Most universities offer a multitude of extracurricular Activities. Some colleges offer more than 300 clubs. If they don’t have one you like, you can start one.
If you are an excellent student – probably yes. There are many reasons for this
Reasons to apply early
Caution
Early decision is a legally binding contract. You cannot apply elsewhere Early decision, and you must withdraw all other applications if accepted.
You may change your mind – many do.
You won’t be able to compare fin aid offers. Some people want to get the best possible deal. For others a good deal is good enough. Let’s put it another way: How do you feel when you buy an outfit which is a good bargain at $100 and you find out later you could have purchased the item for $20? If that doesn’t bother you, okay, maybe early decision is for you. But if you would be upset and stew about it for weeks, maybe you should reconsider applying to college early. Great variance in fin aid offers (I’ve seen spreads as large as $127,000 over 4 years.)
If you think your 1st or 2nd quarter grades might be outstanding and you can qualify for a more selective university, you might want to apply regular decision.
Can you get academic credit for previous coursework?
Generally, yes, but this will vary from college to college. Most colleges award AP credits, but they don’t help you reduce your time at a college or university – unless you receive college credit for at least 4 or more AP course.
You may be able to get an additional semester of advanced standing. You can utilize that time to study abroad or volunteer for some service learning programs.
You can also use the advanced placement credits to place into higher level courses. However, you will probably want o be careful in doing that because most AP course do not have the intellectual rigor of a college level course.
Now, if you are a pre-med student, let’s say you have taken APs in a number of subjects. You scored 5’s in chemistry and physics. The college you decide to enroll in awards you academic credit for introductory courses in chemistry and physics.
Now, to fulfill your pre-med requirements you have to take – among other things – 2 courses in chemistry with lab and 2 courses in physics with lab.
You will have to decide if you want to take courses in advanced physics (probably with physics majors) or if you want to take introductory physics and forego using your AP credits.
The introductory physics option will probably enable you to earn a higher GPA. So you need to employ some strategy when deciding which AP credits to accept and utilize.
You would probably only take the advanced physics courses if you plan to major in physics. So there are a lot of things to consider when deciding which AP credits to utilize.
You can also get academic credits if you have an IB or Fr. Bac diploma. Check with the colleges to which you apply to confirm.
Of course, you should take Advanced Placement, Honors, or Accelerated classes if you can do well in them.
Challenge yourself.
You will not get admitted to an Ivy League-caliber institution, if you have not challenged yourself academically. Straight A’s are no substitute for academic curiosity. You need a degree of confidence and boldness to succeed in these Tier 1 institutions. No wimps need apply.
Accepted students at these institutions are very bright, inventive, mentally curious, and they are used to tackling complex problems. You won’t fit in with them if you stick to a safe and secure academic pathway.
No college is interested in a student who displays lack of intellectual curiosity or timidity.
Follow your passions, but don’t overreach.
Who should YOU ask to write your letters of recommendation?
Letters of recommendation are a very crucial part of the entire college application process.
Letters of recommendation are intensely personal components of your college application, and as such, they should be written by adults who have an in-depth knowledge of you as a person.
Your high school transcript and your standardized test scores are all pretty objective instruments. But you should seek out recommenders who can help you tell your story.
Your letters of recommendation should, if possible, come from people who have known you for more than one year. Yet, these recommenders must also have recent, current knowledge of who you are and what you are doing.
So, if all of your letters of recommendation come from teachers you had in ninth grade, then you might have a problem.
Generally, I advise you to prepare a portfolio and give it to each person you plan to ask to write a letter of recommendation for you.
I also suggest that you meet face to face with your recommenders to ask them to write the letter of recommendation.
If you have not chatted with your recommender for a while, sit down with her and update her on what you’ve been doing with your life before you ask her to write a letter of recommendation. No email or telephone requests unless a face-to-face request is impossible.
If your recommender cannot write a strongly positive letter of recommendation, you should be able to determine that from her reaction to your request.
In an ideal world, a person who cannot write a favorable letter of recommendation for you would decline your request. That doesn’t always happen in real life. So, you have to be wise enough to only ask the people who know you and like you well enough to write a great letter of recommendation for you.
In my College Admissions 411 Home Study Course, I go into much greater detail and give you more actionable steps you can take right now – to help you get absolutely the best letters of recommendation possible.
You can also join my mailing list or complete a form for a free, no obligation consultation about the college admissions process.
The most important deadlines that you must adhere to are listed below.
Money disappears as time goes on. If you require financial aid, you must get your application in on time.
Now, let’s find out what other college application steps can help you get admitted to your top-choice college.
College Application Process
The College Application Process includes everything you do up to the point of submitting your applications to the colleges you have selected.
Happy Students Who Were Admitted to Their Dream Colleges
You should evaluate your academic achievement during this getting started phase.
This analysis should help you narrow your college search and focus on the colleges and universities that complement your interests and academic background.
When you evaluate your academic achievement,ask yourself these questions:
How well do you score on the SAT, ACT,or other college admissions tests?
