Essay drafts

This past weekend I gave a tour during a Visitation Day. So I decided to post some tips from my college application experience.

Over the summer I had to dispose of my "college file" which had grown to an alarming size of a small file cabinet. Everything from brochures to copies of applications, drafts of essays to standard test scores, and a copy of Fiske Guide to Colleges.

I had not looked at these papers since I put them away on December 21, 2007; the day I finished applying to college: a very long and trying process. I had applied to a number of schools. Too many, considering the amount of sleep I had lost in the first semester of senior year. All the sleep I lost worrying about whether I was going to accepted into a good school. Do not stress too much, but do not slack off. Find a happy median.

Seniors prepare for the coming months. Yes, it is your last year in high school to have fun, but concentrate on school and applications. Study for the SATs or ACTs. Write a lot of essay drafts for your applications. I believe I had up to ten drafts for my main essay on the common application.

When filling out the college applications, here are a few tips:
Print out a copy of the application, whether it be the Common Application or a specific one for the school. Fill in everything with pencil. Review, review, review.

Proof read EVERYTHING at least two times, maybe three. Even have someone else look over it. This is very important. Even when you are copying and pasting text, it is important to read over everything.

Do not expect to do all of your applications in one night. Start now. Start writing drafts for long and short essays. Start filling out the tedious stuff in the application (i.e. Name, birthday, gender, etc).

Then, once you submitted your applications: relax, breath, watch a movie or go get some ice cream.

January, February, and March are very stressful months. You here about applications, but now you cannot mend your essays or short answers. It is simply left to an admission counselor. You feel as though you are in limbo - at least I did. Try to enjoy senior year and keep up those grades!

Then, FINALLY, admission decisions arrive in your inbox sometime in late March/early April, depending on the college or university.

The stress ends once you receive your acceptance letters and you know where you are going. Pick the school that is best for YOU. Not your friends, YOU. If you think you want to commute, pick a school where you can live at home and go to school everyday. If you want to live on campus, find a school where most students live on campus. Decide what is best for you. Every college or university is not for everybody. You just need to decide where you think is best.

Come back in two weeks for more!

Peace and love,
Liz