Almost every high school student comes to the point when he or she needs to take control of their future and choose a college where they would like to pursue a degree. The good news is that a lot of people have been through it, and their experience can help you to make your dreams come true. Applying to college can be quite daunting, but there are some tips and tricks we want to share with you, which you can follow to increase your chances of getting accepted to your dream institution.
Here are some of them
Learn How to Write an Excellent SAT Essay
Before entering college or university, you will have to take the SAT exam and get a passing score. There are several parts to the test that check your general knowledge, but the SAT essay is what can make a real difference. In your essay, you get to introduce yourself, show what makes you unique and how your skills and goals can help you reach impressive academic results. The chances are high of the admissions committee being more attentive to your essay rather than to your scores. Because your essay demonstrates what kind of person you are, what your mindset is like, and what your inspiration in life is. Clear and eloquent essay supported by examples and facts about you will considerably raise your chances of getting accepted to your dream college.
Manage Your Stress
Although it might not be that obvious, stress can considerably lower your chances of getting into your dream college. It is a well-known fact that people tend to perform worse in stressful situations. The ability to direct attention to what’s important or trying to remember what you’ve learned becomes compromised. So you might not do your best at your SAT exam. What’s more, you might find it overwhelmingly difficult to go through your admission interview. You will have a face-to-face conversation with the admissions committee, trying to convince them that you deserve to attend their school and become a member of their community. That’s why it’s important to find some effective stress management techniques that work for you. It can be meditation, regular exercise, calming tea, etc. Being aware of the problem will make it much easier for you to overcome it and reach your goal.
Be an Active Student
The admissions committee seeks out students who will not only perform well academically but will also take an active part in the social life of the institution, initiating and participating in various extracurricular activities. To make it evident that you are just the student they are looking for, you need to tell them about your high school activities and possibly present some sort of proof, like accolades, certificates, etc. It is great if you have some volunteering experience, like organizing and participating in educational, social, and other types of projects that bring value to the local and the global community. It would be best if you were to take care of this part of your CV in advance, while you are still a high school student and have some free time to do social and school work.
Learn How to Sell Yourself
You should learn how to sell yourself. You need to present yourself to the admissions committee in a way that shows you are a strong candidate, to interest them in having you as a student at their school. Learning to sell yourself will be useful when applying to college and later on in life when you want to get a job with a competitive salary at a good company. A healthy dose of self-promotion will help you ace your application interview, enhance your personal statement, and make your application stand out. Try to impress the admissions committee by letting them know what makes you a unique, competitive, and worth-having candidate. Pitching yourself to a school is obviously quite challenging and requires a certain level of savvy. But even if your grades from high school are not as good as you wished them to be, having excellent soft skills and being able to present yourself in favorable light can make up for it, giving you a chance to study at a school you have always dreamed of. Making an impression on the committee and getting them to remember you as someone who positively stands out from the crowd will significantly increase your chances of getting accepted.
Get Some Solid Recommendations
Having a letter of recommendation from a previous mentor or a teacher can help significantly when you apply to college, especially if you try to get a scholarship. In fact, at some schools, having two to three letters of recommendation is obligatory, and there is no way you can submit your college application without them. That’s why you need to work on good teacher-student relationships so that you could ask your teachers to help you with your application when you graduate from high school. Those letters make your application more reliable as several academics are confirming the fact that you are indeed a great student and can bring great value to the college or university that will accept you. You can also increase your chances by purchasing a teacher gift for your teacher who is helping you with the application process.
Work On Your Essay Writing Skills
Essay writing is an integral part of any study. Even if your major is engineering, you will still need to write various papers and essays. Having good essay writing skills will help tremendously. It will help you to save time, avoid stress, and impress your professors. This skill is not that difficult to master, as long as you are willing to follow the trial and error method. All students have different experiences when it comes to essay writing: for some, it goes pretty smooth and effortless, while others find it very challenging and tiresome. If you belong to the second group, you can hire an academic writer who can provide you with sample essays that will help you see what you’re doing wrong or how to improve your essays. He or she can also proofread or edit your piece if you still have doubts about it.