a guide by a former applicant who never receivedΒ a single rejection letter!
transcripts + test scores
letters of recommendation
before we begin, please remember that while the process of applying to college may seem like it will never end, in just a few short months it will. yes, it is a stressful time full of uncertainty, and you may start to think that college isnβt even worth it, but this is the time where all the hard work youβve been putting in for the past four years really comes to fruition. you know how hard youβve worked to get where you are, and let your applications accurately reflect that.
figure out where you want to apply. have a backup, somewhere you can get in for sure, at least two schools youβd be happy to attend including one you know you can for sure afford, and then of course your dream/reach school. some people do more than this (I applied to 8 in total), but this is a good starting point.
set up your common app account. the common app application usually launches on august 1, but go in before that and get your account set up so you can get a head start. the first thing I would do is fill out the application part itself, sans essays. itβs a ton of information, and itβll be overwhelming at first, but if you can get it done, especially before you go back to school, then you wonβt have to worry about it.
get organized! go through the requirements of every school youβre applying to. figure out what you need to submit and when. be aware of your deadlines from the beginning and make a checklist to mark everything off as you go.
to be perfectly honest, the essays are the most time-consuming and most daunting part of this process. hereβs how to tackle them:
first of all, start early. in august it may seem like you have plenty of time, but then youβll blink, and itβll beΒ november. I spent a first week and a half of my christmas breakΒ trying to finish a 2000-word essay because I didnβt really start my essays until october. please save yourself that stress and aim to finish at leastΒ a first draft of all your essays by halloween.
KNOW. YOUR. SCHOOL.Β I cannot stress this enough. this is the one thing I can tell youΒ that will make or break yourΒ entireΒ application. certain schoolsΒ and even programs valueΒ certain qualities in their applicants, and knowing what theyβre looking for can help you cater your essay to theirΒ specific tastes.Β for example, NYU values the diversity of their student body and their reputation as a global institution. express why you also value diversity and how you would contribute to or take advantage of that globality. donβt go into your essay writing without some semblance of what the schools youβre applying to stand for. if you can demonstrate that you understand their missions and their vision, you can turn your borderline acceptance into a much more solid one.
on a similar note,Β get familiar with your school or programβs website.Β for one thing, it will help you get to know your school better and understand what theyβre looking for (point above). you can also prove just how interested you are by naming specific programsΒ or opportunities available that youβre interested in or even a professor youβd like to study under. do outside research too: watch youtube videos, talk to current students, andΒ read student publications. a deeper understanding not onlyΒ strengthens your essays but also helps you to know whatβs available to you.
show some enthusiasm, even if an essay is for a school thatβs lower on your list. admissions officers want students who want to be there. you may think youβre above gushing, but youβre not. gush, even if itβs your backup and youβre a shoo-in. apathy is not impressive toΒ an admissions officer.
really focus on what makes you unique. I know that sounds cliche, but admissions officers read thousands of essays every application cycle, so you really need to findΒ what can make you, and thus your essay, stand out. I promise you, you can find some unique experience to write about, even if itβs some obscure anecdote. spin it to be a thoughtful, profound experience. talk about something that has seriously impacted you or your trajectory. if youβre having a hard time writing about yourself (I know I did) ask a parent or a friend, someone who knows you well, what they think makes you different. I promise you thereβs something there you can use.
work smarter. reuse material from similar prompts. reuse old graded essays. I even reused a book review I had already written for my english class. writing these essays is not your full-time job (though it may feel like it), so be smart about it where you can.
transcripts + test scores
(combining these since really at this point all you have to do is submit them)
in terms of test scores: so itβs the beginning of your senior year and youβre still not happy with your standardized test scores. take them again! you still have time! you should doublecheck to be sure, but most schools will take your test scores all the way up to the application deadline, and sometimes even after, which gives you at least two or three more opportunities to take the SAT/ACT. also, sending scores to multiple schools can get really expensive really fast (roughly $15 per school, so you do the math), so see if youβre eligible for fee waivers before you submit.
in terms of transcripts: request them early. it took my guidance counselor at my smallish public school almost 6 weeks to submit my transcripts after I requested them to be sent. the longer you wait, the more time itβs going to take them, because theyβll be doing the same for hundreds of other kids. also, double check and see if your schools require mid-year transcripts; most donβt unless youβre actually going there, but some do. make sure your guidance counselor knows you need those in by a certain date; mine almost didnβt make it in time because it took the school district almost two months to get them done. youβve already done the hard work to make the grades on your transcript; donβt let a lack of action create an issue with it.
