Tips on How to Avoid Common Mistakes on College Application
Filling out an application form may seem as easy as filling in boxes or ticking off checklists with basic information about yourself. Yet sometimes, this simple task can be tricky. When you have a lot of information to put into an application form, mistakes are easy to make along the way. Some students may have missed some necessary information, while a few may have sent an application to the wrong university.
With preparation, these can be avoided. We have provided a list of how to avoid the most common mistakes as you double-check your application:
Using an unprofessional email address
Do you think it is okay to use the email address you made in your fifth grade for college admissions? We hope you think not. Applications usually start with the use of a primary email, and an unprofessional or inappropriate one is just not right. Of course, you don’t want to be remembered by your school in that way.
The right thing to do is set a separate email for college applications with your name on it. You don’t need numbers or your pop idols on your email. The simpler, the better.
Missed application deadlines
This might be an easy task for your application process but others cannot avoid it. It is not a surprise that students often mix up the dates they have to remember on their long college lists to application deadlines.
You can avoid missing the deadline by simply jotting down all the lists of schools and dates your application must be submitted by and put in somewhere you can easily see. Another great way is setting reminders on your phone.
Sending the wrong essays to the wrong schools
Although it is understandable that the schools you are applying to can be easily mixed up, it must be avoided. This usually happens when many schools require multiple essays and you use the same essay for these schools so that you can cut down on your workload. But what is wrong is a lot of students forget to change the name of schools before submitting their essays or application.
You can prevent this by clearly putting labels in your documents. It is recommended to put the name of the college in the file name. In this way, you will never send the wrong essay to the wrong school.
Under-explaining extracurricular activities
It can certainly take a lot of effort to list all your extracurricular activities but it is best to list them all down to the last sports you’ve played. Colleges screen and weigh them along with your grades, essays, and test scores. It can be a contributing factor to why you will be accepted into your school.
So, take your time to list them all and make them stand out. Use the provided space for these activities to introduce yourself to the school you are applying to. Describe your clubs, sports, interests, and volunteer work. Show off your achievements, how you became a president in a club, and anything that will show your character, leadership, and talents.
Other tips
- Do not forget to save your online application.
- Do not base your essay on old essay prompts.
- Do not let your parents fill out your application.
- Do not forget to keep your essay within the given word count.
- Print preview your application before submitting them.
Filling in a college application is a crucial task as this sets an impression for you. If you have checked your application and sure that it will land you at your chosen school, then you are set to go.
College admissions require a lot of preparation. To get you prepared, read more of our articles here at MSM Unifyabout the college admission processes.
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