Thinking Thursday: Your HS Highlight Reel

Williams Educational wants you to pause and rewind before you dive into another AP review session or finish that final project.

It's Thinking Thursday, and you're the star of the show. 🌟

From freshman-year jitters to junior-year wins—you've done stuff. A lot of it.

Now's the time to write it down (if you haven't already!) Why? When college apps drop this summer, you'll need a sharp, standout Activities Section, which means remembering all the awesome things you've done now while it's fresh.

Your Thinking Thursday To-Do List:

1. Rewind - Think back through each year of high school.

• Clubs you joined (and maybe led!)

• Sports, performances, competitions

• Jobs, volunteer work, family responsibilities

• Summer adventures, self-started projects, hidden talents

2. Hit Pause & Reflect

• What were your biggest wins?

• What challenges did you overcome?

• Where did you show leadership or make an impact?

• What did you learn?

3. Start Your Activity Draft

List up to 10 activities you've done outside the classroom. For each activity, do the following:

• Name it

• Describe what you did (use action verbs!)

• Highlight your impact (numbers help!)

• Although your final edits must be under 150 characters, now is not the time to be too concerned about character count. Remember, you are only getting out your ideas, so think big!

4. Use These Tools

• Google Docs or a Notes app

• Common App Preview Mode (It's not too early to start your Common App account, just don't add any colleges until after August 1st!)

• Williams Educational's Activity Brainstorm Guide (email wendy@williamseducational.com to receive your guide!)

Thinking Thursday isn’t just a walk down memory lane—it’s your first step toward crafting a college application that reflects who you are, what you’ve done, and where you're headed.

Use today to pause, reflect, and start your Activities Section. You’ve done so much—now let’s put it into words that shine.

We celebrate your accomplishments and are committed to helping you craft the narrative that guides your wise decisions. We are here to support you every step of the way.