Being chosen as a mentor organization for Google Summer of Code (GSoC) is highly competitive. In 2023, this prestigious program attracted more than 43,765 applicants from 160 countries. To stand out, you need a compelling proposal, solid coding skills, and a genuine passion for open source development. Hosts Alan Shimel and Lori Lorusso are joined by Alyssa Tong (CloudBees), Ben Pursell (OpenSSF) and Benjamin Sternthal (Linux Foundation) for an insightful discussion on what strategies have succeeded and which pitfalls to avoid in the GSoC application process.