As a disclaimer, these are my opinions only and do not come from the college where I work. Which is why I did not list it in this blog!
If you know anyone highschool juniors who are about to apply to college or any college students looking to transfer, or if you have a son or daughter about to go through this, you may want to pay close attention to this blog. Also, if you have any friends who have kids about to go through this process, feel free to forward it on.
I work in the admission office for a local college. I am the only person on campus who sees every single application we receive each year. Though it takes up a good deal of my time between November and February, it’s only a small part of my job. For the most part, I rarely read the content of the documents in the file, as it would be too time consuming to read each one. But…there are a few that catch my eye. Which means, I know all the ins and outs and dos and don’ts of the college application process So, I thought I’d take a few minutes to give some advice to high school students and college transfer students on applying to college.
Do your research. The right school depends on more than which school your friends are attending or which one seems the coolest. You need to pick a school that meets your academic needs and one that suits you as a person. Some people thrive in a big university setting, while others prefer a small private college for a more personalized education. So do your research and make sure you pick the school that’s right for you.
Make sure your GPA and test scores (SAT/ACT) meet the requirements for the school and major you choose. It’s good to find out what these requirements are as early as possible in case you need to retake the SAT or work to raise you GPA. Regardless of how much you want to be a bio-chemist, your chances are slim to none if your SAT score in math is a 250.
Once you’ve narrowed your search down to a few schools, take time to visit the campuses, interview with the admission counselors and meet with current students. Ask to shadow a few classes and meet professors in your major. Eat in the cafeteria, stay overnight in the dorms and just try to get a really good feel for the school, the students and the campus.
Decide whether to apply via paper application or online. Many schools will waive your application fee (which is up to $50 at some schools) if you apply online. This is easier for them because it automatically enters you into their application database.
Paper Application. Write legibly and try to write like an adult. Big loopy letter with hearts dotting the eyes appears very immature and yes it does reflect on your character. Take your time and make sure the information is correct and concise. Do not have your mother, father, brother or friend fill out your application. It is painfully obvious when a student did not fill out their own application. Type your essay and resume. Most applications now ask for an email address. It would be a good idea to create a new email address that will be used solely for your college application process. Trust me when I say that admission counselors take note of inappropriate email addresses. Here are some examples I’ve seen in the past year. Remember, these are email addresses for highschool students.
1. hotgyrll69
2. naughtygirl4u
3. bigwillieboy
4. uknowuwantme
5. 420bud
6. brewskimike
7. hotpussgirl
a. Will an email address affect your admission to the college of your choice? Most likely not, but it is still a reflection on your character and how seriously you take the college application process. Many people make the mistake of believing that only the admissions staff reviews applications. Quite the contrary, during any application year, different professors and department heads will come over and review applications and trust me when I say, they review every detail. All this aside, a simple email address with your name or initials appears more professional.
Applying Online. Many people make the mistake of assuming that the computer program that houses the college application will correct your spelling and grammar mistakes. This is very rarely the case. You need to make sure you capitalize proper nouns, use proper grammar and spelling. It amazes me at how often I come across online applications where every single word begins with a small case letter.
Essays. These essays can make or break even the best college applications. Take these essays as serious as the toughest of senior term papers. They should be well thought out, as well as grammatically perfect. After you write your essay, it’s a good idea to have an English teacher, counselor or parent critique it for you. You would be amazed at some of the awful essays that end up on my desk. If you’re applying online and you choose to submit your essay online, again make sure it is perfect. I recommend that if you fill out an online application that you submit your essay in an attached word document or on paper via U.S. Mail. Be creative with your essay. Just because you’re a jock, doesn’t mean you have to write about sports. You have jock written all over your essay, tell us something we don’t know. And I’m not just ripping on jocks, it seems that every kid who fits a “Breakfast Club” label seems to write about being that “label.” Don’t get cocky in your essay. Remember, you may be the BMOC at high school, but you’ll be a freshman again before you know it. There have to be inspirational people in your life other than your parents. Writing about your parents is okay, but it tells us that maybe you haven’t found a way to connect with other adults or even allow another adult to inspire you. One more thing to avoid is the most common opening sentence of a college essay, “It was a day like any other day or so I thought…..” This line is almost always followed by extremely detrimental news that the applicant was able to over come. Don’t cheapen or lessen your strength as a person by writing an unoriginal essay. Overcoming adversity and obstacles are great reflections of your character. Your essay should tell and show us that.
