Applying to college can feel overwhelming and stressful. Understanding and avoiding common mistakes can significantly improve your chances of acceptance. This blog post explores the top mistakes to avoid in your college application, particularly in application essays and extracurricular activities.
Tag: admissions
Top Mistakes to Avoid in Your College Application
What are your options and next steps if you have been denied by our top choice colleges?
Reading Time: 4 minutes
So, you’ve been denied to your top choice school, and you must be wondering: “what do I do now?”. Let me break this down into three parts to better outline next steps in the process:
- Why did you get denied.
- What you can do better next time.
- What you can do TODAY!
- Qualifications: Your SAT/ACT/SAT IIs were not competitive enough for that year OR your GPA was on the borderline.
- Application Materials: Your essays, resume, application questions etc. did not help you stand out as a unique/must-have candidate.
- Timing: You may have applied too late in the admissions season (for example I first applied to LSE in late January so I was denied by mid-Feb. The second time I applied was in October and was admitted with a scholarship less than a month later).
- Oversubscribed: The major you applied to was oversubscribed (many many people applied) so while you had a great application, when push came to shove you didn’t make it through the final cut.
WHAT YOU CAN DO BETTER NEXT TIME
- Re-take your Standardized Test: If you take a year out (like a gap year) then you can retake the SAT. Even if you do marginally better you still show the school that you are trying (FYI – I took the SAT three times, the LSAT three times and the GRE twice…in each case I represented to the school that I was so keen to gain admissions to their school that I bothered to do the exam again and again, but there is a point of overkill and after 3 times its not worth it anymore (aka diminishing returns)).
- College Credit Courses: If you want to take a year out (not do community college) then take some college credit courses and if you do well you can submit those to the schools and that may help (specifically if your GPA was on the lower side).
- Get Admissions Guidance: I can’t tell you how many times I have worked with someone who was denied the year before because they applied on their own and were blind to so many issues that could have otherwise made their applications amazing. An admissions expert or at least someone very familiar with the admissions process and ready to give you their time, will help you find YOUR ideal story, make sure you properly surface your qualifications, and ensure you have a unique application to truly stand out.
- Start EARLY!: I can’t emphasize this enough. Even if you are applying for programs that do not have rolling admissions, you need to give yourself plenty of time to prepare your application materials. And for those programs that do have rolling admissions then your chances of admissions when you apply early are 2–3 times greater then if you wait until the last minute. Moreover, the earlier you apply the higher the chances of admissions (I received a lot funding when I applied early to Cambridge and Harvard).
- Diversify: Make sure you apply broadly to reach, attainable and safety schools so you can give yourself the highest chances of admissions.
WHAT CAN YOU DO TODAY
- Feedback: Find out from some of the schools why you got rejected. Not all schools will give you candid feedback but some will and this will help you better understand what to do and improve.
- For College Applicants – Community College: If you are in the U.S. I would definitely advise applying and attending a local community college that can feed directly into the one or more of your ideal universities. Here is a great article on how to maximize the community college to university transition: Tips for Transferring from Community College (U.S. News). Additionally this will give you guidance on why Community College to University route: Should I go to community college and then transfer to a university?
How to maximize your college experience
Read Time: 4 minutes
In mid-March of 2020, I received an email letting me know that… my first-year of college will be cut short and I will be required to evacuate and return home within the next 5 days. My mind began racing, and I tried to fit as much of the “college experience” as I possibly could in 5 days. I was hugging professors, taking late-night strolls with friends, eating to my heart’s content at every local spot, and so much more. But, what is the college experience and how can you make the MOST of it?!
Growing up, when asking people of their college experiences I always got a response like this: “best years of my life”, “unforgettable”, or something along those lines. Making your college experience “unforgettable” is a difficult task, because first it requires YOU to know who you are and reflect on what you want to get out of college. College years are far more than a stepping stone to a degree; they can be transformative years where friendships are forged, nights are never-ending, and laughs are … loud. For me, maximizing my college experience started with academics, but it went far beyond that.
Academically, I made sure to attend as many classes as possible and go to office hours where I can talk to my professors and teaching assistants. I made sure to come into class with an open-mind and wide-smile. I mean, how couldn’t I, I was a student of some of the most amazing minds in some of the most amazing classrooms. But, the only reason I was able to be so motivated is because I was on an academic path that was perfect for me; you should find yours, too. Finding your academic path, major, and interests can be tough, but I recommend trying out a few classes and reflecting and finding the ones that keep YOU motivated.
