Seven Virtues for Success
Genuineness
“Absolutely, having a robust, genuine character is one of the things we look for. It’s not just about a student’s ranking academically.”
– Maryln McGrath, Director of Admissions, Harvard University
“I have given multiple talks to parents and the narrative I present to them is that colleges are trying to find [the applicant’s] genuine voice. Sometimes students are doing so much that we can’t figure out what they are actually excited about. It would be better if they had focused on what they are actually excited about.”
– Jennifer Walker, Dean of Admissions, Brandeis University
Genuineness is the quality of being and expressing your true self, who you really are. It means acting and communicating in genuine, honest ways instead of being "fake" by pretending to be someone you're not or dishonest in presenting yourself and your accomplishments.