Visiting the campus. This is your chance to put your best foot forward. This is the impression that will represent who you are to the admission counselor and staff. Be prepared. Have enough knowledge of the school and its programs to ask educated questions. Dress for the occasion. You don’t have to wear a shirt and tie, but showing up in baggy shorts, a crooked baseball cap and flip flops will only detract from your good qualities. Listen, take notes and ASK QUESTIONS. Don’t be shy or reserved. Practice your interview with a parent or friend. Look your counselor in the eye and give a firm hand shake when both meeting him or her and when saying good bye. If you sit in on a class, be attentive, alert and prepared. When touring the campus, ask questions, but make sure you give the tour guide ample opportunity to do their job. If you do an overnight visit, by no means partake in any illegal activities. This means, do not go to a dorm or house party, do not consume alcohol and do not violate any rules in the dorm. If you’re a smoker, I’d refrain from smoking on campus during your visit. After your visit, write thank you letters to each individual involved in your visit (ie: the student you stayed with, the admission counselor, the tour guide and the professor if you shadowed a class).
Complete your application as soon as possible. Keep copies of every document you submit. That way, if one fails to reach the admission office, you can resubmit it. Believe it or not, it’s rare for an admission office to lose or misplace your application documents. It’s far more common for a teacher to forget to send a letter of recommendation or the mail room to send it to the wrong department. Once you submit your application, it is your job to make sure the college received it. US Mail and the internet are not foolproof. Things still get lost in the mail and sometimes even though it looks like your application submitted online, it may not have made it to the admission in box. It is common practice for a college to send you at least a postcard stating your application has been received. If after two weeks you have not heard from the college, by all means give them a call or send an email.
If the college contacts you to tell you that your application is missing certain documents, simply comply. Don’t argue with them about your counselor having sent it or that you know you sent it in. The fact is, the document never made it to the college and they’re trying to help you get your application complete. Just get one of those copies we advised you to make and send that in as well.
Deadlines are just that. A hard deadline is one that most colleges stand fast on. If they have a competitive program with a January 15th deadline, chances are, if you send in an application on February 1st, they will tell you to choose another major. If your application is going to be late, you should contact the school prior to the deadline, as they are much more likely to hold you a spot. If you do send in an application after a deadline, it would behoove you to acknowledge that you know the deadline has passed and explain why it is late. This is more likely to get your application read by a counselor. If you’re just late, chances are the data entry person, will send you a form letter telling you to choose another major.
Don’t wait until the last minute. You should apply to even your safety schools before February. This will give you a chance to make an informed decision that you can live with.
Deposit as early as possible. This will guarantee you not only a spot in the program you were accepted into, but also a bed. Many college accept a few too many students each year and it’s the people who deposit late who end up in the three man room that has been converted into a six man room.
Personally, I will never send a check to anyone or any company unless every last bit of information they need about me is on the check. You would be amazed at how many checks cross my desk with nothing written on them. How am I supposed to know that Suzie Johnson is the daughter of Ken and Katie Smith? If you send a check to the college, always make sure that at the least, the student’s name is on the check. It’s also good to include the social security number.
Social Security Numbers. In this day and age, identity theft is a very real concern. Most people probably know someone who has dealt with this. However, even though the application lists this as optional information, at some point you will have to provide the school with your social security number or there is no way they can process you as a student or process your financial aid. It’s better to just put this on the application to begin with, it saves a lot of time and heartache for the admission and financial aid staff trying to track it down. There’s nothing worse than having your financial aid arrive late and the lack of a social security number can hold up that process.
Most applicants send everything they have to the admission office. In the admission office, we expect this. On any given day, about a quarter of the mail I open goes to another department. Mail that arrives in my office, is then put back into inter-campus mail and this can add a day or two to it getting to the proper person or department. Remember that many offices operate on strict deadlines.
So, a few guidelines:
All financial aid documents go to the financial aid dept. Most are now separate from the admission office.
Transcripts come from the registrar’s office. All request for transcripts should go there.
Once you are a student at the college the admission office no longer has your file. It, too, is now in the registrar’s office.
Last but not least, don't get too stressed out about the process. It's a rite of passage, but it doesn't have to tear you down emotionally. We have a lot of fun in the admission office where I work. We go out of our way to accomodate our applicants. When an applicant visits our office, we do everything we can to make it a pleasant, if not fun experience for them. Remember, if a college or university treats you like a number as opposed to an actual person, that's a good indication of how you'll be treated during your college experience. We're the front lines, its our job to represent the college in the best way possible.
I don't think that the applicants whose essays were incorrect or email addresses were inappropriate are bad kids, I just think they're uninformed. I know that I had no idea how this process worked when I went through it, so I hope this helps some of you as you go through it.
As a disclaimer, these are my opinions only and do not come from the college where I work. Which is why I did not list it in this blog!