Beyond classroom walls, maximizing your college experience comes down to two other factors: health and social life. There’s a false understanding that you can only have two of the three (academics, health, and social life) during your college years. Many believe you have to sacrifice one to have the others, but I’m here to tell you otherwise! You can still have a fruitful social life WHILE ALSO getting your nightly 8 hours (okay… sometimes it’s 7 hours … or 6, but in the end you should be getting your sleep).
Maximizing your college experience is all about finding the right balance between academics, health, and social life. But finding that balance is unique to you. This blog is only here to tell you that you need to find your balance, not what that balance is; everyone’s ideal is different! You can find yours, however, through a lot of trial and error. You have 4+ years at your fingertips to FIND yourself and ideal balance; try morning showers, different class times, new disciplines, odd jobs, friends that challenge you. And, I can guarantee you, that soon you’ll be looking bac at your college years and saying that they were “unforgettable”.
~ Sam Saba
Write Track Admissions — College Expert
TOP Four Tips for Responding to a Deferral From Early College Admissions
Reading Time: 6 mins
Decision season is upon us! Soon colleges will be sending emails informing you of your decisions, but what happens if you’re deferred?
For Harvard back in 2017, 894 were admitted out of a whopping 6,424 early applicants – that means plenty of people were deferred too. To put this in basic numbers, in 2019 13.9% of students were accepted in comparison to the much lower 4.5% of regular decision applicants that were accepted.
Even if you did not apply to Harvard, you may be one of the many applicants who applied for early decision at a college in the U.S. As decisions are being released from your top choice colleges, you need to be prepared for the possibility of a deferral. Deferral means a college will consider you for their regular admissions cycle, against a much larger set of applicants, and decide on your application in the springtime.
While the percentages indicate an uphill battle, it’s nevertheless a battle that will require preparation and proactive action! So definitely do NOT just wait around for college to get back to you! After all, certain colleges are asking you to be proactive. In fact, Harvard states “[y]ou are welcome to submit significant new information for consideration during the Regular Decision process.” That means you have TWO bites of the proverbial apple!
So now you may be asking yourself, what do I do next? Well there are a number of things you can do to better your chances of admission, and Write Track Admissions has collected them here to give you a leg up above your competition! Here are the TOP FOUR Tips for handling a deferral:
1) Write a Letter of Continued Interest (LOCI)
The crux of responding to any deferral is in writing a bulletproof letter of continued interest! The letter is most important in convincing the college that you deserve admission, and it’s also the most overlooked. Most applicants who are deferred do not take the trouble of writing a LOCI, so you automatically increase your chances of admission by taking the initiative to write such a letter.
A letter should be short, sweet, and effective by covering a few basic points:
(a) Why the college you’ve applied to is your top choice
(b) What you’ve done/accomplished since submitting your application
(c) How you’ve taken extra initiatives to further your interest in the college (i.e., visiting the campus, talking to current students/ professors/ alumni (see below))
Moreover, if you’ve been admitted to other colleges in the meantime, write about that in your letter as well! You can pressure the college who deferred you to reconsider your application by proving that other top colleges have seen your potential. Remember: top colleges need impressive applicants that will go on to do great things and improve the reputation of the college; you can make them fight over you!
Finally, be sure to submit your letter at least a month before regular admissions decisions are expected to release. In order to write the best LOCI, keep reading the tips below for inspiration!
2) Take Action!
If you’ve been talking about an incredible idea or project for the past few months, but haven’t gotten it off the ground for any reason, NOW is the time! Get started on an extracurricular or volunteer project that demonstrates your leadership and creativity. By doing so, you can build experiences to write about in your letter of continued interest. Even if you can only write about getting your project started, that’s still impressive! At a time when most high school seniors are getting complacent, you can prove to colleges that you’re continuing to work hard towards your goals.
3) Visit the Campus and Meet Students/Alumni/Faculty
You’re already showing initiative and interest in your college by writing a letter of intent and getting started on a new project, but you can go even further. Plan a visit to the college you’re interested in by calling their admissions and visitors office. Try to set up tours that let you audit a class or have other tangible experiences that you can write about in the letter of continued interest to show your passion and commitment to the college. But most importantly, be sure to interact as much as possible with current students, faculty, or alumni, and make a note of that in your letter (see point 1 above).
