5 Traits of Top Students 🥇

Hey y’all,

Lately, I’ve been reminiscing on my time in college and some of the incredible people I met—science fair winners, olympiad medalists, and even startup founders.

I knew this one kid who had not one, not two, but three IMO gold medals.

I also remember meeting another kid who built a car-sharing app that had raised $40 million.

These students were intimidating (but also inspiring) because they not only had some of the wildest accomplishments, but also a stellar academic record.

During my time in college, I naturally spent a lot of time with these students and began to piece together why they were so successful.

Today, I’ll cover five of these traits so hopefully you can learn what it takes to become a top 1% students.

Trait #1: They’re Mission-Driven

If you’re in high school, I don’t expect you to know your life’s calling—or to know what career you want to pursue after college.

But I think the most successful students are on some sort of mission—whether it’s an academic area they want to dive deeper into, a social cause they want to advocate for, or a sport they want to get really good at.

Early on in high school, they simply choose something and give it everything they have.

Most students, however, don’t know what their mission should be. They either have too many options or none at all.

If you have too many options, my advice is to lean into the one activity or pursuit where you have a natural advantage.

For example, if you’re into environmental justice and your school has a community garden, a birdwatching club, and offers AP environmental science, you should capitalize on these natural advantages.

What if you don’t have any options?

Simple. Write down a list of things that you like.

They don’t have to be academic subjects; they don’t have to be extracurricular activities. Just think about a topic you could talk about for hours.

Now, take the one that resonates most see how you can turn it into something bigger.

Could that love of K-pop turn into a research study?

Could that love of building PCs turn into a small business?

Could that of the Hunger Games turn into a YouTube channel where you post video essays?

Trait #2: They Find Mentors

Most top students, no matter how smart, realize they don’t know everything. So they seek help for their projects—whether it's doing a research project, starting a business, or even training for an olympiad.

They're relentless when it comes to asking for help, and will often cold message anyone, which, in my opinion, is a great idea because successful adults want to help young people succeed.

For example, if these students want experience in the film industry, they’re going to assemble a portfolio and cold email directors and producers.

If they want to start a business, they’re going to ask successful entrepreneurs to mentor them.

If they want to become writers, they might email professional authors for guidance.

This seems crazy. But they don’t care. They know they probably won’t get responses. But they don’t care.

They know that all they need is that one response that can unlock a whole array of opportunities.

Trait #3: They Think Outside the Box

The most successful students, in my opinion, are doing the things that seem a little unusual.

They don’t care about what’s “normal” or what’s appropriate for their age. They simply want to pursue their mission in the deepest and most meaningful way possible.

If you struggle to think outside the box, I want you to take your mission and ask yourself, “How can I pursue this in a way that other students aren’t?”

Question what you think is possible. Think beyond the clubs at your school. Think beyond what people deem appropriate for your age.

If you’re into movies, could you make your own short film? If you’re into AI and technology, could you build a web application?

As you think outside the box, you will come up with unrealistic ideas. If some of them seem genuinely impossible, let them go. But then also question if some of these things are really as hard as you think they are.

Trait #4: They See the Bigger Picture

Highly successful students are intentionally shaping their resume to align with both their personality and their core mission.

And to illustrate this point, I want to introduce you to three different students.

We have John. His five activities are:

1. Vice President, Environmental Club

2. Volunteer, Animal Shelter

3. Organizer, Environmental Non-Profit

4. Intern, Environmental Policy Organization

5. Research Assistant, Sustainable Agriculture Project

Then we have Emily. Her five activities are:

1. President, Environmental Club

2. Volunteer, Local Wildlife Sanctuary

3. Organizer, Eco-Friendly Fashion Show

4. Guitarist, Local Band

5. Baker, Home Baking Business

And finally we have Bob. His five activities are:

1. Captain, Debate Team

2. Volunteer, Soup Kitchen

3. Member, Robotics Club

4. Drummer, School Band

5. Intern, Local History Museum

I think students like Emily are able to see the bigger picture and realize that yes, while it’s important to have a mission, it’s also important to showcase personality.

Her list has a nice balance. We can tell that although she’s passionate about the environment, there’s more to her. And this slight variety might make her seem more interesting to a college admissions committee, a scholarship committee, or a prospective employer.

John’s list, on the other hand, is a bit more one-dimensional, and Bob’s list is all over the place.

Look, there’s nothing wrong with John’s list, and there’s nothing wrong with Bob’s list. Students like John and Bob also get into top colleges, win scholarships, and land jobs.

But Emily’s list proves that in order to showcase your passion, every one of your activities does not have to be about that one thing. Pursue a few things that center around that topic, but then also do a few things that you genuinely love.

Trait #5: They’re Effective Communicators

You could have the most impressive activities list in the world, but if you can’t talk about them in a way that’s clear and compelling, you might struggle to appeal to a college or employer.

I find that the most successful students are able to move people with their words.

For example, think about running for a leadership position—that speech needs to convince your peers that you’re the best one for the job.

Think about a job interview—you need to show a potential employer that you have the necessary skills and attributes for the position.

And think about the college admissions process—you need to show colleges that you are a great fit for their school.

Effective communication is a skill that you can practice, and it’s something that each and every one of you watching has the ability to master, even if you’re introverted.

The skill that you need to master is storytelling. At some point in your academic career, you will have to tell a story about a time when you displayed one of the following characteristics:

• Maturity

• Leadership

• Initiative

• Teamwork

If you want to get a head start, I recommend you to take each of these traits, think of a related anecdote, and jot it down in a notebook.

Hope that helped! What did you think about this newsletter? What do you want to see in the future? Feel free to DM me on Instagram to let me know (@goharsguide).

If you want additional study advice, come join my Discord! We have a global community of students helping each other succeed in school. Would love to see you there.

And if you need help with college applications, check out Next Admit! We have a team of Ivy League consultants eager to help you navigate the admissions process.

I’ll see you next week!

Best,
Gohar