How to Create Your Personal Website for College Apps

Introduction

College applications are tough. With thousands of students applying, you need something special to get noticed. A personal website can be that special thing! Think of it as an online portfolio where college admissions officers can see who you really are, what you’ve done, and what makes you unique.

I’ve helped many students create websites for their college applications, and I’ve seen how a good website can turn an average application into one that gets remembered. This guide will show you how to make a website that will help your college applications shine.

Why Create a Personal Website for College Applications

A personal website gives you advantages that regular applications don’t:

Shows Digital Skills: Creating a website shows colleges you understand technology, which is important for college success.

Shows Creativity: A website lets you express yourself in ways that standard forms and essays can’t.

Gives You More Space: Applications have strict word limits, but websites let you share more details about your projects and include videos, photos, and other media.

Shows You Take Initiative: Building a website shows colleges you’re willing to go above and beyond—something every college values.

Makes You Memorable: When admissions officers review thousands of applications, your website will help them remember you.

For example, Emma was applying to graphic design programs with good but not amazing grades. Her personal website showcasing her designs helped her get into three top schools. The admissions officers specifically mentioned her website when they called to accept her!

Planning Your Personal Website

Before you start building, take some time to plan:

Define Your Purpose

Ask yourself: What story do I want to tell? What do I want colleges to know about me? Your website should have a clear purpose that matches your college goals.

Identify Your Audience

Your main audience is college admissions committees, but also think about scholarship committees or internship coordinators who might visit your site. Knowing who will see your site helps you create the right content.

Outline Key Content Areas

Think about what you want to include. Most student websites have:

About Me/Biography
Academic Achievements
Extracurricular Activities
Projects/Portfolio
Skills
Awards and Honors
Contact Information

Consider Your Unique Angle

What makes you different from other applicants? Maybe it’s a research project, community service work, or creative talent. Figure out what makes you special and highlight that.

Choosing the Right Platform

You have several options for building your website:

Website Builders (Best for Beginners)

WordPress.com: Offers free and paid plans with many design templates. Moderately easy to learn.

Wix: Features drag-and-drop design that’s very easy for beginners. The free plan includes Wix branding.

Squarespace: Known for professional designs but requires a paid subscription. Great for portfolios.

Google Sites: Completely free and works well with Google Drive. Limited design options but extremely easy to use.

Code-It-Yourself Options (For Tech-Savvy Students)

GitHub Pages: Free hosting for basic websites. Shows off coding skills but requires technical knowledge.

WordPress.org: The self-hosted version offers maximum flexibility but requires purchasing hosting and domain separately.

Domain Name Considerations

While yourname.wordpress.com works, having yourname.com looks more professional. Many platforms offer student discounts on domains, usually costing $10-15 per year. You can purchase domains from sites like Namecheap or GoDaddy.

Jake, who was applying to computer science programs, built his site using GitHub Pages. This choice showed admissions committees he had coding skills—showing rather than just telling them about his abilities.

Essential Elements of an Effective Student Website

Homepage

Your homepage should make a good first impression with:

A good photo of yourself
A short headline that captures who you are
A brief summary of your key qualities and goals
Clear navigation to other sections

About Me Page

This section should make your application more personal with:

Your school background and academic interests
Your personal story and what motivates you
Your values and goals
Why you’re interested in your chosen field of study

Academic Achievements

Show your academic accomplishments with:

Important courses (especially advanced or specialized classes)
Research experience
Academic projects with descriptions
Study abroad experiences or special programs

Projects and Portfolio

Showcase your work with:

Photos or videos of projects
Explanation of what you did and what you learned
Links to publications or presentations
Reflection on challenges you faced and how you solved them

Skills and Experiences

Highlight abilities relevant to your intended major:

Technical skills (programming, lab techniques, etc.)
People skills (leadership, communication, problem-solving)
Work or volunteer experiences
Certifications or special training

Contact Information

Make it easy for admissions officers to reach you:

Professional email address
Links to appropriate social media profiles (LinkedIn, academic Twitter)
Contact form (optional)

Design Principles for Non-Designers

You don’t need to be a design expert to create a good website:

Keep It Simple

Clean, uncluttered designs look more professional. Avoid distracting animations, too many colors, or too many fonts. The Nielsen Norman Group has great advice on keeping designs simple.

Stay Consistent

Use the same fonts, colors, and styling across all pages of your site.

Make Sure It Works on Mobile

Check that your site works well on phones and tablets—many admissions officers might view it on mobile devices. Use Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test to check.

Focus on Readability

Use dark text on light backgrounds (or vice versa). Break up text with headings, bullet points, and white space.

Guide the Eye

Use size, color, and placement to highlight important information. Important elements should stand out naturally.