4) Ask for a Letter of Recommendation from Students/Alumni/Faculty
If you interact with students on your college visit, or if you already know others who are affiliated with your top choice college, ask them for a letter of recommendation! You’ve already given the college letters of recommendation in your application, but submitting another letter along with your own LOCI will give the college yet another reason to accept you. By pinpointing someone who is affiliated with the college, you’re also guaranteeing the college takes notice of your application!
Be sure to reference your letter of recommendation within your LOCI, and mention that you know people who are affiliated with your top choice college. As they say, it’s not what you know, it’s who you know!
Now that you have all the necessary tips/components of your letter of continued interest, be sure to write the best one possible! Write Track Admissions has experts to guide you in the LOCI process, letters of recommendation, advice on maximizing the deferment period and other application questions. After all, you NEVER want to say years later, “ah what if I had just tried to show the college that I really cared about attending”. Go the distance and do everything you can to be in that percentile admitted!
Also Check out our latest Youtube Video: So, you got deferred/waitlisted? NOW WHAT? to get more info on getting on the waitlist and into your top choice! Contact us today to receive the advice you need for the most important decisions of your academic career! It’s time to Get Noticed and Get In!
~ Abhijith Ravinutala
Write Track Director of Professional Services & Admissions Expert
How to ACE the Strengths and Weaknesses Essay
Reading Time: 5 mins
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted countless lives across the globe. From financial troubles, unstable home lives, and unchartered school plans, students, in particular, have been disrupted greatly by the pandemic. Given the difficulties that students have faced this past year, the Common Application for example as well as many other schools, have placed a new question asking students about the impacts of COVID-19 on their lives:
Community disruptions such as COVID-19 and natural disasters can have deep and long-lasting impacts. If you need it, this space is yours to describe those impacts. Colleges care about the effects on your health and well-being, safety, family circumstances, future plans, and education, including access to reliable technology and quiet study spaces. For more information, check out our COVID-19 FAQ.
Students are asked to check “yes” or “no”, and if they choose to share (i.e. press “yes”) then students are given up to 250 words to address the prompt. However, many students are unsure as to what is suitable information to put in this section. A few reasons students might want to respond to the prompt include:
Grading changes: If your school decided to change the grading system or standards, then this would be a great place to let your colleges know about what was changed!
Unique circumstances: If you experienced significant changes to your daily life (such as the loss of a parent, forced evacuation from home, etc), then this would be the perfect spot to inform your colleges about the circumstances. Keep in mind, however, that most applicants faced some type of hardship during this time, so make sure you’re specific!
Testing: If you were unable to take required tests (IB, SAT, ACT, TOEFL, etc.), then be sure to make your colleges aware that your tests were cancelled. Although most colleges are being lenient with their testing requirements due to the pandemic!
The COVID-19 pandemic hit the world quite hard, and it continues to impact and change most of our everyday lives. The aforementioned ideas are just a few of the things that you might like to include for the COVID-19 prompt; include what you see fit. If you have been impacted by the pandemic, in any significant, unique way, then you should be sure to make your colleges aware. The better you explain your circumstances and your story, the better your chances. Remember, the college application is like a little film about YOU; all you have to do is tell your story!
~ Sam Saba
Write Track Admissions — College Expert
Tackling the COVID Essay on your College Application
Reading Time: 5 mins
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted countless lives across the globe. From financial troubles, unstable home lives, and unchartered school plans, students, in particular, have been disrupted greatly by the pandemic. Given the difficulties that students have faced this past year, the Common Application for example as well as many other schools, have placed a new question asking students about the impacts of COVID-19 on their lives: Community disruptions such as COVID-19 and natural disasters can have deep and long-lasting impacts. If you need it, this space is yours to describe those impacts. Colleges care about the effects on your health and well-being, safety, family circumstances, future plans, and education, including access to reliable technology and quiet study spaces. For more information, check out our COVID-19 FAQ. Students are asked to check “yes” or “no”, and if they choose to share (i.e. press “yes”) then students are given up to 250 words to address the prompt. However, many students are unsure as to what is suitable information to put in this section. A few reasons students might want to respond to the prompt include: Grading changes: If your school decided to change the grading system or standards, then this would be a great place to let your colleges know about what was changed! Unique circumstances: If you experienced significant changes to your daily life (such as the loss of a parent, forced evacuation from home, etc), then this would be the perfect spot to inform your colleges about the circumstances. Keep in mind, however, that most applicants faced some type of hardship during this time, so make sure you’re specific! Testing: If you were unable to take required tests (IB, SAT, ACT, TOEFL, etc.), then be sure to make your colleges aware that your tests were cancelled. Although most colleges are being lenient with their testing requirements due to the pandemic! The COVID-19 pandemic hit the world quite hard, and it continues to impact and change most of our everyday lives. The aforementioned ideas are just a few of the things that you might like to include for the COVID-19 prompt; include what you see fit. If you have been impacted by the pandemic, in any significant, unique way, then you should be sure to make your colleges aware. The better you explain your circumstances and your story, the better your chances. Remember, the college application is like a little film about YOU; all you have to do is tell your story! ~ Sam Saba Write Track Admissions — College ExpertWhat happens if you apply early decision to a university, get accepted, and don’t go?
