<p>Hi,
Having just completed the college admissions process, I thought I would share some things I've learned to help make the process a little easier for kids applying to college in the future. </p>
<p>Here are a few general things I've learned along the way:
1) If you decide to apply to a rolling admissions school, apply as early as possible in the fall.
2) Apply to as many schools early action (non-binding) as you can. This makes the process less stressful because you'll know the outcomes of these decisions by the end of December and the time between the deadline and the decision day is half as long as the time between the deadline and decision day for regular decision.
3) If you are a rising senior, definitely get your common app essay drafted over the summer and have the final one done by the end of September (you'll be glad you did because you are more than likely going to have multiple supplements to write).
4) You can ask for teacher recommendations from your teachers as early as May of your junior year and you should - some teachers only accept a limited number of recommendation requests.
5) Don't get hung up on acceptance rates. Just because one school has a lower acceptance rate than another doesn't mean it's better for you or has a better program for your major.
6) Look into the curricula of the schools you want to apply to. Some schools let you take virtually whatever you want outside of classes for your major, others have a core curriculum, and some schools have a mix of the two. Find what works for you and apply to schools that have the curriculum structured the way you like it.
7) The same major can vary from school to school, so make sure the schools you decide to apply to have the major you want (or might want) and that the major has the focus you want. For example, a criminal justice major at one school can have a forensic science focus, and the same major at another school may have a sociological focus.</p>
<p>Like I said, these are are general, but I hope they help! If anyone has any questions related or unrelated to the tips above about the admissions process, I'll be happy to answer them!</p>