to be just another name on your college list. They want to know that if you apply, and are offered admission, there is a good chance you will accept and attend. You can show interest by taking an official campus tour, connecting on social media, and meeting with an admissions officer for an interview. Colleges keep track of how many times you have showed interest.

Want to know how much emphasis a colleges places on your demonstrated interest? Check out this list from College Curators: https://thecollegecurators.com/list-of-colleges-that-consider-demonstrated-interest/

Market yourself

You’re basically saying “pick me” to the colleges. Although you are the consumer, the ball is in their court for the first phase of this process. Take every opportunity to market yourself to them. They want to know you and see what you have to offer their college community.

Make a positive impression on social media

Use all avenues of social media positively. Post pictures of your volunteer activities on Facebook and Instagram. Converse with colleges on Twitter. Set up a profile on LinkedIn and connect with colleges there. The key word here is POSITIVE.

Don’t pretend to be someone you’re not. Colleges want to see the real you, not a version of a person you think they want to see.

Interested in tips for the college interview? Read College Interview Questions to Ask and Answer