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Advice On College Applications

College applications are about a lot more than just grades. College applications are about promoting yourself as a potentially valuable member of the community on campus and your capabilities to reach the college degree you choose. When going through the college application process, keep that in mind.

First, some dos and don'ts for your senior year of high school:

Continue to do well in your high school classes. Even though grades and academics aren't the sole requirement for admission, they're a significant portion of your admission process. If you are a home schooled student, take some time to speak with the schools you are interested in and see what they will require as confirmation for passing classes like Chemistry and Civics.

Do take your SAT and ACT exams at the beginning of the school year. In particular, if you do not feel you did well enough, give yourself the time to take them again in January. These college and career tests are extremely important in making a determination about which college you can attend. Some universities or colleges also will require that you send them your end-of-first-semester grades to check on your application process.

Do look into the financial aid that is open to you at the university you want to attend. It may be the right school for you, but can you afford it? Determine what sort of student loans you could get and start preparing for it as early as you can. Can you get a scholarship? What about educational grants? Should you check out applying for student loans in an effort to finance your schooling?

Do take the time to consider the possible universities or colleges you might like to attend. Safe schools should be included on the list, along with reach colleges and academic challenge colleges. Do some research and get as many college information resources about the college or university that you want to apply to. Don't be afraid to go for the ivy league or top end colleges. There is little to lose for filling out an application. Purchase a week-at-a-glance planner and write down the deadlines for applications for every school.

Do get letters of recommendation from teachers, your guidance counselor, your employers, and anybody you do after school or extracurricular activities for. Be sure to provide you with a good deal of time to write the letters, and keep in mind that those letters are not the easiest things in the world to write. Make certain that you give them a stamped and addressed envelope as well.

Begin honing your essay for admissions early. This admissions essay is the one chance you will get to state, in your words, why you should be attending this institution. Use the essay to talk about 2 or 3 things you've done that you are proud of, and relate them to how you would interact within the university or school community. Feature what you can bring to the college, beyond tuition. Make sure that your admission essay is proofread, and proofread several different times, before sending it. Make sure you include any recommendation letters from your instructors and advisors. The essay is ultimately your job interview for being a student at the college, so be certain that you make it as perfect as possible.

If you're signed up to take AP (or Advanced Placement) classes offered by your school, be certain you schedule a time to take the AP tests. If you get the opportunity to take AP exams without the class, the money you will spend on them is insignificant, and well worth the risk. Likewise, taking a CLEP test can save you tuition money and help get you accepted to the institution of your choice.

Now, the don'ts. Don't get senioritis. Make sure you attend all of your classes in your final semester of high school; this is something college admission boards screen for, because students that get senioritis in high school might become lazy students in college as well.

Do not stress if something goes wrong. Allow yourself time to do things again. The only thing you can't do over is mail applications out after the deadline. So, do not ignore submission deadlines.