As you are applying for colleges, you can quickly get lost in a sea of to-dos. Remember to stay organized and submit early. Also, remember to submit your transcript request form by visiting our “Counselor’s Corner” tab on the Mountain Heights website so that we can send it along to the college(s) of your choice. Read below for a few more tips to help you as you apply for college.
Remember: Quality > Quantity
When you are applying for college, it is far more important to submit quality work than it is to make your application as long as possible. It is better to write a shorter, concise and overall excellent essay than it is to write as many unnecessary words as you can. Make sure your college applications are clear and to the point. This also applies to information that you put on your application, including extracurricular activities. While you may want to put everything that you have ever done on your college application, it is smarter to put focused, relevant and exceptional accomplishments on your application than many obscure and meaningless activities.
Proofread Your Essays
Nothing is more embarrassing than submitting an essay to a college with glaring typos. Before even thinking about submitting, make sure you check and recheck your essays for errors. It may be helpful to get someone else to review your essays, as they might catch something that you missed. We recommend typing your essay in a word processing program, and then after you have edited it, paste it into the proper field on the application. Some colleges prefer that you attach the essay instead, so make sure that you read the instructions!
Get Good Grades Now
Applying for college is now more competitive than ever. Every GPA point is crucial in giving you a competitive advantage. While one “C” grade is not going to make or break your college career, consistently poor grades will. Make sure you stay focused in school and do everything that you can to raise your GPA. Being a student of Mountain Heights Academy gives you an incredible advantage, as you can work at your own pace to achieve scholastic success.
Ask for Letters of Recommendation Early
If you need letters of recommendation for your college application (and you probably will), make sure you ask your teacher, employer, or mentor early on. Tell them the exact date that you will be submitting your application and what day you will need them to give it to you by. Be sure to follow up with them after a few days to make sure they remember to write you one. Also, ask someone who will give you a positive letter rather than a negative one. In fact, it might not hurt to verify that your recommender is willing to provide a positive recommendation. If not, find someone else!