10 Tips from College Admissions Officers
As a high school junior or senior, you’ve got a lot on your plate. From sports to the SATs and grades, there are so many things demanding your attention that applying to college can seem like an extra-difficult task. You most likely have a few questions about how to make the process easier. You might be wondering what you can do to ensure your place at your top choice. The whole process can be a bit confusing, so we’ve rounded a few tips from the experts that’ll make your college application process a lot easier. Read on to learn the best tips from college admissions officers.
- Apply for Financial Aid ASAP
Financial concerns are one of the biggest factors that keep students from applying to colleges. The sheer cost of attending a university can be daunting. Admissions officers encourage you to apply for financial aid as soon as possible. FAFSA should be applied for in October before the year you plan to attend college. Waiting longer means you might miss out on available funds.
Also, you’ll notice that most college applications have a financial aid checkbox that indicates if you will need financial support from the university itself. If you need it, don’t hesitate to check the box. This will not hinder your chances of getting into that school; they just want to know if you need help.
- Be Professional
As you apply for universities, remember that you’re planning to enter a professional environment. One easy way to provide the right professional look is by getting a new email address and cleaning up social media accounts. A simple first name/last name email address will be much more professional than the email you may have set up as a 13-year-old. Twitter and Instagram accounts should also be renamed if needed, and content should be cleaned up to match what you are trying to portray to potential schools.
- Apply to Lots of Schools
It’s ok to have a top school that you want to go to; most students do. However, it’s important not to limit yourself to only that school. Have a look at other schools that have programs you’re interested, that suit your budget, or are in a location you’d like to live in. By applying to lots of different schools, you’ll be opening up a lot of options for yourself, and you may be surprised about what you come to enjoy in a university.
- Use the Essay to Show Your Personality
Applications are used to get pertinent information from all candidates – test scores, GPA, extracurriculars, etc. If there is some aspect of your personality that you can show the school to convince them you are an ideal student for their institution, don’t hold back in the essay! Instead of restating or emphasizing what’s already on the application, show admissions officers what makes you stand out. Talk about your passions, interests, and goals. Showing the real you to admissions will help them see you as a real person who could be an asset to the school.
Concluding Thoughts
Getting into college is tough, but by following the above tips straight from admissions officers, the process should go much more smoothly. When in doubt, do some research about the school you want to get into and follow their recommendations for applications.
