With over 7 billion people on the planet, there is almost endless diversity regarding how we experience and interact with the world around us. It is always interesting to meet people we have things in common with and those who are different from us; both are valuable learning experiences! 

While each of us is unique and complex, we can seek to understand ourselves and others in many ways. One of these is through the idea of personality: or the combination of our strengths, interests, and behavioral patterns. While our personalities change somewhat over time, especially as we move through different life stages, there are certain core elements to who each of us is.

Our personalities are powerful! They influence not only how others see us but also how we see ourselves and our personal, academic, and work decisions. Personality tests are a useful way to identify our natural strengths and interests and activities we may find difficult or less enjoyable. Unlike most tests, personality assessments can be fun, too!

Zinkerz offers each of our college counseling students a comprehensive personality test for two reasons: 1) To help students pinpoint their strengths, interests, and goals so that they can make the best academic decisions for them, and 2) To ensure we are providing top-notch, individualized support to each student before, during, and after they have submitted their college applications. 

An important note: While personality tests can give students and Zinkerz a valuable starting point when it comes to curating students’ journeys, many factors go into college counseling and applications. The results of a personality test are just one of many tools we use to support students, and students should not base their decisions solely on these results! 

Below are some benefits of taking our personality test, and reasons why Zinkerz uses a student’s “Strengths Profile” as a critical element of our college counseling process: 

They Increase Self-Awareness 

As significant as it is to build positive relationships with others, such as family members, friends, and classmates, it is just as essential to develop a positive relationship with yourself. A big part of that is knowing the strengths you bring to the table as a member of the communities you belong to. 

While you may struggle with some things others find easy, the opposite is true. Each of us is naturally intelligent in our way, and all of us are capable and learning and growing. Zinkerz’s personality test can help you identify things you feel you are naturally good at and things you enjoy doing, as well as activities you may find difficult or less enjoyable. 

While all of us can learn almost anything with enough hard work, starting with an awareness of one’s natural strengths and challenges is an important starting point when planning your future.

They Help You Make Academic and Extracurricular Decisions

It is no secret that applying to competitive colleges can be stressful! Many students feel pressure to take every advanced class they can and to achieve perfect grades and test scores. The good news is that even the most competitive colleges are not necessarily looking for students who check every imaginable box. If that were the case, colleges would be filled with thousands of students who are exactly alike!

Colleges seek to build well-rounded communities of students, each of whom brings their own unique life experiences, strengths, and interests to campus. As such, rather than trying to be the “perfect student,” focus on showing each college you apply to why you are a unique individual who will thrive at their school. And to show them that, you need to BE that special student! 

In helping you identify your natural strengths and interests, Zinkerz’s personality test results may help you pinpoint extracurricular activities you did not previously know you would want to pursue. Collaborating with your college counselor, you may be able to narrow down your list of extracurricular activities to provide the perfect mix for you. 

While it is always important to challenge yourself to build a college application that communicates that you are a high-achieving, ambitious student, a track record of success inside and outside the classroom is essential. Why not start building that track record by focusing on classes and activities you love and naturally thrive in? 

They Help You Choose the Right Colleges to Target 

There are almost 3,000 four-year colleges in the United States. While it may be tempting to apply to as many schools as possible, your best bet is to target ten schools you are highly interested in and that you have a good chance of being admitted to. A customized list of colleges improves your chances of receiving acceptance letters and the probability that you will be a happy and successful college student.

When building your list of schools, knowing the academic and extracurricular areas you are interested in pursuing in college is critical. There is a lot of variety in each college’s programs, and you need to be sure the schools you are applying to will provide the opportunities you want. Zinkerz’s personality test will help you identify classes and extracurricular activities to pursue in high school and also help you choose colleges where you can continue your track record of success.

In addition to identifying strengths and interests, Zinkerz’s personality test allows you to understand how you relate to others. Knowing whether you are an introvert, an extrovert, or somewhere in the middle may influence whether you would like to attend a small college or a large university with tens of thousands of students.

They Help Zinkerz Provide Individualized Support 

Each college counseling student we work with here at Zinkerz is unique! For that reason, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to the way we approach college counseling. While Student A may feel overwhelmed when choosing which high school classes to take and which colleges to apply to, another student may be stressed about taking the SAT and writing college essays. (Some students may not be anxious about the process but could still benefit from extra support!) 

A major benefit of our comprehensive personality test is that it gives us a holistic view of each student we work with, allowing us to: 

1) Recommend academic and extracurricular areas that a given student is likely to excel in and enjoy,

2) Help the student build a list of colleges they have a solid chance of getting into and would thrive at, and 

3) Help students become and show they are the driven, intellectually curious, and community-oriented individuals their target colleges want to admit. 

While the college application process is rarely easy, we at Zinkerz are here to support you. 

Contact us if you are interested in learning more about our holistic, individualized college counseling program and how we may be able to help your family.