As a student, it’s almost guaranteed that you have some college admissions questions swirling around. You're not alone! Applying to colleges is a complicated process, and the pressure is on not to make a mistake that could impact your selection. Depending on what your top school choice is, competition can be incredibly steep, making every detail of the application process count.
There are some commonly asked college admissions questions that nearly all students are grappling with…so your friends at Envision by WorldStrides created this mini-guide to help you forge the path ahead. These are the top ten of the most frequently asked college admissions questions just might include the ones on your mind as you prepare for college. (You’re welcome!)
10 Top College Admissions Questions Answered
1. How far ahead of time should students begin working on their college applications?
One of the typical college admissions questions is about application timelines. Students should begin working on their college applications in July or August (during the summer before 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 include demographic information, extracurricular activities, work experience, and essays. Some colleges have no essays; others have just one, and more selective colleges tend to have two or three additional short essays. Students can 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 most common 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 students' writing but the questions asked. Students should avoid questions that do not let them talk about themselves. When selecting a terrific essay topic, students should consider any event, whether large or small. Students want to be 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?
Related to the previous college admissions questions, 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 reads their essays. These topics can make for an excellent essay, but students tend not to write excellent essays using these topics. Students should also never substitute a poem for an essay unless the prompt asks explicitly for creativity or a poem.
4. What is the biggest mistake a student can make on a college application?
Among the critical college admissions questions is what mistakes to avoid. Students should try to minimize the number of errors in the application – in the essays and 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 proofread your application.
5. What is the typical process an admissions officer goes through to evaluate applications?
Students often have college admissions questions 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 not competitive with grades and scores will not move on to the next round. The admissions officers will each have their 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 others might want to read the recommendation letters. Typically, applications will be read by at least two admissions officers and often by a committee of people before a decision is made.
6. What is the most important thing a student should ensure they present in the best possible way on their application?
A crucial college admissions question concerns 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 extracurricular passions and demonstrate to a college how they will contribute to the campus community.
7. How should students determine 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 best way to learn about 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, 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, a key college admissions question 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, have a top choice, and will enroll if admitted, then perhaps an early decision – a binding agreement – is appropriate. However, the student should only apply for 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?
Grades and test scores are among the most frequently asked college admissions questions. The grades and rigor of the 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. 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 the extracurricular activities profile.
10. What tips do you have for students asking their teachers for letters of recommendation?
Requesting recommendation letters is another common college admissions question. Students should ask for letters far in advance of the deadlines – possibly even at the end of junior year of high school. Students 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 for 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).
An effective way to optimize your advantages when applying to colleges and universities is to get hands-on experience. These experiential learning experiences not only give you experience that can look great on college applications, but you also get to dabble in future careers and explore your passions.
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