Getting into college may feel like an impossible task, but it doesn’t have to be. Of course, you have to make sure that your GPA is where it should be and that you are putting in the work to get there. If you’re college-bound, you’re probably already doing the basics to ensure you’re ready for college life. But just in case, we’ve got a few tips to make getting into college even easier.

1.     Be Confident

When it comes to getting into college, confidence is key. As a successful high school student, you probably have pretty high grades and a good grasp of basic academics. Even if you have the right stuff on paper, you still have to sell yourself to the college you want to attend. Usually, this comes in the form of the dreaded college application essay. It is here that you’ll let the college know why you deserve a place at their school over other students with similar GPAs and extracurriculars.

To practice, write a list of all the things you are good at. If you need help, ask friends or teachers what they think is great about you. This will boost your confidence and help you sell yourself to the school you want to go to.

2.     Make Friends with School Staff

While you’re in high school, your teachers, counselors, and principals will be some of the greatest help you can get for getting into college. Spend time before or after class, or even during lunch, with your favorite teacher. Let them get to know you as a person instead of just a student. Once you form this professional relationship with teachers, you’d be surprised what you can learn from them. And when they see your drive to get into college, you may just have a great letter of recommendation on your hands!

3.     Read—a LOT

Reading is one of those activities that sets successful students apart from their peers. We don’t just mean getting required reading done for classes. Studies have shown that students who read for enjoyment average higher scores than students who do not. Reading will increase your vocabulary and your awareness of syntax and grammar, which means you’ll be a better writer; this will come in handy for those college essays! The key is to find something you’re interested in reading and just keep reading. Graphic novels, historical fiction, romance—anything is fair game, as long as you enjoy it.

4.     Be More Interesting

It sounds simple, but how does a person actually become more interesting? One easy way is to invest time in worthwhile media. It’s easy to spend hours online looking at memes and cat videos, but next time you’re on YouTube, check out a TED talk or a video on linguistics in popular films. Find an idea you’re interested in – moviemaking, true crime, activism, plant identification – and read articles or watch videos about it. You won’t feel bored, because it’s something you’re interested in, and you’ll be surprised how much you will learn. Having a passion or something you enjoy learning about in your spare time will not only set you apart from the crowd to get into college, but it will also prepare you for how to learn new subjects while you’re in college.

5.     Be Careful with Social Media

We’ve already mentioned that spending time online for pure boredom-driven entertainment is not ideal, but you should be careful with social media, too. Spending too much time on Instagram or Snapchat can take up a lot of your day. It’s important to have a good social life, but try to keep most interactions with the real world. Practicing person-to-person communication will also prepare you for any college interviews you may have to do.

Aside from spending too much time on social media, be careful with what you post. It isn’t uncommon for colleges to look at profiles of applicants to see if they would truly be an asset to the school.

Concluding Thoughts

Getting into college is hard; we won’t deny it. But by following the above tips, you should be more prepared to attack the application and be confident you’ll make it.