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What are some tips on applying to colleges?
#college #tips
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8 answers
Updated
Hubert’s Answer
Some key considerations on what should consider in thinking about what colleges to apply to ( setting aside whether you have merits of acceptance which has its own strategy):
a) Cost - Tuition and assistance expected per situation
b) Location - Would you want to work in this city/state after graduating (applies to everyone but a lesser degree to those considering Medical School or Law School)? Do you prefer to stay closer to home or farther?
c) Size - Large number of students or smaller number?
d) Area of Study - It's not about being at the best school for any given subject, but you want to make sure it sets you up for an area of interest or has the diversity of curriculum so you can experiment.
To share my personal experience on the above, some of major reasons I decided to go to UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles) after being admitted
a) public schools have lower costs
b) I wanted to be in a big/new city not within hours of where I grew up
c) I wanted a large student body after being at a small high school. I wanted to meet as many people as possible, but I can tell you being much older now of the hundreds of "friends" I had in college, there are only a few I stay in regular contact with now (quantity matters much more than quantity)
d) I completely neglected this and was somewhat to my detriment (my plan was to study Business but of all the UCs -- only Berkeley has a legitimate Business Major and I had no idea; as such, for jobs I applied I had to do self-study to ramp up on gaps).
Watch videos of different cities/locations on YouTube and note what appeals to you
Watch videos of alumni from different schools talking about experience at their school
a) Cost - Tuition and assistance expected per situation
b) Location - Would you want to work in this city/state after graduating (applies to everyone but a lesser degree to those considering Medical School or Law School)? Do you prefer to stay closer to home or farther?
c) Size - Large number of students or smaller number?
d) Area of Study - It's not about being at the best school for any given subject, but you want to make sure it sets you up for an area of interest or has the diversity of curriculum so you can experiment.
To share my personal experience on the above, some of major reasons I decided to go to UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles) after being admitted
a) public schools have lower costs
b) I wanted to be in a big/new city not within hours of where I grew up
c) I wanted a large student body after being at a small high school. I wanted to meet as many people as possible, but I can tell you being much older now of the hundreds of "friends" I had in college, there are only a few I stay in regular contact with now (quantity matters much more than quantity)
d) I completely neglected this and was somewhat to my detriment (my plan was to study Business but of all the UCs -- only Berkeley has a legitimate Business Major and I had no idea; as such, for jobs I applied I had to do self-study to ramp up on gaps).
Hubert recommends the following next steps:
Updated
Wilson’s Answer
Hello Vanisha R.
Once you've narrowed down the list of colleges you're interested in, complete an application for each.
1. Know your deadlines.
Start your applications early enough to complete them by the deadlines. Deadlines are usually between January 1 and February 15, although they may be earlier if you are applying early admission.
2. Read the instructions.
Most of the mistakes on college applications are the result of not following the instructions. Don't let this happen.
3. Provide all of the requested information.
Leaving blank fields or providing incomplete responses makes it look like you weren't paying attention. Take care to be thorough.
4. Proofread, proofread, proofread.
And after you're done proofreading, give it to someone else to proofread! Typos on your college application are just sloppy.
5. Be honest.
Admissions staff will verify the info you provide, so keep it on the up and up. Don't exaggerate your accomplishments. Honesty is always the best policy.
6. Choose your recommendations wisely.
Use teachers, counselors, and others who know you well, both inside and outside the classroom. Give them enough time to write thoughtful and considerate recommendations, and be sure to thank them.
7. Make sure your essay represents who you are.
The essay is the only opportunity you have to explain why you are different from other applicants. Be original and make it personal.
8. Request copies of your high school transcripts.
Notify your counselor's office of your application deadlines so your transcripts don't arrive late.
9. Keep copies of everything.
Keep copies of your applications, your recommendations letters, your essays, and all other materials that are part of the application process. You never know if something will be lost in transit.
10. Confirm that your application materials arrived.
Contact each of your schools to make sure they have received your application materials. If anything is missing, supply it immediately.
Once you've narrowed down the list of colleges you're interested in, complete an application for each.
