My Higher Education Journey- Part 1: Applications, Applications, Applications

We all dream about going to Ivy league schools or those top schools like MIT or Stanford. When I was in high school, my dream school was Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. When it came time to apply, I decided not to apply there, mostly because I did horrible on the SAT and did not meet the minimum GPA requirement. Years later, as I begin to wrap up my undergraduate time, I realized that not applying was one of the worst decisions I made. Looking back, I made many mistakes during my college application process. Applying to colleges is not easy, so here are a few tips I learned so you don’t make the same ones!

1. Always have a safety school. It is great to apply to your dream school, but always have a backup plan. Apply to a school you are sure to get in and will be able to afford. Just in case your dream school doesn’t work out, you will have another option.

2. Don’t apply to every school for fun. When I applied, I applied to the most random schools, even schools I knew nothing about. Not only is it a waste of time filling out the application, but also a waste a money as most applications (and transcripts you must include in the application) have a fee. When making your decisions of where you want to go, look into reasonable schools. If you have decided what career path you want to follow, make sure the school offers that program.

3. Start early. Most schools have early/priority and regular-decision deadlines. You have a higher chance of getting into a school if you apply by the earlier deadline. If you do not get in during the early decision period, the school may move your application to the regular decision pile so you get a second chance to be accepted!

4. Get help. The college application process is one of the most stressful parts of college (besides the classes themselves). Don’t be afraid to stop by your high school’s career center for help, they are there to help YOU. When writing your admissions essay, visit your schools writing center for help brainstorming or checking grammar.

The most important thing to remember when embarking on the application process is to not be discouraged. When applying to top schools, don’t let your GPA or SAT scores stop you. let them tell you “No.” instead of you telling yourself ”No.” Keep yourself organized and on top of things and before you know it, you will be in college finishing your degree.