One of the most important stages of your student life is your college application. However, the process of perfecting the applications that will determine the next years of your life can be scary and stressful.
Here you can find six strategies to optimize your college application process:
- Get organized
It’s crucial that you start your applications early and stay organized. Create a system that will allow you to keep track of the multiple tasks and deadlines of the applications you are working on. You can also develop a checklist or spread sheet with all the materials you need for each application such as official high school transcripts, standardized test scores, letters of recommendation, portfolios and other supporting documents.
- Focus on your activities
Your accomplishments, leadership experiences, and community service can be a critical tool in helping separate yourself from all the others applicants with similar scores. Take the time to list all your extracurricular activities. College admissions officers often talk about the importance of being highly involved in activities and organizations, especially if they involve leadership. Many colleges are also placing a greater emphasis on encouraging students to reach out to the local communities.
- Decide on your application type and master it
More than 200 private colleges and universities in the U.S. accept the Common Application. You can actually complete the application online and then print out the number of copies you need, making sure your application answers are neat and professional. Make sure each school you want to apply to accepts it and even if they do, you should use the individual school’s application for your top colleges because it is sign that you care enough to individualize your application to that school. No matter what application you go for, always remember to read it thoroughly before starting filling it out. Start by completing a rough draft. Once you are happy with all your answers, take the time to complete the application neatly.
- Craft your best college essay
Your college essay is critical to your application. Besides being well written, it should also offer insight into your personality. Your essays should be original, personal, and honest and they are the best way to distinguish yourself from all the other similar applicants. And always remember to proofread your essay as carefully as possible.
- Take advantage of online resources
Online tools have become more and more helpful in making the college application process more manageable. Here you can find some of the most helpful resources to help you compose the perfect application:
- Easy Word Count – this online word counter is perfect to keep a count of your words and characters when writing and editing your college application and specially your college essay.
- State of Writing – a great tool for you to carefully edit your college application and improve your writing.
- Grade On Fire – this writing community offers you quality writing guides and professional advice.
- Uktopwriters – this tool will help you find complicated sentences and common errors that you want to avoid when editing your college application and essay. It allows you to paste your content into the tool and it will analyze it sentence by sentence.
- Elite Assignment Help – use this tool to get expert writing help to improve your application and essay.
- Resumention – an online tool that offers resume writing and editing services to help your resume and application stand out from the others.
- Seek help
Find someone to help you with the college application process. If you don’t have a family member to assist you, try a teacher or counsellor, a friend or any adult who has been through the process. Accept constructive criticism. The read your application, the stronger it will be.
To have a chance at getting accepted at the college of your choice, you need to meet the minimum requirements for acceptance. But apart from that, the most important element is the quality of your application and essay. Use these six strategies to help you build the strongest application and assay possible.
Freddie Tubbs is an eLearning project manager from Fort Myers, Florida. He works as a language researcher at Best Australian Writers and is a contributing author at The Atlantic.
All views and opinions of guest authors are theirs alone and are not representative of the views of Petersons.com or its parent company Nelnet.