1. Know your deadlines.
Start your applications early enough to complete them by the deadlines. Deadlines are usually between January 1 and February 15, although they may be earlier if you are applying early admission.
2. Read the instructions.
Most of the mistakes on college applications are the result of not following the instructions. Don't let this happen.
3. Provide all of the requested information.
Leaving blank fields or providing incomplete responses makes it look like you weren't paying attention. Take care to be thorough.
4. Proofread, proofread, proofread.
And after you're done proofreading, give it to someone else to proofread! Typos on your college application are just sloppy.
5. Be honest.
Admissions staff will verify the info you provide, so keep it on the up and up. Don't exaggerate your accomplishments. Honesty is always the best policy.
6. Choose your recommendations wisely.
Use teachers, counselors, and others who know you well, both inside and outside the classroom. Give them enough time to write thoughtful and considerate recommendations, and be sure to thank them.
7. Make sure your essay represents who you are.
The essay is the only opportunity you have to explain why you are different from other applicants. Be original and make it personal.
8. Request copies of your high school transcripts.
Notify your counselor's office of your application deadlines so your transcripts don't arrive late.
9. Keep copies of everything.
Keep copies of your applications, your recommendations letters, your essays, and all other materials that are part of the application process. You never know if something will be lost in transit.
10. Confirm that your application materials arrived.
Contact each of your schools to make sure they have received your application materials. If anything is missing, supply it immediately.
thank you!
Vanisha
Updated
Valerie’s Answer
A useful tip is to stand out. You'll want to get good grades and good SAT/ACT scores in high school, but most students will have good grades and god scores. Therefore, you will want to make yourself stand out in another way. For example, I started a program in my high school to have first year students partner up with a junior or senior to help them during their first month of school. This program I started showed that I was a leader, organized, and creative and I think it really helped.
Updated
Cheryl’s Answer
You received excellent answers in regard to processes and procedures. In addition, my best tip is to be considerate of your admissions reader(s)! They read a bazillion applications, so make sure you make it easy to read. Examples:
1.) List all of your hs classes exactly as they appear on your historical grades/transcript. This makes it easier for the reader to verify the number of units you have, and to compare with other apps.
2.) Only use acronyms if your reader knows what they stand for; otherwise, the first entry should be spelled out.
3.) Be careful with "clever" essays. They typically backfire. Using metaphors on top of metaphors creates WORK for your reader. This is a no-no.
4.) You want your reader to breeze through your app, so that they can spend their designated time evaluating you as an applicant. Simply filling out your app correctly goes a long way.
5.) Always be specific about your role with activities. Use data to help your reader have context, even if you think it is not that impressive. Again, you just want to give them honest context. Ex: Theater Tech Crew; supervised 6 techs for 4 productions, 24 shows. Responsible for lighting, sound and special effects. Another example: 1 out of 2, selected out of 60, as history class technology lead. Responsible for recording detailed data into high school archive.
6.) You are basically marketing yourself on an application. Your goal is to provide enough information that allows the reader to get to know you, the authentic you. If you have any issues that you'd like to explain, the "additional information" section of the Common App is a great place to do this. For example, you got a "C" in a class because your school has a no-drop policy. Or, you were out ill for 6 weeks due to an illness/injury.
7.) Last, an HONEST app is the best app. You are sending this to experts, people who have seen it all. They read many apps. For example, National Honor Society is actually more of an award, than an activity. If the only activity done in this club is community service hours, then simply list the community service hours, and use NHS as an award, because that is what it is. You were selected based on grades, typically a teacher letter of rec, perhaps an essay and c.s. hours. Your reader knows this.
Best of luck. This should be a fun process, letting your reader get to know you, the real you. No worries. You got this!
1.) List all of your hs classes exactly as they appear on your historical grades/transcript. This makes it easier for the reader to verify the number of units you have, and to compare with other apps.
2.) Only use acronyms if your reader knows what they stand for; otherwise, the first entry should be spelled out.
3.) Be careful with "clever" essays. They typically backfire. Using metaphors on top of metaphors creates WORK for your reader. This is a no-no.
4.) You want your reader to breeze through your app, so that they can spend their designated time evaluating you as an applicant. Simply filling out your app correctly goes a long way.
