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Application Process and Admissions |
 Once
you have narrowed down the list of schools you are considering, you
should go ahead and request applications for those schools if an
application wasn’t already sent with the brochure.
This should be done during the summer after your junior year of high
school, or very early during the first semester of your senior year,
since it can take a few weeks for the schools to send them out.
According to the college planning checklist, you should submit your
applications and application fees no later than October or November
during the fall semester of your senior year.
This might seem early, but there is a lot of information you need to
gather and request such as recommendation letters, test scores and
transcripts. This can take some time and the college deadlines for
receiving applications is going to be
just a few months away. |
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How do I request an application? |
There are a few ways you can request an application.
One way is to fill out an online request available on many college
websites, which is an easy and increasingly popular way of obtaining
application materials.
The traditional way to request an application is by putting a letter of
request in writing to the admissions office, or you can simply call the
admissions office directly and ask for an application packet to be sent. |
| How do I keep track of my applications? |
 One of the most important things you can do during
the application process is to be organized.
Keep a list of all the schools you are requesting applications from and
as you receive them check them off on the list.
Each school may have different deadlines for receiving and processing
applications, so be sure to keep a record of the individual dates for
each school in your file and your wall planner or diary.
Once you start receiving applications, you should begin filling them
out. Don’t wait for them all to come in before you start. It will seem
like a much bigger project if you try to tackle them all at once instead
of one at a time as they come in. |
| Filling out the applications |
 Before you start to write anything on the
applications, be sure to read through them, the instructions, and any
other information sent with them carefully before you begin. Write draft
answers to all of the questions so that you can plan what you want to
say and make any corrections before you put anything on the official
forms. You can either write on some scratch paper or photocopy the
actual form and use the copy as a draft version. If you get stuck on any
of the questions, need some outside perspective, or someone to proof
read your draft ask your parents, teachers, or counselors for assistance |
| What about my terrible handwriting? |
 It is important to give the best first impression of
yourself that you can so writing neatly on your application form is
important. The cool thing about colleges and technology today is that
you can often access applications online and type your answers. Some
schools will still ask you to print, sign, and send the form through the
mail, but at least you don’t have to handwrite your answers and mistakes
can easily be deleted and corrected before you print or send. Other
schools will allow you, and sometimes prefer you, to send your
application online also. However, if you do have to handwrite your
application make sure you write out a draft copy first, and then take
your time filling out the final copy that you will send. The biggest
mistakes usually occur when we are in a hurry. |
| How do I Write a
personal statement or essay? |
 Writing a personal statement or essay is an important
part of your application. Schools will use this to get an idea of who
you are, how you think, and what your writing skills are like. This is
your opportunity to show your chosen schools who you are, how well you
can express your ideas, and what you are capable of so you should think
carefully about what your selection committee is looking for and how
best to express yourself before deciding what to write.
Applying to college is a competitive process, so schools may also use
your personal statement or essay to decide between you and another
student. Keep this in mind while you choose a topic, write a title, and
choose your language. You want to make an impression and stand out from
the crowd. Your admissions committee will be reading many essays and
yours is just one in a whole stack. Try to avoid topics that you think a
lot of other prospective students would write about. If a topic has been
selected for you, try to think of an interesting or unique angle with
which to approach the topic.
Some schools may give you a topic to write about or ask you to write
about yourself, while others may ask you to select your own. Either way,
you will need to read the instructions given to you carefully and be
sure that you are doing exactly what they ask. If you are asked to pick
a topic make sure you choose one that reveals something important about
who you are, something that you feel passionate about, and something
that is unique and interesting. It is sometimes difficult to write about
yourself without being modest. One of the best resources you have for
writing about yourself is your friends, family, and anyone else who
knows you well. They often see things that you don’t always see yourself
and can help you remember important experiences you have encountered
that might make good topics. |
| When can I expect to get a response? |
 If you apply with the regular application deadline
date, then you can expect to receive a response usually by mid-April. If
you applied for an early admission decision, you can usually expect a
response by November or December.
How do I accept or refuse an offer? As soon as you receive your
acceptance letters, you should send out your acceptance and refusal
letters. You want to be sure that the school you have chosen gets your
letter of acceptance as soon as possible so that your place is reserved,
and you also want to notify any other schools that accepted you that you
are refusing their offer so that they can go ahead and offer your place
to another student. You usually have only a couple of weeks to reply so
don’t wait until the last minute to make your final decision. |
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