English is a highly competitive major in college, attracting aspiring journalists, readers, novelists, teachers, and more. As such, English programs at top-tier universities receive a flood of applications each year. Popular majors equal competitive majors, so you need to make your application shine to stand out from the crowd.
The great news is that we specialize in helping students gain admission to their dream colleges, so you have nothing to worry about. In our experience, the most effective way to boost your application is to pick a niche—a specific area within your major to become an expert in. By focusing in on something specific, you can showcase your expertise and passion, making your application truly stand out. Let’s talk about why building your niche is important and how to do it:
Niches and Their Importance
Picking a niche is crucial. Specializing in a specific subject not only demonstrates your expertise but also appeals top colleges seeking unique interests that are not already represented at their school. Essentially, it provides two distinct advantages in the competitive admissions process.
Let's consider Elton, a student who wants to major in English but isn't sure why. He has loved all his English classes, but has no idea what to specialize in. After discussing his interests, he realizes he's passionate about storytelling and journalism, but doesn’t want to major in journalism writ large. Through further research and conversations, he decides to focus on narrative storytelling, inspired by writers like Truman Capote and Jon Krakauer. Now, his niche is literary journalism, focusing on personal narratives and autobiographies. That's a good place to start.
Putting In The Legwork
Once you've decided on your niche, the next step is to start becoming an expert in it. Having a specific topic of interest is great, but without the necessary skills and knowledge, it won't significantly impact your college application. So, let's explore ways to truly own your niche.
The easiest way to begin is by joining a relevant club at school. If your high school has a student-published newspaper, yearbook committee, or English club, those are excellent places to start. Beyond the classroom, look into part-time jobs with local newspaper publishers, libraries, or related businesses to gain professional experience. If those options aren’t available, consider online classes, summer programs, or internships.
Showing Off
Once you've gained some relevant skills, it's time to focus on ways to stand out further and surpass other high-achieving students. The best way to do this is by using your niche to accomplish something Big and Impressive that colleges haven’t seen before. Creating something uniquely yours can greatly enhance your chances of getting into your dream college.
For potential English majors, a great place to start is getting your work published. Many organizations are eager to publish books, poems, articles, and other literary works in general, and are open to work by high schoolers, so the biggest challenge is finding one that fits your needs and preferences. We’re making this sound easy, but you’ll need to be persistent and resilient here. But, by showcasing your work and demonstrating your expertise, you'll make a more meaningful impression on college admissions committees.
What Have We Learned?
The big takeaway here is that having a niche is crucial, no matter what your major is. Using your niche to position yourself as an expert in your field will significantly enhance your college application. It's important to decide on your niche sooner rather than later so you can begin showcasing your expertise to admissions counselors.
Deciding on a niche can be hard. If you don’t know where to get started, send us an email. We help students with their niches all the time.