When applying to colleges, the college application is what the colleges will be evaluating to determine whether or not they would like you to attend their college or university. As years have gone by, the competition to get into a college is getting more competitive. Students should focus on three main items to prepare for their college applications:
1) Essays
Admissions officers read college essays so they can learn something about the applicant. They want to find out something unique about the applicant from his or her essay. This is the applicants chance to wow the admissions officers while being honest and precise with their essays. Writing about things that are already on your transcript and application will not be helpful because it will not be new information to the admissions officer. It will just be redundant. Write about your goals for the future, special events that have occurred in your life, or someone you know who has greatly influenced you in some way or another (however, I don’t recommend writing about Lady Gaga).
2) Extracurricular Activities
Colleges like to see consistency more than seeing multiple different activities for short periods of time. Try to remember and write down all of the extracurricular activities and service opportunities you have been involved in since your first day of freshman year (and maybe even before that if you have been doing something every year since middle or even elementary school).
3) Teacher Recommendations
All colleges and universities will require you to have at least one teacher recommendation. The goal is to choose a teacher (or teachers if the case may be) who know you well in and outside of the classroom (if possible). It is recommended that teacher recommendations come from teachers you have had for sophomore and/or junior year. This way the teachers have had a chance to get to know you. Teachers you have your senior year are not the best idea since they will have only known you for a couple of months before you submit your college applications. Choosing a teacher who can write something nice about you that they themselves have seen is always a great idea. Colleges will want to see what the teachers have seen in you as a student from their own experience.
Mind you: doing this all at the last minute is not a good idea. Once you get started, you may realize that you will need much more time to prepare these three things. They are the key parts to your college application so take your time and start early so you are well prepared!
Shenila Darediais a student at Woodward Academy. She is applying to colleges this fall, and is getting ready to begin the journey.
3 Things to Prepare for College Applications
By Guest · June 30th, 2011 · Admissions · Comments
30 June
When applying to colleges, the college application is what the colleges will be evaluating to determine whether or not they would like you to attend their college or university. As years have gone by, the competition to get into a college is getting more competitive. Students should focus on three main items to prepare for their college applications:
1) Essays
Admissions officers read college essays so they can learn something about the applicant. They want to find out something unique about the applicant from his or her essay. This is the applicants chance to wow the admissions officers while being honest and precise with their essays. Writing about things that are already on your transcript and application will not be helpful because it will not be new information to the admissions officer. It will just be redundant. Write about your goals for the future, special events that have occurred in your life, or someone you know who has greatly influenced you in some way or another (however, I don’t recommend writing about Lady Gaga).
2) Extracurricular Activities
Colleges like to see consistency more than seeing multiple different activities for short periods of time. Try to remember and write down all of the extracurricular activities and service opportunities you have been involved in since your first day of freshman year (and maybe even before that if you have been doing something every year since middle or even elementary school).
3) Teacher Recommendations
All colleges and universities will require you to have at least one teacher recommendation. The goal is to choose a teacher (or teachers if the case may be) who know you well in and outside of the classroom (if possible). It is recommended that teacher recommendations come from teachers you have had for sophomore and/or junior year. This way the teachers have had a chance to get to know you. Teachers you have your senior year are not the best idea since they will have only known you for a couple of months before you submit your college applications. Choosing a teacher who can write something nice about you that they themselves have seen is always a great idea. Colleges will want to see what the teachers have seen in you as a student from their own experience.
Mind you: doing this all at the last minute is not a good idea. Once you get started, you may realize that you will need much more time to prepare these three things. They are the key parts to your college application so take your time and start early so you are well prepared!
Shenila Daredia is a student at Woodward Academy. She is applying to colleges this fall, and is getting ready to begin the journey.