For thousands of UAE students aiming for top US universities, academic excellence remains a priority.

But education experts say grades alone no longer define a strong application. What matters increasingly is the story behind those grades — the profile a student builds over time.

It’s about doing what matters, consistently and with purpose, long before the application season begins.

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Nazia Hasmi Ahmad, Educational Consultant at Eye on Ivy, said conversations with admissions teams reflect a clear shift in approach.

Recalling a discussion with the admissions team at New York University Abu Dhabi, she said there is growing concern about predicted scores. “There’s so much grade inflation these days… that it’s impossible to base the admission just on that,” she said. “US colleges… are increasingly focusing on holistic admissions. So, the grades and the SATs is just a part of who you are as a student that they want to admit.”

She highlights, profile building has become the differentiating factor.

From activities to impact

Many high-performing students in the UAE respond to competition by signing up for as many extracurriculars as possible. But Ahmad warns that this “scattergun” approach can backfire.

“If you’re doing tennis, piano, volunteering at a hospital… and also planning a pet rescue shelter and debating competitions, you’re scattering yourself,” she said, adding that this creates “a scattered story which just becomes more performative… rather than something that is showing in depth.”

Instead, universities are looking for alignment and measurable impact. “The extracurriculars that you’ve done… are actually supporting the major that you’re applying for,” she explained. “They want to see what measurable impact you have made in the major that you’re applying for.”

For example, a student intending to study engineering would benefit more from robotics competitions, internships, or research projects in that field than from unrelated short-term pursuits.

Depth, consistency and leadership matter more than sheer volume.

The power of relationships

Profile building is not just about what students do — but who can vouch for them.

Ahmad said many students approach consultants in Grade 11 ready to apply, only to realise they have not built meaningful relationships with teachers or mentors.

“When it comes time to prepare the letters of recommendation, they actually struggle,” she said. “If you’re suddenly coming to a teacher and saying you need to write my letter… and she has two weeks to write it, it’s not really going to have that big of an impact.”

Strong recommendation letters come from sustained engagement. “We encourage students to have very good relationships with the mentors… because those are the ones who will be writing your letters of recommendation,” she added.

Telling your story

At its core, profile building is about narrative.

“What these activities beyond grades and beyond your SATs are telling the university is who you are as a person,” Ahmad said. “What are your values? What have you learned… and how are you going to apply them?”

Without that foundation, students often struggle when it comes to essays. “We have students saying, ‘I’m really good at math, and I love video gaming.’ You can’t write too many essays with this,” she said, stressing that meaningful experiences cannot be created at the last minute. “If you’re not doing the planning… you can’t do that in the last stretch.”

She describes US applications as layered. Grades account for roughly 60 per cent of a profile, while extracurricular activities, essays and recommendation letters make up the remaining 40 per cent — all closely linked.

“Your essays and letters of recommendation are built off of your extracurriculars,” she explained. “There are layers upon layers… telling your story, your narrative.”

Start early, use breaks wisely

For UAE families, early planning is crucial. Ahmad advises students to begin narrowing down their intended field as early as Grade 9.

“You need to have a good idea what field you’re intending to pursue,” she said. For those who are undecided, psychometric tests can help, noting that “a lot of interesting things come out of the psychometric test as well.”

Volunteering, too, should ideally align with academic interests to create a cohesive profile.

Her most practical advice relates to school holidays — often seen as downtime. “Winter break and summer break… should not just be holidaying,” she said. “That’s your time where you can actually do something. You can holiday once you get into universities.”

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