One student I advised made the mistake of using a flashy design that was hard to read. After simplifying to a clean layout with strategically placed colors highlighting her achievements, admissions feedback improved dramatically.

Creating and Organizing Your Content

Writing for the Web

Writing for websites is different from school papers:

Use shorter paragraphs (3-4 sentences maximum)
Use headings to break up text
Use bullet points for lists of information
Write in a friendly but professional tone
Put the most important information first

Showcasing Projects Effectively

For each project or achievement:

Provide background (What was the assignment or challenge?)
Explain what you did (What was your specific contribution?)
Describe your process (How did you approach it?)
Share results (What happened or what impact did it make?)
Reflect on what you learned (How did you grow from this experience?)

Using Multimedia Wisely

Enhance your content with:

Good quality images of your work or activities
Short video explanations where appropriate
PDF samples of research papers or writing (with permission if co-authored)
Interactive elements that show technical skills

For creating and optimizing images, try Canva, which offers free tools for students.

Organizing Navigation

Create easy-to-use navigation with:

Clear menu labels
Logical organization of information
Internal links connecting related content

Making Your Website College Application-Specific

Aligning with Your Target Schools

Research your target schools and customize elements to reflect their values:

Highlight experiences relevant to specific programs
Reference school values or initiatives where your interests align
Create content that addresses department focus areas

You can find information about school values on their mission statements and program pages.

Addressing Admissions Criteria

Directly connect your experiences to common admissions criteria:

Intellectual curiosity and academic rigor
Leadership and initiative
Community involvement and impact
Personal growth and challenges overcome
Unique perspectives or contributions

The College Board offers great insights into what colleges look for in applications.

Supplemental Essays Connection

Your website can complement your application essays:

Expand on stories or projects mentioned in essays
Provide visual evidence for claims made in writing
Demonstrate the full scope of projects that essays can only briefly mention

Sarah, a student interested in marine biology, created a section on her website showcasing her research on local water conservation. When Cornell’s application asked about her most meaningful science experience, she referenced the project and included her website URL, allowing admissions officers to see her full research in detail.

Technical Considerations and Troubleshooting

Website Loading Speed

Slow websites create poor impressions:

Compress images before uploading using tools like TinyPNG
Limit the use of heavy plugins or widgets
Test your site’s speed using Google PageSpeed Insights

Backup Your Content

Regularly save your work:

Export your website data periodically
Keep copies of all text content in separate documents
Store original images and files in cloud storage like Google Drive or Dropbox

Cross-Browser Testing

Ensure your site works across different browsers:

Test on Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge
Check functionality on various devices (desktop, tablet, phone)
Have friends test the user experience on their devices

You can use BrowserStack (which offers free options for students) to test your site on different browsers.

Getting Feedback and Refining Your Site

Seek Diverse Perspectives

Collect feedback from different people:

Teachers or counselors for academic content accuracy
Tech-savvy friends for usability issues
Parents or adults unfamiliar with your field (to test clarity)
Peers in your target field for relevance

Be prepared to improve:

Navigation clarity and ease of use
Content organization and flow
Balance between text and visual elements
Technical issues across devices
Grammar and writing style

For checking grammar and readability, try Hemingway Editor, which is free and highlights hard-to-read sentences.

Showcasing Your Website in Applications

Where to Reference Your Website

Strategic places to mention your website:

Activities section as a standalone project
Additional information sections
Relevant essay responses when discussing projects featured on your site
Portfolio submission sections (if applicable)
Email signatures when corresponding with admissions

How to Reference Your URL

When including your website link:

Use a short, clean URL format (yourname.com)
Provide brief context about what visitors will find
If space allows, highlight 1-2 specific elements worth viewing

Maintaining Your Website During the Application Process

Regular Updates

Show ongoing engagement by:

Adding new projects or achievements
Updating content to reflect recent activities
Refining information based on your evolving goals

Monitoring Analytics

If your platform offers analytics:

Track which pages receive the most attention
Note which content engages visitors longest
Use these insights to emphasize high-interest content

Google Analytics offers free website analytics that can help you understand how people use your site.

Post-Submission Considerations

After applications are submitted:

Continue maintaining your site—admissions officers may visit multiple times
Consider adding an “Admissions Updates” section for significant new achievements
Prepare to transition the site for college use once decisions arrive

Conclusion

Creating a personal website before college applications takes time and effort, but it can really help your application stand out. Beyond college admissions, your website serves as the foundation for your professional online presence that will grow throughout college and beyond.

The digital portfolio you build now shows not just what you’ve accomplished, but your ability to communicate those accomplishments effectively—a skill that will serve you well regardless of which college you attend.

Remember that your website should grow as you do. Start simple, focus on quality content, and improve the design as you gain skills and confidence. The best student websites aren’t necessarily the flashiest ones, but those that honestly showcase the student’s unique experiences, talents, and goals.