Top 7 Mistakes Students Make on their College Applications

Do you want to get into that college of your dreams? Then don’t screw up the opportunity to shine. Here’s what you want to avoid when you’re filling out that college application.

1. You include grammatical and spelling errors. Keep in mind that the admissions counselors has this packet of paper on front of them and this is how you’re presenting yourself. Review your credentials carefully and have someone proofread it to ensure that you don’t overlook anything.

2. You forgot to sign the documents. It’s another way to make a bad impression. If you’re not meticulous enough, you’ll certainly lose points with the person reviewing your app.

3. You didn’t read properly. Don’t misunderstand what is being asked. If it says “Last Name, First Name,” don’t fill out the form with your first name preceding your last name. Don’t say you live in the United States when it asks which county you reside in.

4. Illegible handwriting. Come on, this is your application to enter the schools of your dreams! Don’t make it more difficult for the admissions counselor who has to wade through tens of thousands of applications. Better yet, if you can get ahold of a typewriter or apply online, do it.

5. Not submitting your application online. Since college applications are a long process and cannot be completed after just an hour, you may want to save your changes and revisit the app several times, getting your content reviewed in the process. Make sure that when everything is said and the book is sealed that you actually submit your application! It’s one thing to save it; it’s another thing to ensure that it was sent.

6. Using an inappropriate email address. Just like you want to be a little careful when you present yourself online, so too you want to ensure your email address is of a professional nature. If you include too many sixty nines or four twenties, you may not score brownie points (even if they contain… oh, nevermind) with the people who will review your application.

7. Having someone else write your college application. Okay, seriously. If you’re going to delegate part of your application to a friend and part to a family member and you two have grossly different styles of writing, you can expect to be rejected without reconsideration. It is obvious when someone else writes your college application if the voice changes. Do it yourself. You’ll likely have to work on your own for at least part of college, so it helps to prepare now when the answers are all about you. (Trust me, this is a lot easier than your final exams.)

Take the application process seriously. It’s a little tough, there’s a lot of information, but you’ll be a lot more confident about your decision when you’ve gotten it out of the way. Remember, this is it, and many colleges bypass the interview almost entirely.