Reading Time: 5 minutes
Early Decision, Early Action and Regular Admissions can be very confusing and stressful when making the decision to choose which path to take for which schools. So I will break it down in simple parts to help you with the decision and outcome.
Difference Between Early Decision & Early Action
In brief, ED is binding while EA is Not. It is said that ED gives you a better chance of admissions. I read that some legacy and influential parents encourage their children to apply ED since acceptance rates can be as high as 50%+. For example at Duke, ED acceptance is 20% where normally its closer to 6%. On the other, EA acceptance rates may only be slightly better than regular admissions, but require that you submit your application early, which requires better time management to submit in time. Also some schools offer ED and others don’t, and others will allow you to ONLY apply ED to their schools but not others. Here is an example from Vanderbilt: Consequences for Reneging on Early Decisions: ED is binding but not legally binding. From my readings and knowledge it seems that the worst that can happen (which actually would really suck!) would be if the student applied to several schools through ED, and selected one over the others. Then the rejected school(s) can call the one you accepted and inform them prompting a withdrawal of the acceptance (this may be tricker for AdComms to do if you accept a decision for a university abroad like in England or even Canada). In the end, many put it at honor and say if you pull-out of a ED then it would tarnish your reputation at your high school and likely with that college. So its not something you want to do! But there are reasons to justify why you would not be able to uphold a ED acceptance. Here are some examples from a great U.S. News Article on the topic: Most colleges will release students from early decision offers without penalty if applicants receive a financial aid package that doesn’t make it feasible economically for the student to attend. There may be other compelling reasons that would sway an admissions officer to release an accepted student from an early decision offer without consequence – a sick parent, for instance – admissions officers say.Considerations & Next Steps
So when deciding whether to apply ED v. EA or Regular Admissions you should ask yourself these questions (some questions derived from a U.S. News Article on the topic):- Is there a significant statistical advantage to applying ED?
- Would a midyear addition to your application such as a completed internship or first semester grades enhance your overall profile?
- Have you thoroughly vetted the school, including sitting in on a class and staying on campus overnight?
- Are you willing to part with financial aid options?
Should I go to community college and then transfer to a university?
One of the most frequently asked questions to us as admissions experts relates to community college as a segue into university. Here are our thoughts and some major key tips for those of you considering this option.
Are your high school grades and/or SAT low? Then Community College gives you a second bite at the apple in that you can reinvent yourself in Community College. You just need to get great grades and your chances of transferring from a Community College to a university is higher than from a university to a university. And you won’t even need to SAT!
Are finances a major issue for you? Community College is a great backdoor, saving you thousands of dollars as you will be able to skip the first two years of university tuition. ALSO, for those trying to get in-state status at a state school (i.e. University of California), then community college can buy you the time you need to establish in-state residency. You can then apply to a state school, which will save you not only money but will also increase your chances of admissions. This is because gaining in-state status will favor those applying to state schools who are mandated to admit a far higher number of in-state residents then students who are applying out of state.
Are you still confused as to your intended major? If so this is a great way to test out different classes and then apply to your intended major at college with a high GPA and thereby hit the ground running.
Are you going to be focused and take Community College seriously? If not, then don’t take this path because you’ll be stuck in a time warp struggling year after year, losing confidence and never graduating with more than an Associate’s Degree. Basically, you HAVE to think about this as a pass-through and the only way to pass-through is to achieve high grades; without them you won’t go really anywhere.
