How to Get Recruited for College

Stand out!

It is a known fact that extraordinary students who demonstrate exceptional abilities, accomplishments, and potential, particularly in sports, can get recruited to college. However, not many people know that athletics is not the only ticket to college admissions. Because colleges are trying to produce a diverse and talented incoming class, they recruit brilliant students with extraordinary talents coming from different groups and organizations.


How to Get Recruited for College

There are three primary types of recruitment that college admissions committees from different schools do. These include:

1. Recruiting with guaranteed admission and a full scholarship;

2. Recruiting with guaranteed admission and no scholarship; and

3. Preferred admissions walk‐on situations


The first two types are fairly self‐explanatory and are more familiar to aspiring students who want to get recruited in college. The third type, offered by some top‐tier schools including Dartmouth College and Harvard University, works when an organization head, say a debate coach, chooses prospects who excel in the organization, ranks them according to their performance, and sends the list of preferred candidates to the admissions office of a particular college.


Recruiting from the Debate Team

Aside from athletics, another common organization where colleges recruit prospective students is the
debate team, whose members are exposed and trained to develop good communication, public
speaking, reasoning, and logical skills. Debate is often considered an “academic sport" because of the intense preparation and competitive spirit that the activity embodies.

If you are a member of the debate team and you want to get recruited by top universities in the US, it’s not enough that you get endorsed by your debate coach. Your name also has to ring a bell to college admissions officers. The best way to do this is to network with debate coaches and debate judges whom you have encountered over the years. You must also keep in constant communication with debaters you’ve met during tournaments and introduce yourself to debate advisers in the colleges you prefer to attend in. This is similar to athletes who go to camps and advertise themselves to coaches to get recruited.


Intrinsically Valuable Activities vs. Extrinsically Valuable Activities

Most importantly, a student can guarantee recruitment for college if he or she constantly aims for
excellence in activities that are both intrinsically and extrinsically valuable. An activity is said to be
intrinsically valuable if participation in it enables the student to demonstrate important qualities, such
as leadership, dedication, focus, and hard work by the captain of a state‐championship winning football team.

On the other hand, an activity is considered extrinsically valuable if participation in it shows that you can make a distinct contribution to the same activity or group when you attend college.  An active
and admirable high school debater, for example, can most likely be of help to the college debate team.

Role of Ethnic Student Groups in College Application

Many US colleges and universities promote diversity within their community and embrace varying ideas, experiences, and backgrounds from students of different races and cultures. However, this concept raises a lot of wrong assumptions from applicants and parents alike. Many people think that US colleges, to encourage diversity, bypass more qualified applicants to be able to accept minority candidates.


A college admissions coach and counselor debunks this myth, and confirms that highly selective
universities use high academic benchmark in selecting candidates. This benchmark includes factors such as a GPA, class rank, standardized test scores, extracurricular activities, and unique accomplishments both inside the school and within the community. Now, diverse candidates who have been considered would mean that they were able to reach this academic benchmark. The fact they belong to an underrepresented ethnic group simply adds further dimension to their profile. So, all things being equal, this distinction may enable a candidate to move from the “being considered” pile into the “accepted” pile.


Below is a list of some interesting student ethnic groups that can help members boost their college 
application further and help them get into the “accepted” pile of students.


African American Student Group

The African American ethnic student group focuses on the academic
and non‐academic concerns of African American students. It aims to address challenges facing African Americans and provide necessary cultural and educational assistance. The group also fosters student development and success through academic excellence, cultural awareness, leadership, and community service.


Asian American Student Group

The Asian American student group is composed of Asian Americans
who are committed to promote awareness and encourage interaction within the community they
belong in through social, cultural, academic, and athletic activities. The group also vanguards the
different issues facing Asian Americans today.


Hispanic and Latin American Student Group

The Hispanic and Latin American student group serves to
establish a bond among Hispanic students, while preserving and promoting the richness and diversity of the Hispanic and Latin American culture. Members of the group are taught to encourage cultural
diversity, articulate the concerns of Hispanic and Latino students, and cultivate relationships with other student organizations.


Korean Student Group

The Korean student group is normally composed of Korean Americans, Korean
Adopted, and Korean International students. It aims to introduce and spread the Korean culture into a
wider community. Members of the organization are committed to contribute their efforts into
supporting the Asian and Korean community through volunteer works and social and educational
events.


While ethnicity is not the primary criterion of colleges and universities when making admissions
decisions, it sure does boost a candidate’s application, especially when s/he can demonstrate how actively s/he participates in and contributes to an ethnic student group.