Filling out the Application. Part Two of the Application process.
Aug 17 '01
The Bottom Line Be organized!
In talking with high school seniors this summer, I almost went bananas when I realized not many of them were really prepared for the application process. But then I remembered that I was the same way. Given the opportunity, I would have done a lot of things differently regarding
applying to college. This is part two in the application process. Hopefully, those who are applying to college will be better prepared than I was!
The big envelope arrives at your house in all its formality. Inside is the most important document. The (drumroll please) application. Little boxes to fill in, dates to remember, things to write…the application can be a
confusing piece of paper. Especially if you’re applying to more than one college. I applied to twelve. That’s twelve different applications, essays and a killer hand cramps. But here are some tips about filling out the application and some important things to remember.
Organization
Being organized is the key! Especially if you’re like me and you’re applying to twelve schools. As soon as I received an application to a school that I was for sure applying to (I have applications that I didn’t
apply to), I put the application in a manila folder. On the outside of the manila folder, I made a checklist with little boxes. I printed the name of the school and its due date in big bold capitals on the top. And under that
was a little box for: “General information”, “Short Answers”, “Personal Essay”, “Teacher Recommendation”, “SAT scores, “Transcript”, “Check”. This helped me keep track of what my status was for each application. Filling
out the general information (name, address, etc.) was easy. The others took a little doing.
With each folder, I lay them out on the ground in my room for easy access and visibility. Once I wrote my personal essay, I put the essay in each folder. I used different colored post its to keep track of those which were
due earlier than the others and those who required more time. For instance, I applied to the UC schools which don’t have a short answer section so I don
’t need to spend as much time on it.
The Common Application
I love the Common Application. It saved so much time. You can easily find the Common Application and download it. This means you can type in your answers which saves ink and your hand muscles and it simply looks neater.
Also, you can use the common application for more than one school. The website for the common application is: http://www.commonapp.org/default.htm. You can check which schools accept the common application. The application
is not only the general information but includes the teacher recommendation page and personal essay.
Many schools require a supplement to the common application. This means that once you fill out the common application and send it in, they’ll send you something extra to fill out. Generally it’s another essay you have to
write, or questions you have to answer. It’s important to double check which colleges do this because that means you have to get the common application to the school with plenty of time for them to receive it, send you the supplement and for you to send back the completed supplement all before the deadline.
Filling out the Application
Don’t let the small boxes and pages and pages to fill out intimidate you. Once you get the first one done, the process will start to get tedious. Whether you choose to type or print, be neat. Use a black or blue ink pen and capital letters. If you type your applications on a typewriter, photocopy the application and practice first. It’s hard to fill in your short answers and essays by hand so write it on a computer and cut and paste onto the application or attach. Read all the directions first before you start! You don’t want to write your last name where your address should be.
When filling out your GPA, your SAT scores, your extracurricular activities, be honest. Because if you lie, they will find out. So don’t fudge and say you scored a 1600 when in reality you didn’t. Even if you won some dinky award for history class, don’t disregard that. Add that onto your application. You don’t know what’s going to impress them and what’s not. This is your chance to stand out. So list the activities you did, awards you won. But remember, being part of the French Club for a week doesn’t necessarily mean you were in the French club for a year. Again, be honest.
Once your application is completed, photocopy it. That way you’ll have a copy on hand just in case something happens.
Because we’ve evolved so much into the technological age, many schools have applications you can download and send via email. I never did that for my schools but it’s certainly an option to explore. For me however, there’s something about paper that’s much more tangible and much more comforting. Email freaks me out.
Questions?
If you have any questions when filling out the applications, don’t hesitate to contact the admissions office of the school. You don’t want to be wrong or mess anything up and they’re not going to hold it against you if you call and ask a question. They are on your side…they’re not just there to evaluate you.
Double checking
Before you send in your application, double check everything’s filled out. Double check everything that needs to be sent is sent. Double check that the address of the envelope is correct and your home address is correct and you have the right postage. Are your essays attached? Did you include the check? Are all the boxes checked on your checklist?
Mailing it in
Now you’re ready to send in your application. Now it’s been 2 years since I went thoruugh this so I don’t remember the name but I’m pretty sure it’s called the Certificate of mailing. Basically what this means is, instead of dropping this in mailbox to send, you take your application to the post office and fill out a certificate of mailing and pay (I think it’s around $1.00…not terribly expensive.). They stamp the certificate and this ensures that you have sent the application. So in the freak accident that your application gets lost, you can send a photocopy of the certificate to the admissions office and they’ll give you an extended deadline. It’s for the peace of mind. : )
Relax
So now you’ve completed the application and sent it in. Good job! Now all the hard part is waiting and then finally deciding where to go. Good luck.
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