Four Simple Steps to Ace That College Application

     You thought you'd never get through high school. But you did, with top scores, too. And now you're ready for your next academic challenge. College. But would your stellar academic achievement be sufficient to book a seat in the college of your choice? Not likely. The determining factor in getting that acceptance letter is not a high SAT score but what your application reveals about you. So what does an admissions officer look for in college applications, and how can you get him to send you that acceptance letter?

     Before you get to that point you'll need to make a list of the colleges you're interested in, then you'll need:

• The application form from the chosen colleges.
• Transcript of your grades and test scores.
• If seeking financial aid you will need: The Free Application for Federal Student Aid. For this you will need: bank statements, latest income tax returns, picture identification, social security numbe
• Letters of recommendation.
• College Application Essay or Personal Statement.

     You may choose to send your application electronically, by snail mail or hand delivery. But either way, you have to attach your College Application Essay. This is your chance to sell yourself to the admissions officer. To show how much you can contribute to the efficiency of the campus while pursuing your course of study. The essay is the most critical part of the college application. It is the moment for you to excel, stand out, create an impression, show your intellect. Spend time on your essay, linger over it, be specific about your hopes and dreams, about your interests, your likes and dislikes, and most of all be honest. Your essay is the voice of your application, share it with the admissions officer and it will give you an edge over the rest.

     The College Application: This should not take more than half an hour to complete. Like all other applications, it begins with, basic personal information about the applicant. Name, address, age, date of birth, social security number, sex, information about your school, etc. Once this is completely filled out, you may move on to the education history section. Here you are required to list your academic achievements, awards, honours roll, academic contest won, and extracurricular activities, among others.

     The College Interview: Once the application is completed it's wise to schedule an interview with the potential college or colleges. This gives you an opportunity to discuss one-on-one with an admissions counselor any questions you may have regarding your course of study, requirements and the application at hand.

     The Acceptance Letter: College acceptance letters have gone through a renaissance of their own. And you may receive any one of these if you applied to the related college: a new jazzed up fancy letter "Phat Package,"from Ithaca College, suitable for framing Certificates from Baylor and Rutgers, a video link from Elon, text messages from Baylor or goodies such as T-shirts, confetti and posters from St. Bonaventure and MIT.

     Here are some tips to help you with your application: Hand writing should be neat and clear. Check your spelling and grammar carefully. Have someone look over your application for any mistakes. Make sure all requirements are attached to the application before sending it out, for example, letters of recommendations, transcripts, essays. Check to see if there's a fee attached to your college application. Send in application before the deadline date. You may apply to more than one college at a time.

     Here are some things you don't do on your college application: Don't lie on your application. Don't get letters of recommendations from people who don't know you. Don't attach documents that are not requested. Don't send original documents with application. Don't send application after the deadline