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.

Do you have a better chance of getting admitted if you apply early decision?

If you are an excellent student – probably yes.  There are many reasons for this

1. applicant pool is smaller
2. space availability is not a consideration – as is the case with regular decision
3. admissions officers know you will come if admitted
4. colleges generally will reach one of three decisions.  They will admit you, defer your application to the regular admissions cycle, or deny your application.

Reasons to apply early

1. You love the college;  it’s your top choice, and no other college will do.
2. You promise to attend if admitted.
3. You get the process finished early in the game.
4. The college knows it’s your first choice so they may reward you for that.

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.