College Application DOs and DON’Ts

Please do yourself a favor and proofread your application one last time before sending it in. A poor, unreadable, or error-riddled application is the quickest way to get admissions officers to throw your application in the reject pile. Nothing else will work as well.

A Persistent Myth: Admissions committees seek to recruit well-rounded students.

However, this is only sometimes the case. In most cases, they are seeking a diverse student body in terms of both the student’s areas of interest and their skill sets. This is very encouraging news.

It indicates that you do not require a ten-page list of activities that are filled with entries such as the Trampoline Club and the Polka Band (unless, of course, you actually enjoy participating in the Polka Band). 

But don’t reduce the number of things you do because you’re afraid of seeming scattered. It may be hard to believe, but admissions committees can tell the difference between applicants who are simply trying to fill up their activities sheet and those who have a genuine interest in the activities they participate in. 

Don’t stress out over joining clubs that you think universities in the US want to see on your CV. They probably won’t care. Take part in activities that truly fascinate you.

Show the Real You

Do you feel that your grade point average and score on the SAT or ACT don’t convey the complete story? The purpose of your writings is to demonstrate this point. Be yourself, but be sure that “yourself” is grammatically correct and perfectly spelled.

There has never been a time when the adage “Write about what you know” was more appropriate. Talk to your professors, guidance counselors or college admission consultants if you need more help with your essays. Also, learn why you should consider hiring them in the first place.

The following are some examples of essay questions that were asked in the past:

• “Describe what you would consider being the perfect adventure.” (Hollins College)
• “What do you value most in a relationship? Describe the person you feel closest to and why your relationship is so strong.” (Austin College)
• “If you could declare a new holiday, what would you celebrate/commemorate? Why? How would it be observed?” (University of Puget Sound)
• “You have just completed your three-hundred-page autobiography. Please submit page 217.” (University of Pennsylvania)

Sell Yourself

Even while interviews aren’t always necessary, they’re an excellent opportunity to showcase who you really are. If possible, schedule your interview for a weekday (preferably a Monday or Friday), and plan to spend the weekend on campus. You should contact the admissions office if you do not know anyone who attends that school.

The majority of schools offer prospective students some overnight experience. Relaxing before the interview is the single most crucial thing you can do to ensure a successful outcome. 

Remember that you are there not only to make an impression but also to learn more about the institution you are interested in attending. Dress appropriately, come prepared with some questions that you sincerely want to ask, and give yourself plenty of time to perfect your strong handshake, and you should be just fine.

Practicing with a buddy or the guidance counselor at your law school is a good idea if you’re highly anxious about applying for jobs requiring interviews.

Keeping up with Yesterday

Think about applying for EARLY ADMISSIONS if you’re not the type of person who puts things off till the last minute.

There are often two options: early action, which involves an admission decision that binds the institution to the application but does not bind the applicant to the institution, and early decision, which consists of an admission decision that binds both the institution and the applicant to one another.

Be informed of which institutions provide different possibilities, as well as the early deadlines that coincide with those options.

Make it a priority to submit your regular applications as soon as possible while there are still open positions. Because of this, it is very vital to submit your application as early as humanly feasible if you want to be considered for a place at one of these schools.