The 5 Biggest Mistakes Students Make in College Applications

College is more important than ever. There’s ample evidence that college graduates earn higher salaries than people who don’t go beyond high school. If you plan to attend college, however, it’s important to carefully consider the application process. Many colleges are quite competitive nowadays. Here are five mistakes to avoid as you send out your applications.

When you decide to apply to colleges, you’ll find that the due date arrives faster than you anticipated. For best results, it’s best to prepare early. If you send your application in at the last minute, you’re likely to rush through it and not give your best effort. You also want to give sufficient time for teachers and other people who are sending in recommendations on your behalf to reply. Finally, colleges take note of when you send in applications. They tend to favor students who send them in early rather than procrastinating.

If you’re set on attending a certain college or university, you may put all of your efforts into a single application. However, it’s always a good idea to have a backup plan. If you only apply to one school, you’ll be left without any options if you’re not accepted. Many experts recommend having at least two fallback schools in case your first choice rejects you. This isn’t a defeatist attitude but a realistic one. Above all else, you want to make sure that you get into a good college. The more schools you apply to, the better your chances.

Colleges use a variety of criteria to choose applicants. Aside from your high school grades and scores on college prep exams, essays are extremely important.

College entrance exams such as ACT and SAT are extremely important, especially when it comes to applying to more competitive colleges. If you don’t take these exams or if you take them without adequate preparation, you put yourself at a real disadvantage. If you don’t feel completely confident in your ability to do well on these tests, you may want to investigate some college prep services that provide resources for excelling on such exams. This can make a big difference in your application.

In addition to your academic record, colleges also place a great deal of value on your extracurricular activities. This includes almost anything you’ve done that shows initiative, displays leadership qualities or requires discipline. Don’t forget to mention your hobbies, summer jobs you’ve held, clubs you’ve joined, sports you’ve participated in or volunteering you’ve done. Be as specific as possible about such activities, writing down the number of hours you’ve put into them and what you’ve learned or accomplished. Such activities add depth to your application and you never know what might impress the person reading your application. Applying to colleges can have a significant impact on your future. It’s a process you should take very seriously. You can think of your application as the first real stage of your college career. If you keep the above tips in mind, you’ll increase your chances of getting accepted by the college of your choice.