College admissions is a complex and rigorous process; admissions committees know and value that too. When talking about students who stand out academically, words like determined, focused, resolved, dedicated, thoughtful, brilliant, versatile, and robust are often used. However, confidence and authenticity are left behind but are crucial to the admissions process.
Without confidence and authenticity, capturing the true essence of the student's commitment to admissions is difficult. In addition, international students can experience numerous challenges in many areas like language, social and cultural differences, financial stressors, and other concerns regarding moving out.
"The most amazing and inspirational people I've met in my life exude confidence and authenticity. Our students are those people. When I talk to our students, I hear their challenges and successes, their goals and aspirations. I hear our students' confidence in how they describe their comfort with their weaknesses rather than their strengths. I see our students' authenticity when they explain how they can ask for help while recognizing they don't have all the answers. Our student's stories are expressions of belief and strength."
Michael J. Frasciello,
Ph.D., Dean, Syracuse University
What admissions officers lay the most emphasis on is authenticity. They want your uniqueness to shine through your application without paying much attention to what the officers might want to see as ideal candidates. They want you to embrace your weaknesses and be comfortable about them instead of getting fixated on them. Despite the uncertainty and ambiguity, the ability to persevere speaks volumes to the committees.
Over the past couple of years of working with students, students have faced some common challenges while addressing their weaknesses. Before we even discuss these challenges and how to handle them tactfully, let's look at why admissions officers want to know about them in the first place:
To evaluate your assessment of self.
To assess whether you are aware of your weakness and how you address and improve them.
To assess how your skills and traits will balance out those of others.
To gauge your motivations and emotional quotient.
Thinking and talking about your weaknesses is a humbling experience. Therefore, it is crucial to be prepared to discuss them before interacting with the officers. Your answer to this question should demonstrate awareness of your weakness and the willingness and ambition to change. Rather than disguising a strength as a weakness, use this opportunity to address skills or personal characteristics you can improve upon.
Structuring your Weakness
Admissions officers ask you to state your weakness to know more about you. It is essential to structure your response before you state it. Make use of the following tips to tackle this question well:
Perform self-reflection
Prepare for this question by reflecting on yourself for a while. Ask yourself a few questions that help you formulate a response –
What challenges do you encounter regularly?
What feedback have you received in the past?
What are your personal goals?
What tasks do you find yourself having to do over again?
Consider the university you're applying to
While crafting a response to this question, make sure you consider the university you're applying to. Although you want to demonstrate to the admissions that you possess all the skills and qualities they require, you can think of ways you could excel as a student on the campus. Think of skills you could improve to be a more qualified applicant. Demonstrate to the admissions committee that you are goal-oriented and interested in learning new things.
Make it positive and actionable
After stating your weakness, share with them how you want to overcome it. You can turn your weakness into an opportunity to become a more skilled and qualifiable applicant and, overall, a more well-rounded applicant. This can help you emphasize that you are willing to accept challenges.
Common Weaknesses Students Face
To further address the most common types of weaknesses students end up talking about, we have divided them into three broad categories:
Medical-diagnosable conditions that often hamper self-esteem or productivity
Many medically-diagnosable conditions can lead to lower self-esteem or productivity; if you want to address it in your essays, you can do it. For example – We have had a student who was an avid footballer and developed a condition wherein he became allergic to his sweat. We've had other students talk about their weight loss journeys and struggles with conditions like ADHD, Dyslexia, etc.
Personal traits
Many students struggle with traits they consider weaknesses, like fear of public speaking, introversion, self-criticism, shyness, etc. While these might be weaknesses for some people, you don't need to think of these traits as weaknesses; they could also be a part of you. Also, don't think of these traits from the perspective of a college admissions officer.
For example - We have had students address their fear of public speaking very often and how they were put into situations where they had to fight their weakness and came out with flying colors once they confronted it.
External or internal activities that impact emotional quotient
Often, students struggle with circumstances they have no control over, and these incidents can have lasting impacts on their emotional quotient.
For example – We have had students talk about the loss of a loved one, the hospitalization of a family member, being a victim of bullying at school, etc. Situations like these can have long-term impacts on students but can also lead to a better understanding of self if tackled strategically.
If you’re looking to apply to international universities or exploring overseas higher education options, The Headmaster Consulting can help you narrow your selection while also giving you an overview of what life at university would be like. We help you decipher what the universities seek from their candidates through our Dean’s Desk. If you’re unsure about your applications, get in touch with one of our consultants to help you build an extraordinary application and profile.
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