Writing a college application can feel like auditioning for a blockbuster movie – except instead of an IMDb credit, this time, it impacts your future. But don’t get nervous! The talented Abbie Kay of StateofWriting is here to transform application anxiety into applause. By implementing her practical advice, she’ll turn your application into something that shines as brightly as a student on honor roll caffeine during finals week.
1. Start Early and Organize
Procrastination might be your friend when it comes to getting to class on time – only just – but it is a no-go zone for the college application process. The more you start early, the more you have in hand – because you will have time to think, plan, and compose.
Draw up a timeline (including deadlines for essays, recommendation letters, and applications) and chart it on a calendar. You can also use whatever tools you need regarding apps or other methods.
Moreover, writing services can be a significant asset as you prepare your college applications. Trusted college essay writing service by State of Writing experts can help you express your ideas and emotions clearly and confidently.
These services offer comprehensive support across various assignments, allowing you to entrust your essays to professional writers. This delegation not only saves you time but also ensures that you present a well-polished application that meets the expectations of your prospective schools.
2. Showcase Your Uniqueness
Colleges don’t care about your GPAs and SAT scores. No, they don’t. They want to know the person, not the percentages. What makes you unique? Are you good at playing the kazoo with your nose? Did you volunteer at a rabbit rescue home?
Whatever it is, make it the highlight of your application. If extracurricular activities don’t support your story, consider creating some. Experience that demonstrates your unique attributes, passions, and what you can add to campus is the best way to sell yourself.
3. Ace Your Essays
It is your opportunity to address the admissions committee directly. Make it good, make it an ad for you, make it your stand‑up, nail it. Don’t use big words that make you sound like a walking thesaurus. Be simple, sincere, elegant with your words, and perfect with your punctuation. Talk about stories and situations you’ve been in that reflect your personality and who you are right now.
4. Gather Stellar Recommendations
Who writes your letters of recommendation can be as important as they say: pick mentors who know you and are genuinely impressed by your best qualities. A teacher, a coach, the boss at your summer job – whomever it might be, give them all the time you can spare to write a meaningful letter and gently try to refresh their memories with a recap of some of your special moments.
5. Prep for Interviews
The college application process can include several interviews, and having the right approach can help you stand out. Here are four stages to get the most out of your college interviews:
- Study the School: Learn about the school’s mission, recent successes, and any pertinent programs that interest you. Your interviewer will be very impressed if you come to an interview with some knowledge about the school.
- Practice Common Questions: Anticipate questions you might be asked and practice your answers. However, keep your delivery natural to avoid sounding like you’re reciting from a script.
- Dress Appropriately: No, you shouldn’t show up in a full suit, but dressing more formally demonstrates that you respect the interview process and are a serious candidate. Business casual is a simple choice.
- Think of It as Dialogue: A conversational stance can remove some of the pressure you might be feeling and help you concentrate on the other person.
If you do all of the above and your interview still goes poorly, remember that you’ve done all that you could have. You showed that you were a student who knew something about the school and had prepared well.
Stay True to Yourself
Stay true to your authentic self during the application process. Colleges want to admit real human beings into their real human community, and they will like you better when you are being your best than when you are being someone else’s worst. They want you as you are – quirks and all, and demonstrate your willingness to continue growing as you are carried along in the currents of campus life.
Showcasing Your True Self with Ease
Getting into college might seem like an uphill, Herculean task reserved for the overly organized or aggressively coffee-fuelled superb. But armed with Abbie Kay’s simple, practical advice, you can tackle this with confidence. It’s not about showing the world how good you are – it’s about showing who you are.
