Five Ways to Get Into the College of your Choice

| Posted: 21-12-2006 | Comments: 0 | Views: 89 | Rating: (50)

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College is all about personal preference. You need to pick the school that’s right for you, and nobody else but you. If you have a particular university that’s high on your list, there are certain measures you can take that will improve the likelihood of you getting accepted.

Here are five tips that’ll help you get into the college of your choice.

1. Have good grades and test scores
To make the first cut, you got to have the numbers. Most universities start sifting through applicants based on minimum GPA and test score requirements. These requirements can be found in publications that rank different programs, and you can also find these minimum figures on the admissions page of your prospective college’s website. If your GPA is less than stellar, then you need to compensate with high tests scores. If your standardized test scores are below the minimum requirements, then you’ll have to pick up the slack with excellent grades.

2. Write an award winning personal essay
The personal essay is the most customizable part of your application. It tells the admissions office who you are as a person, how well you can communicate and what you will bring to the table as a potential student. Tout your successes in your essay, and use the essay as a forum to explain any anomalies in your application. Whatever you choose to write on, make sure you have a tightly organized, well-argued composition that avoids clichés and sounds original.

3. Send in quality letters of recommendation
Don’t underestimate the impact of quality letters of recommendation. If you know a teacher who would gladly take a bullet for you, then have them voice their enthusiasm in a written letter. Follow carefully when including your letters of recommendation. Some colleges require letter writers to fall under specific categories (i.e. your letter must be written by someone who has taught you in the past year). Try to collect praise from multiple enthusiastic sources, so that you appear like a well rounded student. Letters of recommendation can also be written by employers, coaches or religious leaders.

4. Don’t slack off in high school
Your high school performance, both in and out of the classroom, are vital to your application’s success. You need to have plenty of extracurricular activities, but you also need to illustrate dedication, leadership, responsibility and achievement. It’s better to excel at a few things than try and overload your schedule with fleeting tasks. Be sure to explain why you chose a specific activity, and what benefits you derived from it.

5. Apply early, and if you don’t get in at first, appeal the decision or plan to transfer
Applying early can increase your chances of getting in. Don’t wait until a day before your deadline, send your application materials in as soon as possible. There are more spots and fewer applicants at the beginning of the admission process. As the deadline draws closer, there are more applicants and few spots to fill. If you don’t get in to the school of your choice, then consider appealing the decision. If that doesn’t work, you can always go to a junior college, complete your general education requirements and the transfer in two years.

If you plan ahead and dedicate yourself to achieving your goals, then there’s nothing to prevent you from getting into the college of your choice. Whether you succeed or fail is entirely up to you.

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Chris Stout is a frequent contributor to CareersandEducation.com. Chris Stout is a feature writer that covers topics relating to MBA Programs and online colleges.

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