NOTE:
(1) Make sure to work with a college counselor as soon as you start Community College so you know exactly which classes you need, the GPA you should attain etc. to ensure your admissions to your university of choice;
(2) If possible, go to a Community College that is a traditional feeder to your university of choice (i.e. SMC to UCLA, De Anza to Berkeley, Saddleback to UCI);
(3) Some Community Colleges may not have all the required classes you need to transfer or they are heavily over-enrolled. So make sure you figure the exact classes you need, apply to get into them early, and if you need outline how you will go between 2-3 different community colleges to get all your required classes (see point 1 for help).
Hope this helps! Read more helpful tips on our Quora account and stay tuned to other blogs on our Write Track Admissions Page. ~ Hamada | Write Track FounderWhat is the best advice you can give for someone to maximize their college experience?
Reading Time: 3 minutes
I have always said there are 5 things that will not only make your college experience great, but more importantly help you grow as a person. This is likely, in my opinion, the MAIN reason to attend college.
-
- ACADEMICS: The reality is school is important. Its critical to your confidence, your personal development, and your future path. So you NEED TO focus on your studies and ensure you have an outstanding academic record which can come in the way of GPA, Honors, Publications, Research etc. The point is, if you have a mediocre record you WILL REGRET it later when you are applying for jobs, grad schools etc.
2. LEADERSHIP: Take on at least one leadership activity and sink your teeth in it. This is honestly more for your own personal development to prove to yourself that you have the moxie, leadership acumen and brains to make things happen! It doesn’t mean you have to be President or even VP of a club. Just part of the decision making board to work on an initiative and leave a legacy.
3. SOCIAL LIFE: This is a simple one and requires no explanation. BE SOCIAL! In the end, a strong EQ/EI (Emotional Intelligence) goes a much longer way than does purely IQ among employers, grad schools, future spouses. lol Speaking of, there is a higher likelihood you will meet someone that you will end up marrying in college than at any other time in your life. So be social, date, make new friends and network.
4. FITNESS: This is a plea for being healthy and not using the excuse of the “Freshman 15” to let yourself slide. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle, going to the gym, picking up running, playing intramural sports, etc. will go a VERY long way to helping you stay young, confident and healthy not just during college but well after. These are some of the best years of your life so cherish them and stay fit and active.
5. STUDY ABROAD: This is one where people may scratch their heads at and say really is this THAT important? Studying abroad will likely the BEST excuse to travel, pick up a new language, meet new people and discover new places all the while earning credit for school. It will help you immeasurably grow as a person and embrace the world around you.
NOTE: Make sure you can get credit as it can help you stay on track to graduate on time. Also make sure you select an awesome city and preferably in a country where you can see yourself using the language later in life. Finally the study abroad should be no less than 3 months to a year. Bottomline, there is so much to benefit from in college to prepare you for life. So as a freshman be intentional in planning out the next few years, make the most out of it, and never forget to keep growing as a person. Hope this helps! Read more helpful tips on our Quora account and stay tuned to other blogs on our Write Track Admissions Page. ~ Hamada | Write Track FounderHow do I best answer the college application essay “describe your strengths and weaknesses”?
There is no easy answer to this but my quick response is start with strengths end with weaknesses and here is why:
-
- Admissions Officers have to read literally thousands of applications so if you start with a weakness and its poorly worded, explained, or is just a bad example, it can turn off the reader from the start. (Read below to see why)*
- The chances of you screwing up your strengths is not high, and therefore most Admissions Officers will likely be on your side from the start. But if you start with a weakness that is half-baked (i.e. I’m a perfectionist, I’m overly ambitious, I work too hard, I bite off more then I can chew), this can turn them off and they wont even get to your strengths.
- If you present a GREAT strength(s) then that will get the officer even more on your side so that when it comes to your weakness, the Officer will think its ok because s/he has a great strength that can help mitigate the weakness.
-
- My biggest weakness is probably biting off more than I can chew. I love learning new things, helping my colleagues, and being right in the thick of innovation. I usually get the hang of my job pretty quickly, which leads me to take on a lot of additional stretch projects. It’s funny how my bandwidth feels maxed but there’s always room for more!
- My biggest weakness is definitely the fact that I work too much. At my previous job my boss actually had to implement a rule that I needed to be out of the office by 7pm because I was routinely staying until 9pm. I did win the award for highest sell through rate though.
-
- Clearly explain the weakness so there isn’t confusion that will undermine the response.
- Be honest about the weakness so it comes off as humble (NOT humble-bragging)
- Demonstrate what you learned from the weakness (same if it was a mistake)