Every few years, the conversation around college admissions zeroes in on a specific word or phrase intended to elucidate one of the most nerve-wracking processes society asks teenagers to undergo. When I graduated in 2019, that word was “holistic.” College counselors encouraged me and my peers to “tell a story” about our place in the world, showcasing the skills and interests that made us “well-rounded individuals” ready to take on higher education.
Today, it’s all about “branding.” The jack-of-all-trades model is out. Instead, 17-year-olds are encouraged to “market” themselves through their college applications, using their individuality to “stand out against the competition” and prove their worth to universities. Terms like “selling” and “brand awareness” are increasingly appropriated from the business world to help applicants understand how they’ll be evaluated by college admissions officials. In one webinar, students are encouraged to contemplate what companies like Nike and Toyota are “known for” and apply a similar logic to their own application profile.
Students should not be dismissed for finding this rhetoric disheartening. Equating individuals to corporations is, by definition, dehumanizing. However useful the “personal branding” model may be, parents should be prepared to provide the support and empathy their child will need throughout the college application process.
Understanding the “Personal Branding” Model
Before sitting down with your teen to discuss their goals for higher education, consider researching terms like “corporate identity” and “personal branding” to better understand what the application process might entail. Broadly speaking, branding is all about presenting an image to a public audience. For corporations, that audience encompasses current and prospective consumers. For individuals, it includes industry experts, colleagues, and future employers.
Throughout the application process, your child’s audience will include college admissions officials as well as teachers, coaches, employers, peers, mentors, mentees, relatives, and community members.
In other words, while helping your child cultivate a personal brand that will appeal to their dream schools, it may be helpful to consider the image they have already sought to develop of themselves in their everyday lives.
Identifying Your Teen’s “Personal Brand”
While the perspective of a loving parent is often helpful, it is important to keep in mind that the most authentic personal brand must feel true to the applicant. Questions like “How do you want people to describe you when you aren’t around?” and “Can you think of any examples of things you do or say to portray that image to others?” can prompt valuable self-reflection.
For example, a teen who wants to be remembered as a committed student and a source of support to their peers may attend after-school tutorials regularly and volunteer to provide notes to their classmates with learning accommodations. Whether or not those habits ultimately inspire a college application essay, that student is likely to receive a stellar letter of recommendation from a trusted teacher. Remember that recommendation letters are a vital component of an applicant’s brand because they provide firsthand evidence of that audience perspective we discussed earlier.
A brainstorming session with your child might proceed as follows:
Parent: “What words have your friends used to describe you in the past?”
Student: “They’ve described me as goofy, caring, and chill.”
Parent: “Can you explain why they might associate you with those adjectives?”
Student: “Well, they think I’m goofy because I love creating new chants for the girls’ varsity soccer team, and I’ve made our TikTok account go viral several times by getting my teammates to participate in fun trends online. I’m caring because I’ve helped mentor some of our new recruits who probably felt overwhelmed when they started out. Also, my friends think I’m chill because I do my homework at the last minute.”
Procrastination aside, this student possesses a great opportunity to develop a personal brand tailored to their warm and enthusiastic personality. A college admissions essay all about that student’s experience mentoring a single teammate can paint a picture of an empathetic, active listener who cares about cultivating a positive environment for others. Add to that a resume exhibiting that student’s long-term commitment to volunteering for a youth athletics program, alongside a “Why This College?” essay focused on the opportunity to network within a particular university’s Women in STEM organization, and there you have it: a strong personal brand backed by experience and the desire to contribute proactively to a college environment.
As implied above, it is vital that students tailor their applications to the specific universities to which they apply. In fact, some experts encourage applicants to take inspiration from a university’s own marketing campaign: what characteristic is that university particularly proud of, and how can your student position themselves as a valuable contributor to their brand?
Most importantly, remind your student that the application process is not about cementing their identity into a permanent, unchangeable mold. Rather, it’s about looking back on their lives and reflecting upon everything that has shaped their “personal brand” today.
Feeling overwhelmed? Every summer, the Enrichery offers a highly productive College Admissions Workshop (CAW) program for junior-year students seeking assistance drafting, writing, and editing college application essays; applying for scholarships; and constructing resumes. With 7 scheduling options available between June and August, workshops take place over a single immersive week, ensuring the rest of your teen’s summer remains open and their senior year workload is reduced considerably.
For more information, submit a request to contact us at https://theenrichery.com/contact-us-submission/!
