Going to college will affect the rest of your life. The college you choose will influence your life. It all starts with the application. Many prospective college students think it's just a regular form. You just answer the questions. Nothing to it really, nothing to worry about. It's just a college application and an application is an application. But, the application process is your first chance to influence the admission officers. That's key to getting in. Take the application serious! Here are some common mistakes.
Not doing any research on the school. You need to research the college of your choice. What type of student do they want? What type of student is chosen? Knowing this will enable you to tweak your application to show you ARE the type of student they want.
Doing it themselves. Don't think for a minute that the average college applicant can fill out the admission form by themselves. And be affective. You can't. You need to get help from a person who knows the ins and outs of a college application. Your high school guidance counselor is a good choice. The better you fill the form out, the better your chances.
Not making the application personal. Sell yourself. Why are you unique? The college wants to learn about you. What you are about. If you don't tell them, they may not want you. Make your college application as personal as you can. You want your application to standout from the crowd. What makes you an awesome person? Think about your unique hobby, interests, awards, or accomplishments. If you run marathons, let them know. If you help at the local food bank, let them know. If you are an accomplished singer, shout it out! The more unique you are, the better you will stand out from the other students. You want to get noticed!
Doing stupid stuff on facebook. Or any other social media site. With your real name. And making it public. College admissions officers are scouring social media sites like facebook to see what baggage you have. Don't blow it by putting embarrassing items and photos of yourself and friends. You want to look professional. Do not use your cutesy email, like luv2get-wild@email.com or something silly or risque. It will not score you points.
Messing up the college essay. Take this serious. You will probably need help on this too. Your goal is to sell yourself as a worthy student and person. Tout your accomplishments. Things you have overcome. Adversity and diversity. Get help from a guidance counselor. But watch out for close relatives when getting help. They will have a tendency to get mushy and not concentrate on meaningful stuff. Your essay must show a student who has accomplishments and can be a star scholar in college.
Take your college application seriously!
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
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