Accepted! the Five Step Guide to Acing the College Admissions Process

Congratulations! You've succeeded in making it through most of high school, and you've decided to attend college. Now you have the daunting task of the college admissions process--but don't worry. I'm here to help. Here's the 5 step guide to acing the college admissions process.

1. Start Early.
I cannot stress this enough--don't wait until the day before your application is due to begin filling out your paperwork. Chances are, most of your college applications will be submitted online--and most of those will be submitted through the Common Application. Go ahead and set up an account with the Common Application--even if your deadline is months away, you will find that the overwhelming number of questions asked of you in your applications become much less overwhelming when spread out over a number of months. And, as soon as you access your college's applications, you can begin working on you essay(s). Which brings me to my next point...

2. Write a stellar essay.
Don't underestimate the importance of the essay in the college admissions process. Consider this: at highly competitive colleges, the applicants all look the same--everyone has a high GPA, SAT/ACT scores, community service, and extracurricular activities. The essay is the one section of your application in which you can set yourself apart from the crowd and make an impression on the admissions officers. A good essay is interesting, shows you and your accomplishments favorably, and is well written. And trust me, a good college admissions essay can take months to write. My advice? Begin writing when the deadline is far on the horizon, and most importantly, have others read your essay. The constructive criticism given by your parents, teachers, and friends can take a mediocre essay to a good one and a good essay to a great essay.

3. Toot Your Own Horn.
Yes, the meek shall inherit the earth. But the bold shall inherit the college acceptance letters. So, make yourself sound good. There is invariably a section on college applications for the applicant to list and briefly describe his or her extracurricular activities and/or awards. Put some thought into this section of your application--go back to freshman year and list every single club or organizational involvement as well as award, even if it seems insignificant. Colleges love students who are involved--so if you were a member of the Hacky-Sack Club in tenth grade, tell them about it. If you won the haiku award in your ninth grade English class, mention it. And if you're having difficulty recalling this stuff, ask your parents--they always remember the awards and moments that made them proud! Listen, though: you must walk a fine line here. Confident in success = good; cocky and obnoxious = bad.

4. Ask for the right recommendation.
Ah yes, the recommendation. Every part of your application is you bragging about yourself, as well it should be. But the recommendation is the one part of your application which allows someone else to attest to your awesomeness. So, how do you choose the best person to write your recommendation? Pick a teacher you've had in the last year or two--they'll remember more of your personal characteristics. And this may sound simplistic, but pick a teacher whose class you excelled in and who actually liked you. And lastly, if you possibly can, pick a teacher who also sponsored one of your extracurricular activities. That would make for a doubly awesome recommendation: not only will he be able to comment on what a great student you are, but he can also mention how involved around school you are. (And remember, colleges love involved students!)

5. Never miss a deadline.
Nothing makes you seem like an arrogant idiot of a teenager like missing a deadline and still expecting the colleges to read your applications. In the world of college admissions (as in the real world) all deadlines are final. That means having your test scores, recommendations, transcripts, essays, and actual applications in by the college's posted deadline. Hopefully, though, if you start early enough, rushing to finish an application before a deadline will never happen to you. So, write your essays well in advance of your deadlines, and ask for your recommendations (nicely!) at least a month before the deadline, in order to ensure that everything is turned in on time.

So there you have it! 5 steps that will make this process a little easier on you. And, although no one can guarantee you admission to any college, if you follow these simple steps, your application will look much better than the applications which were rushed through. As always, good luck getting into the school of your dreams!