Your Passion Project

Colleges want someone who’s passionate about something.

The good news is, you can be passionate about literally anything. It doesn’t have to be some big, fancy thing like curing cancer or establishing world peace. It can (and arguably should) be a much smaller thing, even something overlooked by others! More on that in a moment.

The bad news is…modern education is rarely built for fostering passions. Among all the APs and tests and clubs and required service days and mandatory (or voluntary) sports and so much homework and studying…when do you have time to develop a real passion?

Well, you need to start early. The Passion Project is one of the biggest reasons to start early, actually! Learn more about College Strategy timing here.

Why do they care about passion?

I’ll mention this on several pages and in person constantly: they want successful people to go out and do amazing things, and they want the news to read “Harvard alumni John Smith has cured cancer”. That builds their brand.

People who are passionate are more likely to go out and make a difference. People who really care usually showcase greater impact. People who are passionate turn into Leaders, not managers.

How do we know that colleges care about Passion?

Same way we know everything else they care about: they set policies and they ask supplemental essay questions. Colleges ask questions like…

Brown: Brown students care deeply about their work and the world around them. Students find contentment, satisfaction, and meaning in daily interactions and major discoveries. Whether big or small, mundane or spectacular, tell us about something that brings you joy.

Columbia: In Columbia’s admissions process, we value who you are as a unique individual, distinct from your goals and achievements. In the last words of this writing supplement, we would like you to reflect on a source of happiness. Help us get to know you further by describing the first thing that comes to mind when you consider what simply brings you joy.

Cornell: College of Architecture, Art, and Planning: What is your “thing”? What energizes you or engages you so deeply that you lose track of time? Everyone has different passions, obsessions, quirks, inspirations. What are yours?

Princeton: What brings you joy?

MIT: We know you lead a busy life, full of activities, many of which are required of you. Tell us about something you do simply for the pleasure of it.

Caltech: Optional: When not surveying the stars, peering through microscopes, or running through marathons of coding, Caltech students pursue an eclectic array of interests that range from speedcubing to participating in varsity athletics to reading romance novels. What is a favorite interest or hobby and why does it bring you joy?

So, what do you do for your Passion Project?

I like to have this project relate to a student’s major, but it’s not necessary.

Let’s say you want to go into computer science. Well, you should have some key projects on your resume/portfolio that deal with coding, data, AI, etc. Those can be your Passion Projects. You could code a useful website or create a video game. Sometimes the Passion Project can even be combined with your Service Project!

If you want to go into engineering, you need to build something. Top engineering schools won’t take you seriously if you’ve never picked up a screwdriver yet in your life. So, your Passion Project can be building something functional, a new toy, a fidget device, something artistic, or any other thing. It can be more mechanical or more robotic, doesn’t matter.

If you’re into art, you can make art. If you love music, you can make music. You can write poetry or a play. You can start a business selling products or services. I have tons of examples of real Passion Projects that people turned into successful YouTube channels, blogs, cookbooks, etc.

You really can do anything. As with the Service Project, the scale of your Passion Project should change in proportion to the competitiveness of the reach schools or Ivies you want to get into.

For tons of examples of Passion Projects, follow this link. Some of these were teen passion projects. Others were made by adults. But any of these could be created by a passionate teen such as yourself!

Do you have to have a Passion Project?

More colleges ask about your passions and joys than any other topic. They’ll ask you about your hands-on passions and your intellectual passions. They really want to know that you pursue things with fervor. So, I would really recommend adding this project to your resume.

Key Takeaways

• You need a Passion Project. The size will depend on how much of a reach your dream school is.

• Your Passion Project can align with your intended major, or it can be completely different.

• But, be sure to do enough in your intended field to be taken seriously. (You can’t get into Juilliard if you’ve never played an instrument or sung in your entire life.)

If you want to get your child started on the path to success, check out my current packages and pricing and set up a free initial consultation today.