COLLEGE APPLICATION MISTAKES TO AVOID
Applicants are denied for a variety of reasons, just as there is no one road to admission to a given school. It’s usually a combination of circumstances, not all of which the candidate can control. There are, nevertheless, a number of typical mistakes made by candidates that can be readily avoided by preparing ahead, taking your time, and being aware of the information you provide to the admissions committee. If you’re not careful, these errors or “red flags” could send your application to the “no” pile. That may sound intimidating, but the good news is that you may easily avoid these blunders, giving your application a greater shot in the competitive college admissions game.
Applying to colleges can be a stressful process, but knowing what mistakes to avoid can help students feel less overwhelmed. What are some common blunders that annoy college admissions officers and might lead to an application being rejected? This blog will help you find out exactly that.
Failing to read guidelines
Reading the application process before filling up the application is easier than calling up a friend and asking what to do next. The latter also comes with wrong information. It is always advisable for a student applying for higher education to read the eligibility criteria, required documents, and application process of the specific university or college carefully before starting their application. To avoid any mistakes, this is the first step that needs to be taken. Not reading instructions lead to missing out on important requirements and sometimes even submitting incomplete applications. The list of guidelines differs from one university to another. Several universities, for example, offer a single application for all students, while others have a separate application for each department.
Missing deadlines
One of the most common mistakes is also one of the easiest to avoid. It’s no surprise that students mix up application deadlines when they have a large college list and a lot of dates to remember. Make a list of deadlines and schools to avoid missing critical deadlines. Make a note of the name of the school and the deadline for submitting your application. Set reminders in your phone as a backup so you’ll be reminded as your deadlines approach.
Using an unprofessional email address
As mediocre as it sounds, emails are an integral part of college applications. You definitely won’t be applying to just one college, you will surely have a list of colleges that you will apply to. In any case, email addresses are the primary source of contact for an applicant. Using a primary account with a casual email address is detrimental to your college application since you will probably be recognized by your email address in the college administration. Also, having a separate email address will be easier for you to organize your applications because chances are they are getting mixed in your personal inbox. Use a simple, easy-to-remember email address for your college application and other information.
Lack of involvement in extracurriculars
Some students make the mistake of focusing so much on their studies that they overlook participating in extracurricular activities. Colleges seek students who are well-rounded and have a diverse set of experiences. Extracurricular activities such as athletics and student organizations will engage you, broaden your horizons, and teach you how to interact with people. Extracurricular activities will help you build your college résumé and apply for scholarships. Remember that colleges want to see that you followed through on your promises rather than joining every club available. If your schedule can be altered, join a few extracurriculars and aim to stay involved in them for all of your years of high school.
Provide context in your application
In the admissions process, context is everything. Applicants from low socioeconomic backgrounds or whose parents did not attend college are judged differently than wealthier applicants who have had several opportunities for personal and academic improvement. However, context is far more intricate than simply socioeconomic situations. Consider your situation and attempt to assess it objectively: How would you describe your neighborhood? What is your family life like? What obligations do you have in your family? Then notify colleges. As much as feasible, help the admissions committee in visualizing you in your context. Applicants that overlook this crucial personal background information sometimes lose out in the admissions process.
Inadequate proofreading
There’s nothing like enough proofreading. Don’t rely just upon spell-check and other word-processing features; proofread and proofread again! Have a second set of eyes look through your application. Before hitting the submit button, double-check and proofread your application form, as a single error might derail your college dreams.
Forgetting to save online applications
Are you tired of hearing your parents and advisers encourage you to save every page of your application? It’s easy to forget this advice, even if you’ve heard it a million times. Sure, internet applications frequently auto-save when you navigate to another page, but you shouldn’t rely on it. Make sure you hit the “save” button after you’ve finished filling out the form.
Waiting until the last minute
Make a plan for your college applications ahead of time. An organized and forward-thinking applicant is a well-rounded candidate. So, if you want to convey that you are a well-rounded, responsible candidate, don’t submit your application at 11:59 p.m. on the due date. You’ll be scrambling to do everything on time if you wait until the last minute. As a result, the essays are sloppy, and there is space for error when filling out the application.
Forgetting to research your college early on
The college research process should begin in high school freshman year. Even if you aren’t sure where you want to go at the time, you should look up the entrance requirements for some of your top choices. This is critical since the courses and grades you took in high school have a significant impact on how college admissions officials evaluate your application. If your grades do not reach the minimum requirements, you will most likely be denied during the first round of evaluation.
Avoid giving out too much information
This is not a confessional application. Each of us has a dark side—we all have shortcomings in our personalities and emotional baggage from living in an imperfect world. The application provides a place to celebrate your best self. If those discoveries aren’t properly balanced by showing the positives that came out of difficult experiences, by demonstrating that you’ve made it to the other side of the tunnel, be extremely cautious about sharing your neuroses, phobias, failures, and regrets. There is just too much superfluous information that does not add value to the application. Don’t send nine letters of recommendation, copies of every academically related diploma you’ve ever received, and a stack of local newspaper articles. Application readers, on the whole, have a lot to read in a short amount of time. Be very strategic when you filter out your extra materials.
Forgetting to check curriculum requirements
To help students get into their choice of program, all students should check the curriculum requirements and take the appropriate high school classes. Students interested in engineering degrees, for example, will almost certainly need to take physics and calculus in high school. Students can learn about program requirements on college websites, which vary slightly depending on the institution. Students can send curriculum questions to admissions personnel if that information is not easily available on the school’s website.
Avoid procrastinating
This is not necessarily an application-related mistake but it still is important in you’re application process. Procrastinating to start or finish your college application may result in missing your deadline or rushing in the end moment. It has many drawbacks. You may miss out on important documents if you start your application at the last moment. You don’t want to fall prey to technical blunders when there is traffic on the college websites. Planning your application process much before without delaying it will work in your favor.
When it comes to college applications, there is a lot to think about. It’s not only about where you submit your application; the content and substance also matters. Avoid the mistakes mentioned above for a swift application process.
