How a Self-Driven Project for High School Students Can Make Your Common App Unforgettable
- BetterMind Labs
- Jul 2
- 4 min read
Updated: Aug 19
“So what have you built outside of school?”
That was the question a Princeton alum asked Samarth Jajoo during his alumni interview. He didn’t just list achievements—he shared one of his self-driven projects for high school students, an app that detects counterfeit medicine, which then led the conversation.
Samarth built the app after reading about the high number of fake pharmaceutical drugs in developing countries. He designed it to identify suspicious pill markings and packaging patterns using machine learning models trained on open-source pharmaceutical datasets. He tested it in collaboration with community clinics in India and presented it at science fairs and research conferences.
That project didn’t just sit on his resume. It became the narrative anchor of his application.
He got into MIT, Stanford, and Princeton.
Why Colleges Love Self-Driven Projects
According to the Harvard Admissions Office, students who demonstrate initiative, creativity, and genuine interest in learning stand out. When admissions officers review thousands of Common Apps, they look for evidence of independent thinking. That usually doesn’t come from a school assignment. It comes from what students choose to do in their free time.
In fact, the 2023 Harvard Crimson survey found that over 70 percent of admitted students pursued independent academic or creative projects outside the classroom.
What Counts as a Self-Driven Project for High School Students?
Let’s clear this up.
It’s not about building the next Facebook. It’s about authenticity, depth, and initiative.
Some great examples include:
Starting a blog that analyzes political events through the lens of history
Designing a mobile app that tracks water usage in your home
Launching a podcast that interviews small business owners in your community
Conducting original research on plant growth and submitting it to local science fairs
Creating a community tutoring network and tracking student progress over time
Real Students, Real Projects
Here are examples of real students whose self-driven projects became the centerpiece of their Common App:
Sriram – Stock Market Prediction Model (BetterMind Labs)
Sriram, a high school junior with no prior coding experience, joined BetterMind Labs AI and Innovation Lab out of curiosity about how AI could be applied to finance. Over the course of the program, he built a stock market prediction model using historical price data, trading volume, and basic sentiment analysis from financial news headlines. With mentorship from industry experts, he trained and tested regression models, visualized predictions, and even published his findings in a blog aimed at educating other teens about market dynamics. His project became a central focus of his Common App, highlighting his initiative, interdisciplinary thinking, and ability to learn technical concepts independently.
Brian – F1 Racing Video Game Project
Brian, a student passionate about computer science and robotics, independently designed and coded an F1-style racing video game. But it wasn’t just for fun. He made deliberate design choices to make the game more inclusive and accessible for a broader range of users, especially female gamers. He documented his process, tested the game in his school community, and used the project to spark interest in computer science among younger students. This project allowed him to demonstrate real-world coding skills, creativity, and initiative, all of which stood out during his application review.
Jessica – International Creative Publication
Jessica, an aspiring writer and literature enthusiast, launched an international online publication to give a voice to underrepresented and diasporic writers. Not only did she run the editorial process, but she also designed and delivered online writing courses to help younger contributors develop their voices. Her project had a meaningful impact on students from multiple countries and showed her leadership, empathy, and global perspective. It was a standout in her college applications and reflected her long-term commitment to equity through storytelling.
What Makes a Self-Driven Project Stand Out on the Common App?
First, initiative. Did you start it yourself or wait to be told? Colleges love it when students take the lead without external pressure.
Second, consistency. Was it a weekend idea or something you pursued for months? Projects with depth and ongoing effort always shine more.
Third, impact. Did it solve a problem, reach an audience, or bring something new to your community? Even a small-scale impact shows thoughtfulness and execution.
Finally, reflection. What did you learn, and how did it change you? Many students build things but forget to reflect. Colleges want thinkers, not just doers.
In the Activities section, be specific. Don’t just write “Started a blog.” Instead, try something like: “Founded and wrote a biweekly economics blog read by over 5,000 monthly readers, focusing on Gen Z financial literacy.”
In your Additional Information section or essays, go deeper. Talk about the process. Talk about the obstacles. Talk about how it shaped you. That’s where your story becomes unforgettable.
How to Start Your Own Project
Here’s the truth no one tells you. You don’t need a big passion to begin. You just need curiosity and the willingness to follow it consistently.
Here’s a simple roadmap:
Start by picking a topic you’re curious about. Think about what you spend hours reading or watching online. That’s often your best starting point.
Then look for real problems or gaps in that area. Ask yourself what annoys you or what’s missing. Great projects often begin with simple frustrations.
Start building in public. This means documenting your progress on Medium, Substack, GitHub, YouTube, or anywhere else your audience might be. Don’t wait to be perfect.
Keep showing up. Even thirty minutes a day can lead to something big over a few months. Most students stop early. The ones who stick with it are the ones colleges remember.
Finally, reflect and package it. Once it’s done or in progress, start thinking about how you’ll explain it on the Common App. What you built is important, but what you learned is even more powerful.
Don’t Wait for Permission
The biggest lie students believe is that someone has to tell them it’s okay to start. You don’t need a teacher, a club, or a competition to make your project legitimate.
One of the most successful student founders from the MIT Class of 2027 started with nothing more than a Google Doc and curiosity about decentralized voting systems. That turned into a patent application and a summer internship with a blockchain startup.
Final Thoughts
Your grades may get you considered. But it’s your self-driven projects that get you remembered.
The world’s most selective colleges are not just looking for perfect students. They’re looking for builders, thinkers, and storytellers. Start building yours.
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