College application is not an easy task. You have to do all the work when you are working very hard to do well in the courses. Start as early as you can because you have more time during the beginning of the semester. Take an advertage of early action/decision (many selective colleges accept more applicants in the early action or early decision than in the regular application) , but the deadline for early action/decision is in Novemeber.
I have written some tips in my old post.
blog.wenxuecity.com/myblog/9462/200911/40530.html
1. Writing Essay
College essays are very important because they tell admission officers a sense of who you are, as well as showcasing your writing skills. To make a start, Derek's school gave the senior students a list to describe themselves to the college counselors. You can use this approach to brainstorm about your personal traits, and define your strength and passion. Make an outline including three main elements:
- Introduction: One paragraph that introduces your essay.
- Body: Several paragraphs explaining the main idea with examples.
- Conclusion: One paragraph that summarizes and ends the essay.
2. Organize Application Materials
There will be a lot of brochures, regular application forms, honor program applications, recommendation forms, and other packages. Organization is the key. You can designated a directory on your computer for college stuff. Each school had its own folder. You can also create a word document to track essay, which listed all essay topic, requirement, and deadlines. When you recycle your application and essay for different school, make sure that you change the school name in your application material.
You also need to keep track with recommendation letters. You need to give the teachers the forms at least 3 weeks before the deadline. You need to remember that they have heavy teaching load and they are doing your favor in their personal time. You also need to remember that they may write for several other students. You don’t want to add pressure on them by give them the forms at the last minute. Make sure to ask them if they can write a good and strong letter for you. You really don’t want a weak letter sent to your dream school.
