Do you have college admissions questions about the application process? You're not alone! Many students have similar
questions to ask college admissions officers. AcceptU compiled the top ten of the
most frequently asked college admissions questions they receive – as well as answers from their team of former
college admissions officers.
1. How far ahead of time should students begin working on their college applications?
One of the common questions to ask college admissions offices is about application timelines. Students should begin
working on their college applications in July or August (during the summer before your senior year). Most college
apps do not go live – including the Common Application – until August 1 or later, but the questions on
the Common App (and on most college-specific apps) do not change from year to year. College applications are not as
complicated as students assume: they include demographic information, extracurricular activities and work
experience, and essays. Some colleges will have no essays; others will have just one essay, and more selective
colleges tend to have two or three additional short essays. It is possible for students to complete most of the
essays and applications before September 1 of the senior year. Other parts of the application – teacher and
counselor letters of recommendation, counselor forms, and transcripts – will be sent from the school
separately.
2. What are the best ways to go about selecting a terrific essay topic?
Another one of the top college admissions questions is about essay topics. Students should choose topics that reflect
themselves – where the admissions office can learn how the student changed, learned, or grew from a given
situation or experience. Sometimes the problem is not the student's writing but instead the question asked –
students should avoid those questions that do not let the student talk about himself or herself. With respect to
selecting a terrific essay topic, students should consider any event, no matter how large or small. Students want to
come across as interesting, unique and likable in their writing.
3. Are there any essay topics you get tired of seeing or would warn students to stay away from?
Related to the previous question to ask college admissions officers, students often wonder about topics to avoid.
Students should avoid topics that reveal risky or unethical behavior. They should also be cautious when writing
about religion, politics, or significant others – since they never know who is reading their essays. Any of
these topics can make for an excellent essay, but students tend not to write very good essays using these topics.
Students should also never substitute a poem for an essay unless the essay prompt specifically asks for creativity
or a poem.
4. What is the biggest mistake a student can make on a college application?
Among the important college admissions questions is what mistakes to avoid. The student should try to minimize the
number of errors in the application – in the essays and in the extracurricular activities section. Admissions
officers do not expect to see a flawless application – in fact, they rarely do – but several errors
(typos, spelling, grammar) on an application can draw negative attention. It's best to have a parent, teacher, or
someone to proof your application.
5. What is the typical process an admissions officer goes through to evaluate applications?
Students often have questions to ask college admissions staff about how applications are reviewed. It depends on the
university – some colleges might have two or more admissions officers read every application, while others
might have pre-screening of applications. With pre-screening, those apps that are simply not competitive with grades
and scores will not move on to the next round. The admissions officers each will have their own methodology in
approaching an application; some might prefer to look at the transcript and scores first, while others will dive
right into reading the essays, and still others might want to read the recommendation letters. Typically,
applications will be read by at least two admissions officers, and often will be read by a committee of people,
before a decision is made.
6. What do you think is the single most important thing a student should make sure they present in the best possible way on their application?
A crucial question to ask college admissions representatives is about the most important application components. The
essays are the voice of the applicant; few colleges require an interview, and thus the essays allow students to
present information about their academic interests and their extracurricular passions, and demonstrate to a college
how he or she will contribute to the campus community.
7. How should students go about determining the culture of a university, and whether they would be a good fit?
Determining fit is one of the most vital college admissions questions. The most important way to learn about a campus
culture is to visit! Students should preferably visit during the school year and during the week to sit in on a few
classes and possibly meet professors. While there, students should feel free to stop random students to ask about
their experience at the university. Prospective applicants might also consider staying overnight in a dorm if the
college has an overnight hosting program, or eating in the dining hall, or returning for a second visit many months
after the initial visit. Campus visits and open houses can be found on the college website.
8. Early-action, early-decision, binding/non-binding, regular decisions...
With so many choices when applying, what do you recommend to students? Another one of the key questions to ask
college admissions offices is about early action vs. early decision and other application plans. Students should
learn the rules of early action, early decision, and single-choice and restrictive early action. If students have
visited all the colleges on their list and have a top choice and will enroll if admitted, then perhaps early
decision – a binding agreement – is appropriate. But, the student should only apply early decision if
the school is somewhat within reach – if the school is too far out of reach given the applicant's test scores
and grades, then the applicant might want to reconsider, since students can only apply to one school early decision.
9. How important are grades and standardized test scores when admissions decisions are being made?
The importance of grades and test scores is one of the most frequently asked college admissions questions. The grades
and rigor of curriculum are always the most important criteria in admissions, with the only possible exceptions for
portfolio- or audition-based programs (like architecture, fine arts, drama, voice, and instrumental performance).
Standardized test scores will likely be important at very highly selective universities, but at these same schools,
the essays will be critical as well. There are a handful of very selective universities, and many more highly
selective liberal arts colleges, that are test-optional. Obviously, for these schools, testing is not nearly as
important as other facets of the application – the grades, the essays, the interview, the recommendation
letters, and extracurricular activities profile.
10. What tips do you have for students asking their teachers for letters of recommendation?
Requesting recommendation letters is another common topic among college admissions questions. Students should ask for
letters far in advance of the deadlines – possibly even at the end of junior year of high school. Students
also might want to provide their teachers with their academic profile or extracurricular résumé, as
well as a list of colleges to which they are applying, and academic areas of interest. Students should consider
asking teachers whom they know well or who taught them in multiple years, if possible. Students might also want to
look towards teachers from junior and senior years, not to mention teachers in academic areas that reflect the
students' interests (for example, a prospective engineering student might want to ask her physics teacher for a
letter).
For more information about these college admissions questions and other FAQ college resources, visit AcceptU. And to get hands-on experiences in future careers in medicine,
healthcare, law, national security, engineering, and more, visit envisionexperience.com.
Editor's note: This is an updated version of an original article published in October of 2019.
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