I am a sophomore in high school, and really want to get into a good college. I have a 4.0 GPA, and participate in a few after-school activities. I have signed up recently to volunteer monthly at a local soup kitchen. (Don't worry- I'm not only doing these things for colleges. Just saying.) What else do colleges look for? Any suggestions on what I could do to build up my resumé?

Wow, sounds like you are good to go!!

Are you in the states? If so, are you in the National Honors Society? What about sports?

Colleges look for someone who is well rounded.. . But not too involved in everything. They want to know that you're involved heavily in things that you really love not just spread yourself thin around everything. It sounds like you're doing great and you are on the road to getting in any college you want, just remember you need to find a school that fits you too.

Are you in the states? If so, are you in the National Honors Society? What about sports?

Yes, I live in Kentucky. I haven't joined the National Honors society, because I believe, at my school, they only open invitations junior year. I'm not quite sure. However, sports at my school are pretty hardcore and have to be your main focus. Obviously, academia is mine.

Ah, here in Tennessee the Honor's Society is open every year for every grade. My daughter is in Junior National Honor's Society in 8th grade.

Now, if you are interested in academia, I applaud you!! (I'm all for education if you can't tell, LOL), join the NHS when invites are open. It looks GREAT on the college resume.

As far as eligibility goes -- a solid GPA, a good score on the ACT or SAT, a killer essay (there are books available on how to write one), extracurricular activities*, and a pleasing interview with you are what college admissions look for.

*High school students come to me as a public library volunteer coordinator and do summer volunteering or even a couple of hours a week during their junior and senior years. Other kids volunteer at hospitals or animal shelters.

Now I'm going to tell you something you may not want to hear. Most colleges will give you a good education and new experiences.

It comes down to, do you want to go to a college near home or far away? Do you want to go to a big college or a small one? Do you want to go to a college near/in a big city or in a small town or rural area? Do you want to go to a state school (reasonable) or a private one (expensive)? Do you have a career in mind or do you want to lay a foundation of liberal arts that you can build on?

If you can narrow down the above choices, you will be a lot closer to chosing colleges that you can apply to.

The main thing though is the "fit". I had my mind all made up as to which college I wanted to attend and closed my mind to the other ones I visited. My son made the same mistake. Only later did each of us realize that other colleges would have filled the bill for education and would have been a much better fit.