College Applications
It’s all come down to this! Once you send out your college application, your future is in the hands of the admissions office. Before you postmark your application, make sure it’s in top form by reading our College Application Tips.
Getting College Applications
Once you’ve decided where you are going to apply, you’ll want to go online to each school’s website and check out their admissions section. There you will find instructions on how to apply, and when the application is due. Make a chart of each school’s deadlines and the things you have to submit. We’ve provided an example below:
| Schools I want to attend |
Application Deadline |
Application Requirements |
| College A |
December 18, 2010 |
- 1 Essays
- Paper Application
- 3 Letters of Recommendation
- Transcript
- SAT/ACT Scores
|
| College B |
January 3, 2010 |
- 2 Essays
- Paper Application
- 2 Letters of Recommendation
- Transcript
- SAT/ACT Scores
|
You will most likely be able to download a copy of the application from each school’s website. If not, you can request one from the school or check with your high school’s guidance counselor to see if they have copies on file. Over 150 colleges accept the Common Application. If your prospective schools accept the Common Application, this will simplify the task since one application can be submitted to multiple colleges.
Completing University Applications
If you are planning to apply to multiple colleges, you need to set aside plenty of time to complete your university applications before they are due. You don’t want your application to appear rushed or incomplete. It’s a good idea to start your application well in advance (even months in advance), especially if you are going to have to write multiple essays. For instance, if you are applying to 5 highly rated schools, you might end up writing 10 different essays (2 per application). Essays are perhaps the most time consuming part of college applications, so budget your time appropriately.
Apply To College with Confidence
College applications are not like tests; there is no limit to how long you can take to complete the process, as long as it gets there by the deadline. Start thinking about your application answers and essays before you put pen to paper. Remember, college admissions officers are trained to spot applicants who demonstrate maturity, organization skills, and logical thinking in their responses. There’s nothing wrong with asking others to read and critique your college applications. You should consider asking a trusted teacher, counselor or mentor to read and provide you honest feedback. Your teachers and counselors have already helped many other students get into college, so take their advice seriously. Once you have planned, executed and critiqued your college applications, apply to your colleges with confidence!