Your college application is your story, and not every story is a cinematic masterpiece. At the age of 17, answering the question of who you are seems unrealistic and selfish. Yet, no matter how old we are, we all have little glimpses of our being and our soul, and channelling them is the key task while applying to colleges.

Some students write applications that admissions readers don't want to read. I know this may sound harsh, but at the end of the day, we have to understand the system in which our applications are assessed.

Some things you put on your applications actually hurt your chances. And others are distractions and just application fillers. So, if you want your application to matter, here are 5 things that you should not put on your CV.

1. Shallow Activities

Extracurricular activities must show progression, interest, and dedication, but too many students pile their activities with ten clubs, three community service activities, and two precollegiate programs. Admissions officials don't want a resume in prose. They want evidence that you joined, contributed, and learned.

There is evidence for this. NACAC's 2023 State of College Admission survey found that while extracurriculars are considered moderately important to 44% of colleges, they're considered of "considerable importance" only by 6.5%.

Therefore, depth is more important than breadth. Ten shallow activities show you've tried everything: three deep activities show intention, dedication, and mastery.

So, what can you do instead? Highlight 3–5 MAIN experiences where something actually changed. For example, write how you "increased club membership by 40%" or "raised $2,500 for the local library." And always add a line on what you learned.

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2. Essays That Repeat Your Resume

Your essay should add something new to your application, yet many students write 650 words telling about their activities section, which, in the words of admissions counselors, is “a wasted opportunity.” Essays are the one place to reveal your personality, your reasoning, and your being.

NACAC findings show that essays have considerable significance at 19% of the surveyed colleges, but only when they offer some new insight.

So, center on a moment, choice, or setback. Illustrate what it taught you. Make the essay cinematic — write about your feelings, your inner world, and your personality.

3. Overplaying Test Scores

Test scores are your background, not story. An essay on a perfect SAT or ACT suggests you believe numbers define your being. But admissions offices have changed, SAT/ACT scores were only of "considerable importance" for 4.9% of colleges in the 2023 NACAC survey. Test-optional policies have made scores optional, not essential.

Therefore, leave those numbers alone. In your essay and supplements, write about curiosity, intellectual habits, and your worldview — what makes you unique, and why you think you deserve something most people will never get.

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4. Stacking Online Course Certificates as Achievements

A one-week coding bootcamp sounds wonderful — until everybody else who's applying also has one. Advisors always note that a certificate alone does not make an applicant stand out or special.

Instead, try to ACTUALLY make a change. Build something, publish findings, or bring the learning back to your community. A result of your knowledge is far more engaging than a shiny certificate.

5. An Essay That Isn't Yours

An essay is a very complex topic for me because it seems that we all get it wrong. We write essays that read "too good" and perfect, and not in a good way.

These types of essays bring up questions about who must have written them. Increasingly, heavy consultant editing and AI make essays too bland. Admissions officers notice these things, but authenticity is something they can't ignore.

Please, write in your own voice. Get 1–2 trusted mentor feedback, and use AI for ideas or grammar alone.

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In the end, a college application isn't a dramatic display of your life steps. It's your story. So, BE AUTHENTIC. Even if you don’t get chosen, you have presented yourself and only yourself, and there’s no more to argue.

You don't stay with someone who is not right for you. Life is a complex game, and not every rule will make sense to you. But, as you grow up, you’ll look back and be grateful for knowing that everyone who chose you chose you for WHO YOU NATURALLY ARE.