COLLEGE SUCCESS NOW!
Your Subtitle text
APPLYING TO COLLEGE
Once you have a pretty good idea of the criteria you've set for choosing a college, it's time to start working on your applications. This can seem overwhelming for many prospective college students. So, let's look at it step by step.
____1. Set up a schedule for the application process.
You first must have a good idea about important time frames. The College BoardTM has a nifty calendar on their Web site, with suggested dates for completion of the admissions progress. This calendar should serve as a guideline only. You must know exact deadlines for the specific colleges that will be receiving your applications. To get to that calendar, go to:
http://www.collegeboard.com/student/apply/the-application/23626.html
____2. If you haven't taken your standardized college admissions tests, yet, get registered to do so, and prepare yourself for the exams.
Seriously consider doing some extra preparation for those exams. Even if you normally score very high on standardized tests, a few extra points may be just enough to boost your eligibility for merit based scholarships. My oldest son studied for one of his standardized tests, and boosted his score up enough to earn a full scholarship (tuition, expenses, and room and board) for four years.
He prepared by using a book designed to prepare students for the PSAT and SAT exams. These books are great! They provide lots of hints and instruction, and you can take practice tests to guage your progress and help you prepare.
Here's a link to one of the popular test preparation books for the SAT:
Cracking the SAT, 2009 Edition (College Test Preparation)
For help with the dreaded essay portion of the SAT, this book comes highly recommended:
The SAT Essay Formula: That Gets High Scores
If you're going to take the ACT, this book comes with a CD for extra practice and customized help.
Kaplan ACT 2009 Premier Program (with CD-ROM) (Kaplan Act (Book & CD-Rom))
If you want extra help, click here
for more information about a company called Power ScoreTM. This company offers several types of help including publications, online test preparation courses, and private tutoring.
____3. Narrow down your choices of potential colleges.
Many experts recommend that you apply to between five and eight different colleges. That really depends on your circumstances and degree program. Some degree programs are so specialized, that only a few schools have them. In that case, your application process may be simpler.
Remember to consider what is important to you in a college and, if you can, visit those colleges that appeal to you the most. Try to visit during a time when classes are in session to get a good feel of what it will be like to attend there. Call ahead to arrange a tour and to speak to an admissions counselor.
If you decide to apply to several colleges, apply to a few "back up" choices. These are colleges that you're pretty sure will accept you, but might not be your first choice. That way, if your top choices don't accept you, you'll still have an almost guaranteed acceptance. Sometimes students start out at a second or third choice, do well, and then transfer to their first choice after a year or two. Often, though, they find that their second choice suits them just fine.
____4. Read one or two good books about the application process to maximize your success of acceptance.
Here is one I recommend. The author owns her own college admissions consulting business and has a doctorate in education.
Acing the College Application: How to Maximize Your Chances for Admission to the College of Your Choice
The editor of this next recommended book collected suggestions from hundreds of students, parents, and admission officers. You'll find lots of tips from students who have "been there" and survived the application process.
How to Survive Getting Into College: By Hundreds of Students Who Did (Hundreds of Heads Survival Guides)
This third book is very comprehensive, covering many aspects of college admissions including class rankings, standardized tests, college choice, the college essay, and financial aide.
Admission Matters: What Students and Parents Need to Know About Getting Into College (Jossey Bass Education Series)
____5. Organize your college application process.
To help you with this, follow a checklist for each college on your list. Take a look at the checklist that the College BoardTM has posted on its Web site. A checklist like this one will really help you stay organized.
http://www.collegeboard.com/student/apply/the-application/8435.html
____6. Spend some time thinking about your application essays, if required, and then get them written!
You want the admissions people to have a good idea of what makes you tick as a person and what will make you a positive addition to their student body. Once they're done, make sure you have someone with good writing skills proofread them for you. You want your essays to be free of any grammar, spelling, or punctuation errors.
I bought this book for my own high school age children and highly recommend it.
The College Application Essay: Revised edition
____7. Get letters of recommendations if needed.
Colleges often require letters of recommendation. They want to know how others see you as a person and as a potential college student. I found two sites to help you with that aspect of the application process.
The first site gives you tips on choosing the right people to pen your great recommendations:
http://www.collegeview.com/articles/CV/application/letters_recommendation.html
You can share the second site with those who want to write you a great recommendation, but would like some help getting started.
http://www.accepted.com/college/LettersRec.aspx
____8. Make sure your high school and previous colleges have sent your transcripts (the record of your grades) where they need to go.
It doesn't hurt to double check and make sure that your high school has sent the transcripts a few weeks after you've requested them. You'd hate to miss out on a great college because of a paperwork problem!
____9. Go through the application checklist, finish everything up, and wait to hear, knowing you've done all you can.
____10. Once your acceptance letters start rolling in (hopefully!), make the decision as to which college will be your final choice.
This can be tough. Consider all your different criteria--location, size of the college, atmosphere, degrees offered, and cost after financial aide. Of all the criteria, it's most important that you get to study what truly interests you. I learned this the hard way with one of my sons. He originally chose a large university that offered him a decent scholarship. Unfortunately, well into his second year he realized it didn't offer the degree he really wanted. He ended up transferring at the start of his junior year to a smaller school that had the perfect program. Yes, it will cost more money in the end, but he's training for a career that fits his personality and interests. He's a much happier young man.
