In a sea of college and scholarship applicants stuffing their resumes and double-proofreading their essays, how do you make yours stand out? Here are some things to remember when applying for college or a scholarship:

Your essays are who you are

Essay prompts range from the usual “what will you bring to our glorious institution?” to the rather quirky “you’ve just reached your one millionth hit on your YouTube video. What is the video about?” The most important thing to remember is that essays are a way of getting to know who you are, not someone who writes the same things as everyone else and then slips in as many SAT vocabulary words into every paragraph as possible. Imagine that you are someone who has to sit at a desk and leaf through hundreds of applications for hours at a time. Think outside the box and write something that will grab their attention and single you out as a top candidate.

A well-rounded resume

Extracurricular activities, academic honors, work and volunteer experience are all things your resume should be filled to the brim with. Include all of these things, but also be sure to pay close attention to the relationship between what you put on your resume and what you are applying for. For instance, if you are applying to a prestigious university, National Honor Society member sounds great, but maybe leave out the pie-eating contest you won at the state fair last year.

Be aware of your digital footprint

The Internet is not Vegas. What happens online, does not stay online. With one quick Google search, whoever is considering your application could potentially throw it out without a second thought after seeing a picture you posted from that crazy party last year. Be mindful of what is out there with your username attached to it. A clean online presence will show that you have an upstanding moral compass.

Do your research

As always, knowledge is power. Be sure to have background information on what you are applying for. Showing that you took the time to learn about it will make your dedication evident and set you apart as a driven applicant. This will also come in handy if the selection process includes an interview, as common questions often ask why you chose to apply for a particular scholarship or institution. If you are applying for college, then some information about the school will also make your transition there smoother.

Be yourself, be unique

Let’s be honest, we have all probably learned the importance of being ourselves from our enthusiastic kindergarten teachers and their eloquently woven “storytime” fables. But our uniqueness is in fact a key element to a successful application. The goal of selection processes is to choose those unique people who possess the imagination and individuality to bring something new to whatever it is they are applying for. Remember the “three interesting facts about yourself” icebreaker that you probably had to take part in on the first day of school? Convey who you are in your application in a similar way. Ask yourself what the top three things you would tell someone new about yourself are. That will give you some ideas for one-of-a-kind details you can add to your application.

Don’t stress

Work, school, extracurriculars and college and scholarship applications? During the crucial and hectic application time, it’s hard not to get overwhelmed by everything that is happening at once. It is vastly important to balance out your to-do list before deadlines roll around. Try making a schedule for your application process. Think of your ideas on Monday, make an outline on Tuesday and a rough draft on Wednesday. Breaking down the process will help balance out your time and provide your best quality work.