Making it through high school is tough, and you’re almost at the finish line. The college application process presents another hurdle for you to clear – however – it doesn’t need to be too stressful if you designate your time wisely.

College applications usually involve submitting the application (most often through an online portal), letters of recommendation, personal statements and/or essays, and sometimes interviews with schools. It might seem like a lot, but we’re hoping to help you break the process down into manageable steps.

Tips for an Outstanding College Application

Here are 10 tips for an outstanding college application!

1. Give Yourself Enough Time by Starting Early

This advice is commonly given for a reason. Your college application and supplemental material will be strongest if you give yourself time. Rushed applications may not reflect your best self. Even if you’re a younger high school student, it’s never too early to begin thinking about which colleges you would like applying to.

We recommend starting the process the summer before your senior year. If you’d like to be more proactive, you can spend your junior, or even sophomore year, researching campuses that you’d like to apply to.

You will especially appreciate having extra time when it comes to writing your personal statements. Giving yourself time to reflect on everything you’d like to include in your personal statement/essays will benefit you in the long run – especially when it comes to proofreading and revising.

2. Prioritize Your Top Choices

Maybe you already know what you’d like to do when you graduate college. If that’s the case, be sure to consider schools that have outstanding programs in that field. Or, if that’s not the case for you but you do have schools that are at the top of your list, be sure to spend ample time on those applications.

This doesn’t imply neglecting applications to other schools (as some students might need to consider their backup options), simply give some precedence to your initial preferred choices. Take extra care when proofreading your personal essays and statements, and double check your application to ensure that you are not missing any of the required information.

Be sure to research your potential colleges to ensure they align with your academic and social interests, along with your career goals. You might consider other factors like campus culture, programs, tuition rates, and location. 

3. Craft a Compelling Personal Statement

Writing a personal statement or essay to accompany your college application is difficult. Often, students don’t know exactly where to start or what to say. This is another reason to begin your application process early.

Some colleges assign an essay topic, others may request an open-ended statement, or some might assign both. Whichever you end up needing, do your best to start fresh with a clear mind. It can be difficult to put your thoughts into words. First, it’s helpful to just write what you would like to say. You can clean up any errors and add in elevated language during your revision process.

Be sure that your personal statement showcases your unique qualities, accomplishments, and aspirations. Mention any community service/volunteer work you have been involved in. Set yourself apart from other applicants by incorporating your unique experiences and perspectives.

4. Be Sure to Proofread and Edit

If you have the time, it’s good to proofread your work on a different day than when you initially write it. Even having one night’s sleep in between your work can make a noticeable difference.

It can be easier to overlook mistakes when proofing your own writing. If this sounds like you, consider asking someone else to proofread your essays. This could be a friend, a teacher, a coach, or a family member. If you proofread with another student, you may be able to bounce ideas off of one another, strengthening both of your applications.

Also, if time permits, you may even want to consider editing different schools’ applications on different days. Not only does this break your workload up nicely, but it can prevent you from making any silly mistakes: like saying you’re interested in one university when actually working on an entirely different university’s application.

5. Highlight Your Achievements

College applications are meant to give administrators the best idea of who you are and what you’re passionate about. While it feels unnatural for some students, know that it is acceptable to take this opportunity to brag about yourself a little.

Detail the latest volunteer opportunity you have taken. Have you coached or mentored anyone in the past? Have you organized any kind of extracurricular event?

Be generous in everything that you list. Highlight any special achievements you’ve had. Showcase your involvement with the community. As you discuss these, be sure to emphasize any personal growth you’ve experienced and lessons learned in the process.

6. Ask for Letters of Recommendation Early On

Letters of recommendation are an important part of any potential student’s application. In some instances, a college may give you some parameters. They may request that two letters come from teachers and one from someone else. Be sure to follow the directions you get carefully.

Alternatively, if you’re given more open-ended guidelines, you could ask for letters of recommendation from teachers, administrators, guidance counselors, or mentors. Try to pick people who know you well and who would be able to speak specifically about your skills, personal growth, and character.

Also – remember to ask for letters of recommendation ahead of time. The person you ask likely has many other tasks at hand – possibly even several other students to write letters for. Ask for your letters of recommendation at least a month or six weeks ahead of time to ensure you give that person enough time to complete their letter.

7. Emphasize Your Growth and Reflection

In every area of the application that allows it, be sure to demonstrate your growth both academically and personally over the past few years. This is a spot where you can tie in any volunteer events or community service you have taken part in. If you’re an athlete and have done any coaching or mentoring, be sure to mention those efforts.

Colleges are looking for well-rounded individuals, but they are also looking to get to know you at a personal level, as well. Do not simply list off your extracurriculars, be sure to detail what they have meant to you and how they have contributed to your personal growth.

If applicable, you should also discuss challenges you’ve faced, how you’ve overcome them, and anything else you have learned in the process. Admissions offices want to know what qualities unique to you have helped you become a person of character.

8. Participate in Campus Tours

Another perk of knowing the schools you want to attend early on is being able to take tours of college campuses. Researching schools online is great. If you are able to however, try to explore your choice campuses in person – especially if you are planning to live on campus.

Campus tours allow you to get a feel for a school’s culture, what the classes might be like, what you can expect the dorms to look like, etc. Be on the lookout for aspects of each campus that you like and those that you dislike, as well. The more knowledge you have about the campus itself, the more informed you can be when deciding which school you want to apply to.

It also doesn’t hurt to mention specific qualities of the campus that you enjoy in your application to that school wherever appropriate. Admissions offices want students to be excited to attend their school, and are likely to choose a prospective student who demonstrates an enthusiasm toward the campus over one who does not.

9. Stay Organized

Being organized from the beginning of your application process can be a game-changer. Keep a file or a couple of folders for your paper documents. These could be brochures and other papers given out to you during campus tours, mail from a school you’re interested in, or even paperwork that you need to save.

Also, save any relevant digital files on your computer. You can store documents you’re working on in your drive. Some students find it helpful to make spreadsheets and keep track of their application process that way.

Different organizational tactics work for different students. Whichever way you choose to stay organized, you’ll find that the process of applications will be made a lot easier if you have everything you need in one spot.

10. Ask for Help when You Need It

Know that there are many people who would love to help you when you get stuck – more people than you may think. You could ask a teacher, a guidance counselor, or even a friend or family member.

When it comes to any difficulties you might be having with a school’s online portal/application process, you can reach out to the university’s help department. Their job is to offer assistance to students and prospective students like you.

Whether it’s needing proofreading, bouncing ideas off of someone, or clarifying a question, know that there are many people around who would be happy to help you when you are feeling stuck with your applications.

Step Forward into Your Future

These are just some of the many steps you can take toward an application process filled with more success than stress. As you begin submitting your applications and all required supplemental material, we hope that you go forth with confidence.

College is an exciting next step in your life! Are you ready to take it on? We’re connected with great colleges across the country.

Find an excellent school in your area, now!