This is my absolute favorite shortcut to an Ivy-impressive resume. I used this technique to help me get accepted to Harvard and Yale. It demonstrates initiative, leadership, and a desire to help the world. It also gives you valuable skills that you can apply throughout college and your career.

So what shortcut can give you a leg up for your Harvard application? Planning, organizing, and executing an amazing volunteer event, preferably related to your base. Planning an event is not nearly as difficult as it sounds. There are just a few things you need to keep in mind when pulling your event together.

Sponsors

Sponsors make events especially successful. It’s not nearly as hard as you think to get sponsors for your event. The key here is simple: Just Ask! I received hundreds of dollars worth of donations for Harvard’s Earth Day celebration from over a dozen earth-friendly companies just by asking. To make this even easier you, you can use the exact word-for-word email script I used to secure my donations. Feel free to tweak it to ask for different and bigger sponsorship.

Don’t forget to thank your sponsors. This is a small step that sets you apart from everyone else. It also means you’ll have a relationship with these sponsors that you can tap into for your next event. I’ve included a sample thank you note for you to use.

You can use these same tactics to get exhibitors, hosts, volunteers, and attendees. Partners are critical to successful events, so figure out what non-profit or school or company will be the best to act as your host and event partner. Once you come up with your event idea, this should be the next step.

Example Events

1. Start planning your event this week. The sooner you get started, the better it will be.
2. Contact at least ten sponsors using the exact word-for-word email script.
3. Leave a comment or email me about the event you’re planning. I’d love to hear about it.