Let the Application Games Begin! Tips on college applications

College will definitely be the best years of your life, you will make new friends, go on wild adventures that you know your parents would disapprove of, and become cultured, become exposed to the world around you. By far saying goodbye to all your family and friends will be hard, you will leave everything that you have ever known, and venture off to a new city.
We as students need to feel comfortable with the institution we decide to attend. That’s why when decision time rolls around and you need to choose between UCLA, CSUN, San Jose State or Berkley, make the decision that you want to make. But before we make that decision we need to go through the long anticipated application process. So below are some tips that I wish I would have known before I applied to schools, enjoy! And may the odds be ever in your favor!
1. Start ahead of time:
Okay kings and queens of procrastination, this is not the time to wait until last minute. Make sure that as soon as applications open up to take advantage of the long time period they allow you to have. Waiting until the last minute will only result in you putting together a rushed application. These admission officers read applications for a living, they can tell when someone waited until the last minute.
2. Brag, brag brag!
Colleges want to hear all the extracurricular activities that you have ever done. Awards, clubs you have joined, sports teams, scholarships, jobs internships, and any volunteer work, make sure you list it. Sell yourself to the college.
3. Take it to someone:
Find a professor, or maybe an alumni, or friend who got accepted to the university. They got in, so there has to be something they know that you probably don’t. I personally took my essay to several professors, instructors, and allowed some of my colleagues to read my application essays. Sometimes they will catch things that maybe you don’t see, they will also be your first test to see if you are clear in what you are stating in your essay.
4. Private V.S Public:
I applied to private and public schools make sure that you are filling out the two different applications. Typically for schools like USC, Pepperdine, they used Common Application, unlike public schools. Also public and private schools both have different application deadlines so make sure you research when the applications open.
5. The Essay:
Don’t make up lies, the college wants to genuinely know who you are, where you come from, and what you can bring to their institution. There are several ways you can go about writing the essay, some people like a straight shot, some people like to tell their own personal story, or some write about a struggle that they overcame, and how they benefited from it. Don’t worry too much which approach you take, just make sure that your character really shines through.
6. Waitlist:
Alright, so some of you may experience this. Being waitlisted is not fun, but it isn’t the end of the world either. I was waitlisted for UCLA, and then ended up getting accepted. You can become waitlisted for several reasons, some may include:
A. Your application was almost perfect, but not quite, we will still consider you!
B. There are too many applicants, and we really liked yours but we don’t have time at the moment to cater to everyone that applied.
C. The university thinks that you may have another number one on your list, and they are your back up school. Many colleges want to protect their acceptance numbers, so if they think they aren’t your number one, they will waitlist you, which is what happened to me. You wont know which category you fell into, just be grateful that you weren’t thrown in the rejection pile, and all hope is not lost!
7. Mom, Dad, Co-workers, Friends, and Dogs Don’t Call or bribe the University:
Do NOT call the university if you were rejected, this is the biggest mistake you can do. Calling and crying to admissions and records will not help you get off the list at all, or baking cookies for the admissions officers. At many institutions if you call and harass the school, they will mark it on your file, so when grad school applications come around, they may think twice before letting you in.
All in all, whatever happens, happens, don’t be upset if you didn’t get into the university of your dreams. The application process is very competitive, and your college education is truly what you make of it. So during these next months, try to relax, and spend time each day working on your application, and before you know it decisions will be mailed out, and the start of a new chapter in your life will begin!