We’re about halfway through college application season, and if you're like me, you found it a grind. Not only is it painful trudging through application after application, but receiving about 23 emails a day from each college—basically with the same information—is enough to drive anyone crazy. I have a few tips to help you survive the process and make it to the beautiful end. Let’s get started!
Do apply early. And if you procrastinate, just forgive yourself and move on. Applying early means that when the rest of your friends are struggling in early December, you’ve already finished in late October. But Natalie, you may say, what if I haven’t fully hit my academic stride or have a big extracurricular event coming up? What I did was re-email the college to update them on any new achievements or awards. There’s no excuse not to apply early.
Don’t listen to others too much. When I was applying for college, I was applying as a creative writing major, and everyone seemed to have an opinion about where I should go and how I should apply. These opinions usually revolved around colleges that people from my high school attended, even if they weren’t a good fit for me or didn’t offer creative writing as a major. It’s really important to prioritize yourself and your own voice during this process.
Do find schools that are the best fit for you. Don’t focus too much on target, reach, or safety schools—think of them as either a good fit or not. Some schools may look great on paper but won’t work for you. For example, I live near the University of Wisconsin-Madison, which is a fantastic school, but it wasn’t a good fit for me because it didn’t offer creative writing. No matter how well-ranked a school is, it won’t matter if it’s not the right fit for you.
Don’t let rankings decide for you. It doesn’t matter if a school is ranked 100th on a list of the best liberal arts colleges if they have your program, student organizations that interest you, great dorms, a sustainability initiative, or whatever else is important to you. Those are all far better reasons to choose a college than a ranking in U.S. News or Niche.
Do have others review your application for grammar and spelling. College applications can feel very personal, but it can be helpful to have someone read them over. Most of the time, they’ll point out areas where you can highlight more about yourself, like your swimming career or leadership experience, that you might have overlooked. Another pair of eyes can help you focus on what’s really important.
On that note, do play to your strengths. No matter where you come from, you have strengths—you just need to identify them. For example, if you participated in seven extracurriculars but Key Club and National Honor Society were just things you did, while you really loved speech and debate, focus on speech and debate. Show your passions and involvement in things that genuinely interest you. Colleges can tell if you're faking it, so be authentic.
Don’t lie. Even if you feel like your application isn’t the strongest, lying will only hurt you in the long run. Colleges can usually tell when you’re being untruthful, and you want to be accepted on your own merit.
Do listen to your gut. If you visit a college and everyone seems dreary, sad, or tired, but they have a great academic program, it’s worth considering. Pay attention to how students look and act, because at the end of the day, a brochure or email can only tell you so much. Trust how you feel about a school.
Don’t overextend yourself. Don’t apply to 20 colleges thinking that the more you apply to, the more you’ll get into. Focus on quality over quantity. It just makes it more overwhelming when you have to decide in the end. I applied to 10 colleges, which felt like a lot, but it was close to perfect for me. When decision time came, I only had to choose between two or three serious contenders before I finally picked Oberlin.
Do interview. Interviewing is a fantastic way to have a candid conversation with a student about the college. I could ask my interviewers about the academic program, student organizations, food options, or even the party scene. Interviews won’t make or break your application, but they can give you a precious glimpse into life at the college you want to attend.
Don’t get discouraged. College application season honestly sucks. How are you supposed to sum yourself up in 500 words for a panel of people who don’t know you and are judging you against thousands of other students across the country? It can feel overwhelming and daunting, but know that you can’t be defined by your ACT score, your extracurriculars, or whoever you are on paper. You’re so much more than that, and the right college will be a perfect fit for you. Sometimes being waitlisted or rejected is just a redirection to the place you were meant to be.
And finally, do get excited about college! Celebrate your first acceptance and every acceptance after that because it’s impressive. Even applying to college is an accomplishment. Reward yourself and start envisioning what your future might look like.
I hope these tips help you as you navigate your college journey next year. Remember, you’ve got this! You’re strong and have something valuable to bring to the table. Best of luck!
