How And When Should I Apply For College?

Getting Into A Prestigious College If It Is The Right Fit - Education For A Better Life - That's OlyLife! www.OlyLife.com

Rule #1 of College Applications: The Sooner The Better

When it comes time for the high schooler to apply for college starting the summer after Junior year, the sooner you get started on your university admission process the better. Of course, putting together a serious application starts earlier with all of the hard work that is expected to be reflected on the application if you want to get into a prestigious institution. But the main points here are that you should start early, as some schools have early rolling admissions (the less competitive schools), and education grant dollars are often all used up before late comers file their applications.

Rule #2 of College Applications: Make A Serious Complete Application

In addition, the student should take time to carefully put together a resume’ that teachers can use for recommendation letters, and he or she should also develop thoughtful and well written college essays on the application. A serious application is one where the student has completed all the required information, arranged for transcripts to be sent from school, signed up to have ACT or SAT scores sent to the college, well constructed essays included, as well as thoughtful answers to what has been achieved in and outside of school, and finally inclusion of any additional information that is requested by the college such as supplemental AP test scores or ACT/SAT subject I/II tests. In other words, deliver a complete package as early as possible.

Guarantee Acceptance Into My First Choice For College

There are never any guarantees that a university will select you. Some of the best and brightest get turned down each year at prestigious colleges as the competition is very tough at the highest levels. The work that the student does during the first three years of high school are largely the deciding factor (If you are reading this before high school prepare early). Here are some critical factors for getting into top notch schools:

GPA
Course Rigor – Honors Classes? AP Classes?
SAT/ACT Test Scores
SAT/ACT Subject Test Scores Beyond Basic Test -
AP Test Scores
National Recognition For Achievement (Academics, Athletics, Business etc)
Regional Recognition For Achievement
State Recognition For Achievement
Local Recognition For Achievement (Obviously the larger the geographic area the greater the weight)
Significant Accomplishments (wrote and published a book, wrote for city newspaper, raised money for charity etc.)
Personal Development – What Do You Offer Besides Excellent Academics – What About You Sets You Apart and Demonstrates That You Will Contribute To The University Beyond Taking Classes
Passions – What Are You Passionate About And What Have You Done To Develop This Passion

Prestigious Schools Look Beyond GPA, Test Scores, Class Rank

If you are applying to a middle of the road college, the list of the items above beyond the GPA and Test Scores won’t be investigated as much. The top universities have to use these areas to pick the very best of the pack, as they are flooded with great applications, near perfect test scores, outstanding GPAs and the top one percent of students from around the world. Therefore, your application presentation is of vital importance if you are seeking to gain entrance into a great school.

Don’t Put Too Much Pressure On Getting Into College

Listen, there is a school for everyone. Don’t break your neck sweating the application process. Just put your best foot forward and outline your accomplishments and passions. When you do this, an honest picture of which schools you should apply to will be apparent. If you are not in the top ten percent of the nation in test scores, GPA, achievements etc. then look realistically at schools that are not selecting only the top ten percent. You can always take a flyer on a top tier, but it is just that a flyer if you don’t have the criteria. One last point, go to the school that you can succeed in… if you are don’t have the skills to do well at MIT, why would you go there to struggle in all of your engineering and physics courses? There is a good fit for you. Use sites like Cappex.com to find schools where your GPA and SAT/ACT scores will best match the student base. When you complete early and serious college applications to appropriate schools, you are one step closer to making the most of your one and only life – That’s OlyLife!

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