Overview of the College Application Process

Overview of the College Application Process Expressing Interest Expressing interest in a college is perhaps one of the more overlooked, but incredibly crucial aspects of applying to colleges. Hans Hanson, of Total College Advisory notes that if you do not express interest in a college before you apply, you are completely unknown to the admissions officers and consequently are considered a 'stealth candidate.' Related Articles College Application Essay Samples College Application Essay Samples College Application Cover Letter Examples College Application Cover Letter Examples Where to Apply for Cruise Ship Jobs Where to Apply for Cruise Ship Jobs If it comes down to choosing between two equal candidates, the one who is unknown to admissions will typically lose. Generally, you want to try to express interest as early as your sophomore year of high school. Creating a Student Profile Sheet One way to make contact with admissions officers early on is to email them expressing your interest and attaching a student profile sheet. Hanson explains, "The student profile sheet is basically a summary of the student's accomplishments thus far." Once you contact admissions, they will often start a file on you. Ideally, Hanson suggests, you'll send this student profile sheet to colleges you're interested in during your sophomore year. You should then update it periodically to include new interests. While not all colleges track student interest, it still is boon in the application process. If a student does it with the intention of learning more about the college, then even if the admissions department isn't tracking student interest, you'll still come out ahead of the game. Visit Campuses Visits are incredibly crucial to helping students decide if a school is a good fit for them. Not only does it help a student get a picture of what campus life is like, it also helps the prospective student know whether his intended program is all that he thought it would be. When you go, take a campus tour, make sure you get to see at least one class that has to do with the major you're interested in, and ask lots of questions. Try to go while school is in session. Finding the Right Fit As much as expressing interest in a college is about getting you on their radar, it's also about making sure you find the right fit. Christopher Dorsey, Director of Admissions at Eastern Connecticut State University says, "Students must visit the colleges that they are interested in attending. It is difficult for student to get the 'this is the right match' feel, without spending time on campuses." He also cautions students against putting too much pressure on themselves to get into a highly-rated college.