Answering the Important College Application Questions

College Search Now answers the question…

How many colleges should I apply to?  

Savvy college applicants should work smart and work hard. The number of applications is important-I usually suggest six, no more than nine. But more important is to construct your list of colleges for application with thought and care.

I work hard with each of my clients to ensure that they are excited about attending every college they apply to. In self-evaluating your own application folder, you might describe your chances of acceptance to one college on your list as a “long shot.” No worries. A list of colleges for application constructed with careful research and a campus visit will also include colleges for which your chance of acceptance could be described as “possible” or even “probable.”

Remember, you should be excited to attend any of the 6-9 colleges on your list. No “safety” schools, no “fall back” schools. Keep it simple. “Long shot”, possible”, “probable.”

My best friend is applying to twenty colleges? Am I doing enough?

More power to her. I wish her the best. Can she honestly say she carefully researched each school and would be excited to attend each one? Probably not. More likely, she simply cannot make a hard decision. That is a lot of essays to write.

I know where I want go to college. That is the only place I have applied. Should I be nervous?

Admission to many colleges is not competitive. Have you done your research, visited the campus and can honestly, say, “I can see myself as a student here?” Great! BUT I am nervous that you do not have a “Plan B.” Consider adding 1-2 more colleges to your final list.

What should I know about what goes into my college application?

Let’s take the mystery out of college admissions decisions. There are three key factors that make up every college admissions office’s decision.

Factor one: The “Essential” part of every college applicant’s folder.

The single most important part of every high school senior’s application is the quality of the applicant’s high school course of study. Every student does not need to take nothing but A.P. classes. But, every applicant must challenge themselves. That will be reflected, largely, through your GPA.

I include test scores - SATs, ACTs, APs in this “essential” category.

Applying to a test optional school but feel good about your scores? Include them. Disappointed with your scores? Do not submit and be sure to recognize that the other items in your application folder will get increased scrutiny. That is a good thing.

Factor two: A “Nice to Have” part of every application folder.

The category of a college application that creates the most confusion and misunderstanding among prospective applicants is what could be called “nice to have.” The role of test scores & GPAs in an application decision, for example, is clear. But what of community involvement as reflected on a resume, or the application essay or teacher references? It is not as easy to discern an obvious function.

We can be sure of one thing, this part of the application folder is unlikely to get you accepted, but they very easily could get you rejected. Let me put it another way, your resume, or your essay or your teacher references will not get you accepted at a college where your SATs or  GPA are below the typical range of students accepted. But if you’re in the proper SAT and GPA range, then putting in proper attention to your resume, essay, or teacher preference could make you stand out in a positive way with college admissions. Similarly, not putting in the proper care with these parts of your application could make you trail behind other applicants with similar SATs and GPAs.

So how can you best present yourself? Try these tips:

-application essay: Tell the reader something, one thing, about yourself. Do your research and write about what you would add to each school.

-teacher references: Pick a junior or senior year teacher only.

-community involvement & co-curricular activities:  Do what you enjoy and do it well. Don’t bother padding your resume the last few months before senior year.    

Factor three: A “Tie-breaker” part of every application folder.

This controversial factor of an application folder becomes important only in the admissions offices of the small number of highly competitive colleges where there are many more outstanding applicants than that college/university can hold.

Does the applicant bring something to the university? Is there a “hook”? We most often think of athletes or race-influenced candidates in this regard. But it could be a legacy candidate. Or a male candidate in a college with a female/male imbalance. I have worked with a school that prided itself on having a student from every state in the US. Or perhaps a candidate from overseas might add something to a campus culture.    

Think of the tie-breaker factor this way. There is one sport left in the college but two candidates are equal in every way. The candidate with the tie-breaker will be accepted every time.

What does this mean for your college search? Work smart and work hard. Do your research. Find what makes you a uniquely right fit for the colleges you’re applying to. Be a savvy consumer. You’ll be glad you did.

David W. Clark, Ed.M. is an independent college admission consultant who has been working with high school students for more than thirty-five years. David is a graduate of the Harvard University Graduate School of Education. He recently re-located his practice to Texas and he specializes in applications to colleges in the Northeast and mid-Atlantic. His website www.collegesearchnow.org is worth visiting and he can be reached there.