letters of recommendation
(this is one area that can actually really help you if you take the time and put in some effort)
teacher recs: most schools require at least one teacher recommendation. start thinking about whom you want to write your recs once school starts, and then ask those teachers as soon as possible. chances are, theyβll have other students asking as well. it takes time to write a really good recommendation, and you have to remember your teacher is doing all of this on top of their other work. so be courteous and donβt wait until three weeks before the deadline to ask.
counselor recs: pretty much every school requires a counselor recommendation. this process probably varies from high school to high school, but at least for mine, we had to print an online form and fill it out to give to them. I had no idea, however, that that was a thing until one of my friends told me. so get on your schoolβs website as soon as possible and see if your guidance office has a section posted about the college application process. then, as with teacher recs, make the request as soon as possible. counselor recs may take even longer (again, hundreds of students), and you donβt want to wait until the last minute to get something so simple done.
other recs: recommendations from someone associated with the college youβre applying toβa prominent alumnus (the more money theyβve donated, the better) or a well-respected staff member are your best optionsβcan really tip the scale in favor of a borderline application. we all know that in the real world itβs not always what you know but whom you know. yeah, itβs unfair, but work that system anyways. ask your parents if they know anyone with some kind of connection to your school. if you live nearby, get in contact with a professor in your field. even if you donβt, go on facebook and find your local alumni chapter. contact someone involved and ask them to meet you for lunch. express how important that school is to you, and Iβm sure theyβd be more than happy to help. make the system work for you!
*a total sidenote: interviewing was actually really helpful for me personally. my interview at my former top choice made me realize what I really wanted for myself in college and totally changed the trajectory of my college experience*
let me just say, interviewing is not for everyone. some people come off better in person than they do on paper, and some people donβt. so do not feel like you need to interview at every single one of your schools if that really isnβt your thing.
again, know your school. most schools offer interviews, but itβs rarely a requirement. if your school strongly recommends you interview (ex. wake forest), you should probably do it. if not, itβs really up to you.
just putting in the effort of interviewing, especially if you have to travel to get there, shows your interest in the school and can help you in the long run. an interview is typically weighted equally with all the other aspects of your application, so unless you really bomb it, it wonβt make a big difference.
prioritize. some schools offer skype or local alumni interviews to make things more accessible if you farther away, but not all do. if you have to travel for an interview, especially if it involves getting on a plane, pick your top two or three choices to focus on, especially if you think youβll be more of a borderline applicant.
every school does interviews differently. some treat it more like a conversation, others like a Q&A. you may be interviewed by an alumnus, a current student, or an admissions director. it all varies. do your research ahead of time so youβll know what to expect. some schools even have sample questions you can practice answering.
prepare, prepare, prepare. the more prep you do, the more confident youβll feel, and the better youβll do. talk through the questions youβll be answering. have a mock interview with someone you trust, preferably who has interview experience and can give you pointers. if you know ahead of time who will be interviewing you, do a little research on that person so you know something about them and what to expect. and again, know your school and what they value in their students so you can exemplify those qualities.Β
get in touch with the admissions director for your region. most schools have multiple admissions officers that read applications for a certain area of the country (ex. pacific northwest). most likely, theyβll be the one reading your application. so email them with your questions or issues (although, please, please donβt ever ask anything that can be found on the website, and for the love of god, donβt have your mom call or email for you). if you happen to be on campus, stop by admissions and make an effort to introduce yourself. by the time that person gets to your application, the hope is that even if they donβt recognize your name right off that bat, it at least seems familiar enough that they know youβve made an effort and demonstrated your interest.
thank you notes! if you interview or have someone besides your teacher or counselor write a letter of rec for you, donβt forget to send a handwritten thank you note. itβs just a little adult thing to start doing that goes that extra mile. plus, if you mail a thank you note to your interviewer via the admissions office, it may get put in your file, which will reflect well on your personal professionalism.
more helpful tips & resources
if you have any questions, please feel free to send an ask. also, if youβd like more specific advice here are the schools I applied to:Β emerson college, univ of central florida, colgate univ, wake forest univ, college of william & mary, middlebury college, new york univ, and univ of st andrews.
βthose different essays that keep popping up tipsβ by @thisnerdsadventuresΒ
βcollege essay masterpostβ by @studyfandomΒ
βwould you admit you?β by @genericappblrurl
βcollege essaysβ by @sootudyingΒ
βcollege essay editsβ by @intellectys
letters of recommendation
βteacher recsβ by @etudiance
β15 questions to know for college interviewsβ by @solustudies
βcollege interviewsβ by @cyberstudiesΒ
βmassive college masterpostβ by @heyiwantyoutostay
βcollege application websites masterlistβ by @cyberstudiesΒ
βsmol college app tipsβ by @365textΒ
good luck, young ones!! you can do it!!
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