By Adriana Yarkin, Copy Editor
Applying to college is anything but formulaic, and in a way, that’s the point — it’s a very individual process.
Comforting, I know.
“How the hell do I know what to do?” — Me, May of last year. And June of last year. And, well, pretty much every month day up until I committed a couple of weeks ago.
In this article, I’ll share some of the more valuable pieces of knowledge that I’ve come across in the last year, in terms of both helpful resources and ways to approach different aspects of the process.
According to the Washington Post, there are 5,300 colleges and universities in the United States alone, including community and technical colleges. So if you haven’t already, take five minutes to do some research on the different types.
I recommend purchasing a college guidebook to help. My mom would agree that “Fiske Guide to Colleges” was well worth the investment. Not only does it provide activities to help you discover what you’re looking for, but it also presents the various colleges and universities in a very balanced and comparable manner — and lists the application types, deadlines and fees for each one.
I also recommend playing around with your internet searches. Take a few minutes to sit down and type, “colleges with the best return on investment,” or “best colleges for funny people” or “prettiest college campuses.”
As you do this, try to discern what you’re looking for in a school, and assemble a shortlist accordingly of schools that match your top criteria. That way, when you find a college that you like, you should be able to answer the question, “What makes this a good fit for me?”
To figure this out, you should plan on visiting some schools — even if you’re not considering them — before you begin your applications. Tours are free, and there are a number of schools in the area. This will help you take real stock of what matters to you when you’re actually living in a college environment.
While touring school, sit in their cafeteria for twenty minutes and pay attention to the students around you. This is an easy way to develop a feel for the type of people that attend the school.
A prominent regret among some seniors as spring comes along and they try to decide where they want to go is that they did not apply to enough schools. To avoid this, here are a few things to remember:
Don’t be afraid to apply to those reach schools.
Pick at least one school that you are not only confident you will get in to, but that you would also be happy attending.
If you are primarily applying to all one type, i.e. small liberal arts, consider applying to at least one school that has a different philosophy, size and location. In my case, the outlier ended up being the school I chose.
Most schools keep files of every student who reaches out to them, which you can do even before you apply, by being in contact with their admissions office.
If you can do an interview with the school, you should, because it will put you on their radar. And when you do, don’t stress about it — even if you don’t do great, it is unlikely to hurt you. Instead, use the opportunity to learn as much about the school as possible. Be curious!
There are other ways to learn about schools as well — in addition to tours, many smaller schools offer overnights and the ability to sit in on classes.
It’s also helpful to check out what students have to say about. “Unigo” is a website through which students can review their school. While you look for reasons you should go to a school, make sure that you’re also looking for reasons you shouldn’t.
Okay, this is a hailstorm of information, so thanks for sticking with me. Now, let’s take a moment to talk about your application.
For me, the hardest part of the Common Application — used by more than 750 colleges — was making the account, because I kept putting it off. When I finally did type it into Google and click “get started,” I found that I actually enjoyed filling the the application out.
Then there’s the essay — and in some cases, essays, as a number of colleges require supplemental writing.
When an admissions officer is reviewing your application, you’re one set of papers among thousands, so you want to prioritize being memorable over being well-rounded.
While the rest of your application is a documentation of what you have already done, your essay is an opportunity to paint a picture of yourself in a way that is unique and focused on a specific aspect of who you are. You want whomever reads your essay to be able to briefly summarize you as a person so that they can effectively advocate for your admission.
So, while the quality of writing is important, the focus is as well.
Just as you should be able to articulate why a given school is a good fit for you, the person reading your essay should be able to see why you would be a good fit for their school.
As a final note on the essays, you probably won’t write the perfect one on your first try, so don’t be afraid to practice and try out ideas — and don’t put it off. Don’t be afraid to reach out, either — our English teachers are a great resource!
My final piece of advice is to apply early action to as many places as possible, which for most schools, is in November. By doing this, you will receive your admissions results in December — just in time to apply to another round of colleges if you need to. And in many cases, the application fee is waived if you apply by a certain date.
Until you receive the results of your applications, you don’t need a top choice. In fact, seeing as the admissions process for many colleges is in some ways random — How closely was your application even read? — it may not be the best idea to get attached to any one school.
Give yourself options, because in the end, you can thrive anywhere you go.
Let the opportunities excite you.