College applications can be tricky for any student applying for higher education. With applications, essays, resumes, recommendations and possibly interviews comprising the admissions process, it helps to keep a couple of things in mind before starting the process.
Preparing to Apply to College
Little things can say a lot about an applicant before any college or university staff ever meets a potential student. With that in mind, applicants should be aware of how they appear online and through correspondence.
It is a good idea for applicants to check Facebook and all social media that they may have to make sure it is the best representation they can have on the Internet. If not, remove any pictures or comments that could compromise the applicant's chance of getting into his or her desired school.
An applicant's email address can also stir some unease in an admissions office. Students should create a professional email address, which can be easily done by using a student's first and last initials or names on a host such as Google's G-Mail, so that an applicant's email address does not change in the even that their Internet service provider does. Make sure that this is the email address that is used on all official and unofficial documents, as well as posted on all social media websites.
Researching Schools
When looking at prospective schools, check on the school's requirements for admission, especially if an applicant is apply to out-of-state colleges or universities. This should be done before students schedule classes for their last year of high school, so that any needed classes can be taken to satisfy admissions requirements.
Deadlines are also vitally important to the admission process. Sending in materials too early may cause the loss of parts of an applicant's file and could jeopardize being accepted. Sending in materials too close or past deadlines, however, could also count against a student.
Be aware of how deadlines are presented as well. If materials must be postmarked by a certain date, then they must be received by the post office before it closes on that date. Some schools have an "in office" deadline, meaning that documents must be on the campus by that date. If this is the case, leave at least a week to account for post office delays, especially if mailing materials to out-of-state institutions. Most schools will allow a grace period to account for the postal system or weekends, but applicants should not wait until the last minute.
Admission Essay
Just as with any essay, applicants should set aside plenty of time to write and revise the application essay. Grammar, punctuation, spelling, and presentation are important when admissions counselors are reading thousands of applications in a short amount of time, and basic errors can make a student stand out for the wrong reasons. Paying attention to length requirements is also important. While writing an essay longer than the minimum is always recommended, keep the length under the maximum amount of words.
Dr. Andrew Flagel, dean of admissions at George Mason University, also writes a series of articles with essay tips for the college and financial aid service Fastweb. In his article "Do's and Don'ts for Your Admission Essay," he strongly advises against simply listing points to answer a question and blaming others for how a student's life or character has developed. Be honest, but also be tactful about it.
Finally, Flagel stresses to keep in mind the importance of the essay. While most decisions are based on academics and test scores, essays help admissions counselors get a picture of the kinds of students are applying.
When a well-rounded, correctly completed application is presented to them, counselors may take an applicant's materials more seriously when considering acceptance. Considering image, timeliness, writing skills, and many other facets of a student's capabilities help to make the application process as thorough and fair as possible.
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