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October 5, 2006
College Bound
Is the college application process looming like a
Mount
Everest
in your road to life? Even if it's a hike you're looking forward
to, it helps to be well-equipped. Teen Ink asked a couple of
experts to offer advice for high-school students about to
embark on the college application process. Here's what they
had to say:
1. Be true to yourself. Think beyond what "everyone" is
doing, where "everyone" is planning to apply. An honest look
at your strengths, weaknesses, likes, dislikes - what's
important to you - and which colleges match up - will serve
you best in the long run.
2. Visit campuses you are considering. You and your family
may not be able to afford the time or money to visit every
campus, but if possible, visiting 3-4 different colleges will
give you a feel for similarities and differences - and unique
features. For those you can't visit before you apply, use all
the resources at your disposal - Web, admission counselors,
high-school guidance counselor, people you know who have
attended, even college faculty in the major you are
considering at that school - to help you get a feel for the
place.
3. Ask questions. If you are not sure about an item on the
admissions application or a step in the process, call the
Admissions Office (or e-mail or take advantage of chats or
IM) and ask. That way, you will be sure to respond
appropriately and the admissions officers will get to know
you.
4. Use your senior year wisely. You may be tempted to
view your senior year as a time to wind down, but the most
successful college freshmen use their senior year of high
school to gear up for the rigors of college studies. Read,
read, read! Practice a variety of test preparation and study
techniques. Try something new - that gets you out
of your comfort zone. And, if you are unsure about a college
major and career path, this is a great time to ask everyone
you know - and the people they know - about their
careers.
Ms. Gerri Daniels is the Director of Admissions at
Northern
Michigan University.
Think carefully about your extracurricular activities. And jot
down some notes for yourself. Which activities are most
important to you? Among all the activities you could have
chosen, what about these caught your interest? Why have
you stayed involved? And what do you think you've gained
by staying involved?
There are no right or wrong answers. But being able to
convey this information in an admission interview or in your
application is an important way for you to capture the
interest of college admission counselors. That way your
activities don't just form a list, but they become a reflection
of who you are.
Elizabeth H. Woyczynski is the Director of Undergraduate
Admissions at Case Western Reserve University.
email:
extraink@teenink.com
phone:
617.964.6800
web:
http://www.teenink.com
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