In the next section, we'll discuss how you can prepare for success before your first day of class.
____1. Set up a schedule for the application process.
You first must have a good idea about important time frames. The College BoardTM has a nifty calendar on their Web site, with suggested dates for completion of the admissions progress. This calendar should serve as a guideline only. You must know exact deadlines for the specific colleges that will be receiving your applications. To get to that calendar, go to:
http://www.collegeboard.com/student/apply/the-application/23626.html
____2. If you haven't taken your standardized college admissions tests, yet, get registered to do so, and prepare yourself for the exams.
Seriously consider doing some extra preparation for those exams. Even if you normally score very high on standardized tests, a few extra points may be just enough to boost your eligibility for merit based scholarships. My oldest son studied for one of his standardized tests, and boosted his score up enough to earn a full scholarship (tuition, expenses, and room and board) for four years.
He prepared by using a book designed to prepare students for the PSAT and SAT exams. These books are great! They provide lots of hints and instruction, and you can take practice tests to guage your progress and help you prepare.
Here's a link to one of the popular test preparation books for the SAT:
Cracking the SAT, 2009 Edition (College Test Preparation)
For help with the dreaded essay portion of the SAT, this book comes highly recommended:
The SAT Essay Formula: That Gets High Scores
If you're going to take the ACT, this book comes with a CD for extra practice and customized help.
Kaplan ACT 2009 Premier Program (with CD-ROM) (Kaplan Act (Book & CD-Rom))
If you want extra help, click here
____3. Narrow down your choices of potential colleges.
Many experts recommend that you apply to between five and eight different colleges. That really depends on your circumstances and degree program. Some degree programs are so specialized, that only a few schools have them. In that case, your application process may be simpler.
Remember to consider what is important to you in a college and, if you can, visit those colleges that appeal to you the most. Try to visit during a time when classes are in session to get a good feel of what it will be like to attend there. Call ahead to arrange a tour and to speak to an admissions counselor.
If you decide to apply to several colleges, apply to a few "back up" choices. These are colleges that you're pretty sure will accept you, but might not be your first choice. That way, if your top choices don't accept you, you'll still have an almost guaranteed acceptance. Sometimes students start out at a second or third choice, do well, and then transfer to their first choice after a year or two. Often, though, they find that their second choice suits them just fine.
____4. Read one or two good books about the application process to maximize your success of acceptance.
Here is one I recommend. The author owns her own college admissions consulting business and has a doctorate in education.
Acing the College Application: How to Maximize Your Chances for Admission to the College of Your Choice
The editor of this next recommended book collected suggestions from hundreds of students, parents, and admission officers. You'll find lots of tips from students who have "been there" and survived the application process.
How to Survive Getting Into College: By Hundreds of Students Who Did (Hundreds of Heads Survival Guides)
This third book is very comprehensive, covering many aspects of college admissions including class rankings, standardized tests, college choice, the college essay, and financial aide.
Admission Matters: What Students and Parents Need to Know About Getting Into College (Jossey Bass Education Series)
____5. Organize your college application process.
To help you with this, follow a checklist for each college on your list. Take a look at the checklist that the College BoardTM has posted on its Web site. A checklist like this one will really help you stay organized.
http://www.collegeboard.com/student/apply/the-application/8435.html
____6. Spend some time thinking about your application essays, if required, and then get them written!
You want the admissions people to have a good idea of what makes you tick as a person and what will make you a positive addition to their student body. Once they're done, make sure you have someone with good writing skills proofread them for you. You want your essays to be free of any grammar, spelling, or punctuation errors.
I bought this book for my own high school age children and highly recommend it.
The College Application Essay: Revised edition
____7. Get letters of recommendations if needed.
Colleges often require letters of recommendation. They want to know how others see you as a person and as a potential college student. I found two sites to help you with that aspect of the application process.
The first site gives you tips on choosing the right people to pen your great recommendations:
http://www.collegeview.com/articles/CV/application/letters_recommendation.html
You can share the second site with those who want to write you a great recommendation, but would like some help getting started.
http://www.accepted.com/college/LettersRec.aspx
____8. Make sure your high school and previous colleges have sent your transcripts (the record of your grades) where they need to go.
It doesn't hurt to double check and make sure that your high school has sent the transcripts a few weeks after you've requested them. You'd hate to miss out on a great college because of a paperwork problem!
____9. Go through the application checklist, finish everything up, and wait to hear, knowing you've done all you can.
____10. Once your acceptance letters start rolling in (hopefully!), make the decision as to which college will be your final choice.
This can be tough. Consider all your different criteria--location, size of the college, atmosphere, degrees offered, and cost after financial aide. Of all the criteria, it's most important that you get to study what truly interests you. I learned this the hard way with one of my sons. He originally chose a large university that offered him a decent scholarship. Unfortunately, well into his second year he realized it didn't offer the degree he really wanted. He ended up transferring at the start of his junior year to a smaller school that had the perfect program. Yes, it will cost more money in the end, but he's training for a career that fits his personality and interests. He's a much happier young man.
In the next section, we'll discuss how you can prepare for success before your first day of class.
