<p>Alright, I have dabbled on CC since the beginning of my Senior year. I just recently sent my enrollment deposit into my dream school, which accepts less than a quarter of all applicants.</p>
<p>I agonized over my search and application process, and here’s what I would advise all college bound students do to get in where they want to go.</p>
<p>It’s long, but I hope it helps someone. If you read nothing else, read the interview tips. I felt as though I nailed all of my interviews, and I feel they came up huge for me.</p>
<p>Search Tips:</p>
<li><p>Apply to Schools All Different Prestige Levels-This is where I screwed up. I applied to two very, very prestigious reach schools, but after those there was a huge prestige drop-off to #3. For instance, Don’t apply to Harvard, Yale, and then your state public. Apply to Harvard, Yale, Duke, Emory, Gettsyburg, and then your state public. I knew I could get in everywhere I applied other than my two reaches, and if I didn’t get in to either of those my degree prestige level would have fell off in a big way.</p></li>
<li><p>Don’t Get Set on a School-I was dead set on going to Northwestern my first 2.5 years of high school. I didn’t even apply there, because I realized there were much better places for me. I couldn’t be happier with my decision, and I don’t think I would have enjoyed four years in Evanston, as great a school as Northwestern is.</p></li>
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<p>Application Tips:</p>
<li><p>School-You have to take care of business in the classroom to even be in the conversation, obviously. Build relationships with your teachers, really get to know them, they will be writing your letters of recommendation.</p></li>
<li><p>Extra-Cirriculars-Take on the heaviest load you can manage. Take leadership roles whenever possible. If leadership and number of ECs conflicts, take quality over quantity.</p></li>
<li><p>Show an interest-Get a contact in the admissions office and pick their brains. Don’t be a pest, but send e-mails asking questions (even if you know the answer, so long as they are specific. Don’t send an email saying “How is your science department?”). Visit campus, do it multiple times if you can.</p></li>
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<p>*Note: #4 and #5 will be what makes you stand out. If you’re academics put you on the fence, as I can only believe mine did, this is where you absolutely have to make it happen. You need someone in that room who remembers your name, and this is how I think you can do it.</p>
<li>Interview-I can only imagine that this is where I shined. Before you go into that interview, learn absolutely everything you can about the school, learn what they are proud of, and slip these facts in during the conversation. Have a folder of all of your accomplishments with you, but don’t lead with it. Pull it out when the opening comes. If it doesn’t present itself, create it. Lock eyes with the interviewer, and never look away while you are talking, but keep a relaxed look on your face.</li>
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<p>You really have to sit down and strategize for this interview, think of it as a battle. Come up with lead-ins that will make the interviewer ask you the question that you want, and then roll with it when you get it. Also, make it a conversation, not an interview. I still believe that back in the back of an admissions counselor’s mind, he/she is juding you on whether or not they would want to go to school with you. If you’re on the fringe and your interview was brutally awkward, the person that interviewed you will remember and it could seal your fate. If the conversation seems to be dying, ask a question, again, even if you already know the answer. As it is a conversation, if it goes a little off track, let it go, but don’t push it.</p>
<p>Finally, in my interview, I laid it all out on the table, I said “This is where I want to be, what do I have to do to get there?” Whatever the counselor says next is gold, listen closely.</p>
<li>Essay-Writing about an accomplishment is nice, it makes you feel good, but it doesn’t mean anything if you can’t relate it to your future. Instead of “And after a year of hard work, we won the State Championship,” have “The year of hard work led to a State Championship, and it showed me the high price of success,” and then elaborate on your lesson learned.</li>
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<p>Also, write about something that means something to you. I applied with the Common App, and I couldn’t make any of their topics mean anything to me, so I went for “Topic of my choice” (don’t be afraid to do that, btw), and wrote about how 9-11 changed my life and sparked my interest in worldly affairs. I have never been prouder of a piece of writing, and it was because I felt it, it meant everything to me. However, if you try to go for sentiment, and it’s not there, they will see it and throw your essay out. If you can’t make it real, forget about it.</p>
<p>Finally, write the whole thing in one sitting for continuity. The paper should write itself if you followed my last bit of advice and wrote about something extremely important to you, so it really won’t be that daunting a task. Edit it yourself two or three times, then have an English teacher proofread it. I cannot stress this enough. NO MISTAKES. Don’t throw 4 years of work away on a typo.</p>
<li><p>Avoid Common App When You Can-Although everyone signs a form stating they will not discriminate against Common App (which I’m sure they do, and this tip may be wholely unnecessary), it shows an effort if you fill out a seperate application.</p></li>
<li><p>Waiting-Don’t post a “What Are My Chances?” every week, you will drive yourself insane. Don’t look at your application after it has been submitted, if you find a typo you will beat yourself up over. It can’t be changed, just wait it out.</p></li>
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<p>With that I’m going to go ahead and retire from College Confidential. Thanks to the entire community.</p>