5.) Always be specific about your role with activities. Use data to help your reader have context, even if you think it is not that impressive. Again, you just want to give them honest context. Ex: Theater Tech Crew; supervised 6 techs for 4 productions, 24 shows. Responsible for lighting, sound and special effects. Another example: 1 out of 2, selected out of 60, as history class technology lead. Responsible for recording detailed data into high school archive.
6.) You are basically marketing yourself on an application. Your goal is to provide enough information that allows the reader to get to know you, the authentic you. If you have any issues that you'd like to explain, the "additional information" section of the Common App is a great place to do this. For example, you got a "C" in a class because your school has a no-drop policy. Or, you were out ill for 6 weeks due to an illness/injury.
7.) Last, an HONEST app is the best app. You are sending this to experts, people who have seen it all. They read many apps. For example, National Honor Society is actually more of an award, than an activity. If the only activity done in this club is community service hours, then simply list the community service hours, and use NHS as an award, because that is what it is. You were selected based on grades, typically a teacher letter of rec, perhaps an essay and c.s. hours. Your reader knows this.
Best of luck. This should be a fun process, letting your reader get to know you, the real you. No worries. You got this!
Updated
karen’s Answer
I recently helped by son as he was applying to College. It is a stressful but rewarding time. We/he did a lot of research online. Read everything you can about the schools you might be interested in and make sure they have a few focus areas that fit your area of interest. Compare your grades with the required GPA and SAT scores to ensure you are in the range. It's also important to review the financial requirements of the score and what financial aid is available. We also found it really helpful to visit the school to ensure you like it/feel comfortable. Once you know you want to apply read the application carefully and allow allot of time to fill it out. It takes time and your response should be reviewed multiple times. Also spend time with your essays. Ask teachers or peers or parents to review them and give you feedback. Although stressful this is a really awesome time - try not to allow it to get you down take each day one at a time. I also downloaded college hunch to my phone. It is a great easy way to look at and compare colleges in real time. Good luck! It is definitely worth the time you put in now.
Updated
Kiirsten’s Answer
Hello Vanisha!
Wilson's answer was awesome! Definitely do your research on which colleges you want to apply to... once you do your research, visit some of the campuses if possible so you can get a vibe, and from there-- narrow things down to schools that you felt good at! If you can't physically go to the campuses, do your online research, maybe get into contact with some counselors there. Like Wilson said, make sure you stay on top of deadlines and keep copies of everything :).
Good luck!
Wilson's answer was awesome! Definitely do your research on which colleges you want to apply to... once you do your research, visit some of the campuses if possible so you can get a vibe, and from there-- narrow things down to schools that you felt good at! If you can't physically go to the campuses, do your online research, maybe get into contact with some counselors there. Like Wilson said, make sure you stay on top of deadlines and keep copies of everything :).
Good luck!
Thank you!
Vanisha
Updated
Ace’s Answer
Congrats on starting the college application process. To maximize your odds, you should consider applying to one or two schools in each of the following categories: reach, match & safety schools. Reach schools are long shots. Match schools have about the same profile & scores as yours. Safety schools are those whose test scores & GPA are lower than yours.
Updated
Darcel’s Answer
Choose the college that you can afford and has your major of classes and interests. Attending a college is like moving to a whole new community. Visit the college to feel the atmosphere and people. Make sure you know all the specific cost of going to your college of choice. Several students find their college of choice make it through the first year or semester but end up dropping out because they overlooked the hidden cost. The application process is very tricky. See if the application process has a fee wavier process. Some college/universities charge for each application. It's okay to have a blank or practice application next to you. If you can download the application fill first for practice then complete the original one it all out them. Start fresh with original one. You already have some outstanding suggestions.
Make sure you have the the GPA and Standardized requirements to qualify to attend.
Read, Read, Read the instruction on how to fill out the application carefully.
As for help filling out the application, parents, counselor, older sister/brother that have experience filling out college application.
Deadline for submission are essential many college/universities allow you to complete and submit the application online. Don't waitto the last minute
Proof read your application three times for errors etc. Proof read or have someone proof read your essays. That application represent you
Darcel recommends the following next steps: