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Extracurriculars that landed him in Stanford
The world is noisy. You are constantly being bombarded with information about education, career and achieving success. If I could go back in time, the strategy below is what I’d tell young me to use to start “my thing,” and begin to leave my mark on the world. Most of you think that you will stand out and land your dream college, company by having a packed resume, straight As and lots of standard leadership positions (president of X, head of Y etc) Truth is admissions and even hiring manager doesn’t reward raw intelligence (sorry, school has lied to you…again) Getting all As in your AP classes will not guarantee you a spot at that research internship or at your dream college. Here’s the fun part: it’s not about working harder & being smarter. So what matters then? Getting into selective opportunities is about being uniquely impressive by creating VALUE in your community. By VALUE, I mean REAL product/service with USERS – not just another school club. See how his project amplified his interests (engineering + medicine = healthcare tech) and showcased his unique SKILL SET, which made him stand out from other candidates? Ofcourse your value adding activity is not limited to engineering projects. For example, if you’re an athlete who loves to write, you might combine these interests by finding a niche in sports journalism, such as starting a column for your high school newspaper. Or, if you’re a musician with a passion for helping your community, you could teach music lessons to children at your community center. If I was in school right now, I’d worry less about accolades for my resume & more about skills that I’ve built. I’d tell myself to start measuring the impact of my initiatives often. There’s no greater valuable lesson than learning, so I’d do more of that. Then watch the opportunities pour in. Lena |
Tinkering with OCE
Subscribe to OCE's weekly newsletter on tech, business and higher education...curated for the ambitious youth.
A wealthy man walks into a bank in New York. “I’m going away to Europe for two weeks and need to borrow $5,000.” The loan officer blinks. That’s it? Just five grand? “Of course,” he says, “but we’ll need collateral.” The man calmly hands over the keys to his Rolls-Royce. A $250,000 luxury car… offered as security for a $5,000 loan. Everyone at the bank laughs behind his back.“Who uses a Rolls-Royce as collateral for coffee money?”They park the car underground, still laughing. Two weeks later,...
Dear Changemaker, There’s one thing adults don’t tell you loudly enough: Your worldview has an expiration date. Not tomorrow. Not next year.But sooner than you think. Skills? You can learn those at 18, 35, or 57.Excel formulas, AI prompts, pitch decks, SEO — all teachable. But the way you see the world — what you think is possible, what you assume is normal, what you believe is valuable — that becomes concrete faster than you realize. Not because you choose it. But because you absorb it. And...
I’ve learned that no degree, job or company can define your future anymore. What will? Here's what I’ve observed: But FIRST If you are new, welcome to OCE’s weekly newsletter curated for the ambitious youth…here are some articles you missed from previous weeks: 📈 Why No One Successful Wants to Mentor You Read More → 🎨 Best tools for building your passion project Read More → 📘 The Future Belongs to Borderless Thinkers Read More → Reinvention will be your lifelong skill.Most young people won’t...