 Top
10 Tips for Getting Into College Without Losing Your Mind
To follow are some additional tips that aren’t included
in our new book, “Don’t
Worry, You’ll Get In.” Take a deep breath and read on:
- Create a printed list of all the schools to which you are applying.
Give it to your guidance counselor so that he/she is sure to send
the official school report to every college on your list. Your application
is incomplete without the school's documents even if your send in
your part.
- Keep in mind that there is a college for everyone. Sure, the Ivy
Leagues are extremely tough to get into, but the truth is, once you
get past the top 20 most competitive colleges most schools admit the
majority of applicants.
- Studies have shown that applying early decision increases your odds
for acceptance dramatically. So, get going. Spend time the summer
before your senior year discerning your clear first choice college,
then prepare your application.
- Keep it to yourself. Don't enter into the frenzy of talk about colleges.
This is your personal journey to finding the right college and getting
crazy about everyone else's opinions will only bring you down.
- Identify the teacher who is your strongest supporter, and then do
everything you can to stand out in his or her class. This is who you'll
go to first for that ever important recommendation.
- Learn the fine art of saying "no" to activities that take
you off course. Focus on a few things that you love and become really
good at them rather than frantically trying to do everything.
- Set up a specific schedule during the year to study for any upcoming
standardized test: For instance, Wednesday evenings from 9-10:00. And, make sure you are studying how to crack the SAT questions rather than sensless hours of rote memorization. Check out the Ultimate Guide to SAT Prep.
- Make time to relax! High school shouldn't be all SAT prep, hours
of community service, and three different tutors in the name of "getting
in." Get a life and you'll be much happier.
- Let your academic passions guide your class choices. No college
likes a "cookie cutter" applicant who follows the prescribed
path and nothing else. The most interesting candidates follow their
own interests and it shows.
- Don't believe all you read - the best way to find out about a particular
school is to visit in person, speak to students, observe a class and
meet professors. Otherwise, you're just responding to slick marketing
rather than actual traits of a college.
Other Great Tips -- Because Knowledge is POWER:
 We suggest you check out the newspaper of any college you are seriously
considering. Reading a school's paper gives you an inside glimpse into
the culture and tenor of a place and the "issues of the day."
It will also give you great conversation starters for your interview.
Click
here for a collection of college newspapers.
 Our best tip for SAT prep is to practice taking the test. No need to stress out over the unknown, practice with an actual test. We love the CollegeBoard's books for SAT subject tests, and the SAT I.
 Stay current and catch up on national news by reading Time or Newsweek.
 Finally, a listing of
schools that have Early Action and Early Decision options and the
due dates and probability for acceptance. (PDF;
228K.)
To view the PDF you'll need the free
Adobe Acrobat Reader. |
