Common College Application Mistakes to Avoid When Applying to College

Your college application is supposed to tell the schools that you want to go to about the reasons that they should want to accept you into their programs. However, many students make mistakes in their college applications which actually tell the school that you probably don’t belong there. Avoid common college application mistakes when you complete your application process so that you put your best foot forward and straight into the door of the colleges of your choice. Here are some of the big mistakes that many students make:

Typos.

It should be obvious by the time that you get to the point in your high school career when you’re doing college applications that typos are bad, bad, bad. After all, you’ve been through all the red pens and learning of lessons. But many students are so concerned with the pressure of the college application itself that they neglect to edit their work. Always make sure to double-check everything you include in your college application and get a second person to edit it as well. Typos make you look sloppy and unconcerned about your education which is NOT the way to get in to college.

Casual attitude.

Many students take on an informal tone with their college applications, using slang and addressing their college admissions team with less-than-formal jargon. You should consider your college application to be on par with a formal job interview and act appropriately throughout the application.

Being too formal.

On the other hand, you don’t want to be so formal in your college application that your voice doesn’t come through. Many students make the mistake of using “big words” in their applications which aren’t natural to them. Yes, you should avoid slang, but you should convey yourself using language that you would use with a respected elder in your community, not language that you would use if you were writing a dissertation for a college journal. Be yourself, just be your best self.

Trying too hard.

Along those same lines, many students make the mistake of trying too hard in their application to be impressive. They not only list every single small accomplishment they’ve ever made (really, your admissions team doesn’t care that you lost all your teeth before anyone else in your kindergarten class) but they also use their cover letters to try and stroke the egos of the school. Be genuine in your application and let your strengths speak for themselves.

Incomplete applications.

You have to answer every item on the application. You have to send all required transcripts and letters of recommendation. You have to read through essay questions completely and answer them thoroughly. If you’re cutting and pasting portions of essays from college to college, be sure you read through them carefully to make sure that every single thing you’ve said in each one applies directly to the question being asked on that specific application. If the college can tell that you don’t care where you’re applying to get in, they are probably going to let someone else have you.

Incorrect application information.

The most common area of mistake here is the GPA. Different colleges use different information for this so check carefully about the rules for “weighted” and “unweighted” GPA before you fill yours in. Similarly, make sure that the numbers you input for things like SAT scores are correct since discrepancies make you look sloppy.

Sending the application to the wrong location or in the wrong format.

College campuses can be big places and you need to get your application to the right person in the right place. Double-check addresses, suite numbers, PO Boxes and zip codes to make sure your application goes to the right place. Also, make sure that you know if you can send the application in via fax or email before you do that.

Missing deadlines.

If you miss the deadline, you don’t get in. That’s it.

You’ve done a lot of work already to get into the colleges of your choice. You studied and took the right classes, you practiced for and completed the required exams, you engaged in afterschool and club activities, and you researched the colleges and programs that interested you. Don’t let the work be for nothing by making common college application mistakes that turn the school’s eyes away from you. You’re in the last stretch now so give it your all!

[tags]college applications, applications, college application mistakes, mistakes to avoid applications, college admissions, apply to college, applying to college, college[/tags]