When you are applying to college, a baseline assumption is that you are continuing your education in order to learn from the professors and academic resources available at the schools you are applying to. Therefore, one way to impress admissions officers is to show them how you can contribute to the academic community in college.

This allows the admissions officer to easily visualize how you will fit in at the school. Some applicants have a strong and immediate passion for an area of study, while others find themselves slowly growing an appreciation for a subject over time.

The one trait the students in this section share is a strong commitment to learning and education. You will read about students exploring their intellectual capacity: a girl learns to appreciate ancient languages, a boy uses his own experience to teach younger children how to be effective public speakers, and an aspiring doctor performs brain surgery on a rat. Tell admissions about how you’ve gone above and beyond in your academic explorations—and also show them you have the passion to continue this journey when you come to college.