Some applicants treat everything like it needs to be perfect. Not just essays—but projects, events, clubs, websites, initiatives, even hobbies.
Meanwhile, time passes. And the opportunity passes with it.
In my view, perfectionism isn’t the sign of high standards that people think it is. And in its worst form, it’s fear disguised as diligence.
One of the quiet advantages I’ve seen in the strongest applicants over 13+ years is this:
They finish things.
Not perfectly—just fully. And that alone can make them extraordinary.
Here’s why finishing, not perfecting, matters in admissions:
1. Finishing Shows Follow-Through (A Skill Every School Values)
Anyone can start something. But actually finishing it? That’s more rare than it seems.
Example:
One of my college applicants started a “Women in Coding” club. She spent months designing the perfect meeting plan, the perfect flyer, the perfect first event… and as a result, the club kept getting pushed back.
Finally, she launched with an imperfect first meeting. Only three girls showed up, but she finished the launch. By senior year, the club had 40+ members and ran a community workshop. Her application didn’t showcase an idea; it showcased a completed initiative.
Lesson: The world is full of starters. Admissions committees want finishers.
2. Completing a Project Often Teaches More Than Perfecting It
Real growth comes from doing the whole thing, even if parts of it feel messy or unfinished.
Example:
One of my PT applicants spent a year planning to design a fall-prevention workshop for seniors at his local rec center. He wanted the slides to be flawless, the handouts beautiful, the data airtight. Months passed, and no workshop.
Finally, the rec center manager said, “Just run the first session. Improve it after.” He did. Six seniors came. One tripped during a balance drill. The handouts were misprinted, and yet, it became one of the most meaningful experiences he wrote about.
He didn’t execute it perfectly; he simply executed it and refined it from there.
Lesson: Completion creates impact. Perfection rarely does.
3. Finishing Creates “Proof of Work” in Your Application
Unfortunately, admissions isn’t about intentions. It’s about evidence.
Example:
One of my MBA applicants had a brilliant idea for a financial literacy course for teens. She kept refining the curriculum but never actually taught it. In her activities list, it sounded hypothetical… because it kind of was.
Contrast this with a college applicant who launched a simple, messy neighborhood composting program. It wasn’t high-tech. It wasn’t flashy. But it existed. He had numbers. Photos. A short write-up in the local paper.
Proof > potential.
Lesson: Completing something creates real stories, real data, and real credibility.
4. Finishing Makes You Interesting (Perfecting Makes You Stalled)
People who finish things accumulate stories. Adventures. Memories. Lessons. People who wait for perfection accumulate… drafts.
Example:
One of my pre-meds wanted to start a health-education YouTube channel. She said she’d launch once she learned video editing, bought the right mic, and developed a full curriculum.
Then she got busy. Then embarrassed. Then discouraged.
Meanwhile, her friend filmed three chaotic but charming TikToks about nutrition misconceptions using his iPhone and a stack of textbooks to prop it up.
Guess who ended up with 40K followers and an amazing essay topic?
Lesson: Imperfect action beats perfect hesitation every time.
5. Finishing Builds Character — Perfectionism Builds Anxiety
Every completed project, draft, event, or initiative adds to your confidence. Every abandoned one chips away at it.
Example:
One of my PA applicants wanted to organize a blood-pressure screening event at her church. She kept postponing, waiting for the perfect guest speaker, the perfect volunteer shifts, the perfect schedule.
One weekend, frustrated with herself, she ran it anyway. She and two friends bought a $20 BP cuff from Walgreens, set up a table, and checked 60 people’s blood pressure.
Two attendees ended up following up with their physicians because of elevated readings.
A life-impacting experience for the attendees. A powerful essay topic. And a turning point in her confidence.
Lesson: “Finished” creates momentum. Perfect creates paralysis.
Finishing doesn’t mean “settling.”
Finishing means leadership. It means courage. It’s how you build the life, portfolio, and set of stories that admissions committees remember.
So yes: you should care deeply about what you create. Polish thoughtfully. Revise intelligently.
But don’t wait for perfection. Because it’s probably not coming. Finish the damn thing.
Launch the club. Run the event. Publish the website. Submit the application. Share the project. Teach the class. Press upload, send, and submit.
Because in admissions, and in life, “good enough” is often how greatness begins.
.png){kind=spacer}
.png)
