While college is about freedom for many students, it's also about classes and studying. It's an opportunity for you to shape your future career and earning potential, so it's only natural that high-ranked colleges are more likely to accept those who have shown themselves to be dedicated its students. The following tips may improve your chances of getting into the college that you prefer.
1. Hit the books While high school years often revolve around dating and getting one's driver's license, your primary duty as a student is to attend class and learn. Colleges prefer to accept students who have shown that they care about their coursework - and high grades or difficult classes reflect that.
2. Get involved When you participate in extracurricular activities, such as student government, clubs and sports teams, it shows that you care about your school and that you want to be involved. It shows that you can handle the stress and time-management dilemmas. By participating, you also show th admissions board that you are dedicated to learning outside the classroom.
3. Volunteer Colleges like those who show compassion for others or the environment. Volunteering in a hospital, organizing a food drive, participating in a beach clean up are all great ways to help. Any volunteer work will help, but the more you do, the better.
4. Get to know your teachers Many schools require an applicant to provide a letter of recommendation for either admission or a scholarship. Who better to speak for you than your teacher? If nothing else, a teacher can mentor you during the admissions process, reviewing both your application and your admissions essay, should you be required to write one.
5. Apply early Colleges often have certain quotas, meaning they can only afford to admit a certain number of students each year. This limit helps both with budgeting and maintaining reasonable class sizes. If you wait too long to apply, you may miss the boat.
6. Review your application...then review it again Taking the time to fill out your application carefully will ensure that it is both complete and well written. Consider having a teacher or counselor review it for you. Even the best students can run into trouble if their applications or admissions essays do not reflect their accomplishments or appear poorly written.
7. Take academic tests seriously These tests are very important. Because the SATs and ACT are a significant part of your application packet, you will need to prepare for them accordingly.