Have you taken Advanced Placement (AP) Classes if your school offers them?
Do you expect to receive Advanced Placement (AP) credits for your coursework?
What are the college admissions requirements for your top-choice colleges?
Should you take a gap year or defer college year to strengthen your academics?
Will applying Early Decision increase your chances of getting accepted?
How does your Grade Point Average (GPA) compare with that of admitted students at the colleges you are interested in? Do you have a low GPA? If so,what can you do about it?
If you go to an academically rigorous or tough school and your grades have suffered because of that,how do you indicate that to the college admissions officers without appearing to explain away a perceived weakness?
How have you fared on my College Admissions Testing? Do you test well or will you have to mitigate low standardized test scores?
What are the college admissions requirements of the colleges you find most attractive?
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College Roadmaps
For very detailed college roadmaps of what you should do step-by-step at each grade level (grade eight through grade twelve),simply you might want to purchase our College Admissions 411 Home Study Course.
Subscribe to my free monthly newsletter and special reports for more details. Simply enter your name and email address in the optin form on this page. That’s all you have to do to start getting this valuable information.
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Joseph W., Real Estate:
Angela Arnold tutored my children in math for 3 years. She tutored my daughter during 8th thru 10th grades and my son during 5th thru 7th grades. They developed a much better command of the subject matter,improved their grades,and became more confident with the material.
I believe Ms. Arnold accomplished this because she not only understood the material very well,but was able to foster a comfortable relationship with the children that allowed them to be more open to creative suggestions and approaches. She was very patient and encouraging,yet expected and received a lot from my children.
She motivated them to believe they could achieve beyond their own expectations and this helped them tremendously. They also benefited from her extensive teaching experience,tutoring and counseling students as they prepared for high school and college.
We are very thankful for all of Mrs. Arnold’s help.
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Non-academic factors that you should also consider before filing an application are:
Should you go for a campus visit?
Should you request an on-campus interview or is an interview with a local alumnus sufficient?
How do you ace the college interview?
Will you consider attending a small liberal arts college?
If you are homeschooled, develop a strategy so that will work for you and not against you during the college admissions process.
Develop a “how to get accepted” plan to promote yourself to your top-choice colleges.
Formulate and adhere to a strategy to lower any college admissions stress you may be feeling.
Whew!
I know that’s a lot to think about,but we’re just getting started. If you are beginning to feel a bit overwhelmed by all of the components of the college admissions process.,don’t worry. Most students and their families feel that way,too.
To ease your mind,you may consider working with a college admissions consultant like myself. Just click the “Consulting” tab on the menu bar at the top of the page – to find out my about how I can help lighten your load and put you on track to getting accepted to the college that’s the right fit for you.
We recommend that all students have a college admissions consultant work on their behalf during the rigorous and time-consuming college application process.
With us as your college admissions consultant, we help you focus on:
As a college admissions consultant, I have helped students emphasize such unique and desirable qualities such as:
They wrote compelling college essays and created college applications that revealed who they truly were. You must remember that college admissions officers generally like people. Once they get to know a student who submits an engaging personal statement, they may find it just a bit harder to reject such an attractive person.
What unique qualities do you want to emphasize?
My mission is to increase the numbers of motivated, hard-working students attending colleges and universities in the United States.
I have previously concentrated my consulting efforts on helping underrepresented students reap the benefits of higher education. However, I do work with students of all races or ethnicities.
So, regardless of race/ethnicity, whether you’re a straight-A student or a high school dropout, if you’re serious about going to college, I can help you.
Hi, I’m Angela Arnold. Welcome to my website, College Admissions411.com. I’m a college consultant, retired teacher, author, advisor, mentor, and tutor to college-bound high school students and their families.
I’ve guided many students on their path towards college, and I can help you, too.
Getting accepted to college has never been more competitive and stressful than it is today. In fact, we are falling behind. The challenges are such that some of today’s students may become the first demographic of Americans since World War II who are less educated than their parents.
Today’s economy is tough on just about everyone, but the people who are struggling the most are those who have not graduated from college.
Those applicants who are able to effectively promote themselves – without bragging – to the college admissions officers will generally be successful.
That’s where a college admissions consultant, like myself, comes in. We make sure that you and your family are thoroughly informed about the college admissions process so that you can make the right decisions every step of the way.
I’ve included lots of information on this blog, and I will be updating it regularly … But of course, there’s so much more to know.
Right now, just sit back and relax as you go through my blog.
I’d love to answer any of your questions, and I welcome your comments. You can reply to my blog postings and be assured that I will read and respond to your most pressing issues.
If you’d like to schedule a free 15-minute consultation simply click the “Book Now” button on the right sidebar underneath the royal blue “Free College Admissions Advice” bar. Students and minor children under 18 years old must have your parents book this consultation for you.
So, again, welcome to my blog. I congratulate you on taking this step towards getting accepted to your dream college, and I look forward to hearing from you soon.
