Content

• Steps
• Tips
• Warnings
• What do you need

Applying to college is a stressful event. Do you want to get smarter and go to a classroom college? Read the article further.

Steps

1. 1 Choose subjects carefully during your high school studies.
   • Choose subjects that will require your efforts, will challenge you, but not in ways that make learning seem impossible. Don't let others discourage you from doing activities that will stimulate your brain, but remember that too many subjects with advanced curriculum and their in-depth study can only harm you, not help you. You don't want to get an ulcer at such a young age!
   • Study subjects of increased difficulty. But not 7, but one or two a year, which will show the admissions committee that you are serious about your education, and they will pay attention to you. Plus, passing the advanced exams will help you get college credits and sometimes save you money on tuition.
   • If you think you will not be able to withstand such pressures, request preparation time if your school allows it. You will have a little extra time during the school day to just relax, catch up with classes, or spend time with friends, which will allow you to largely stay sane and not lose your goals. NOTE: Some colleges may not like this. After all, most often they are looking for students who are involved in the schedule and extracurricular activities, and they do it well.
   • Find out your institution's requirements right at the start! This way, you can take classes that interest you and delve deeper into the topics that you intend to study in college and beyond.
2. 2 Pay attention to your GPA. You do not necessary get 4.0 to get into a classroom, but remember that sometimes your overall GPA for all four years of high school counts towards early selection in colleges that receive a huge number of applications. Higher scores will provide you with more choice between them, as well as better financial support.
   • Prepare for exams. Find out which teaching techniques are most effective for you and use them.
   • Do your homework.
   • Be attentive during class, take good notes.
3. 3 Get a good reference letter. Choose carefully the teachers you want to ask for - pay attention to how well you did in his or her class, whether you think you liked the teacher or the subject itself, and how much effort you put into it.
4. 4 Get involved. Use your additional knowledge to help others. Volunteer in places of interest, mentor other students, and spread your knowledge.
5. 5 Show more leadership by talking to faculty and staff. Show your respect for them. Also, talk to students in your school more often.Put forward your candidacy for leadership positions in extracurricular activities.
6. 6 Instead of participating in all the activities, you can choose only a few that interest you and continue to work hard. The college will be pleasantly surprised by your activity and dedication.
7. 7 Concentrate your attention. Find out what interests you and try to decide what kind of job you would like to have in the future. Once you've identified your subject of interest, dive into it! Pick more subjects in this area, get an internship, find a job, become a volunteer - the possibilities are endless!
8. 8 Take part in competitions. Even if you don't win, the time and effort put into preparation will only be beneficial. And if you win, the words "Took first place in the ___ competition" will set you apart from the crowd.
9. 9 Create a resume. Consider all your achievements, so you will not forget about them when filling out the application.
10. 10 Prepare for the SAT (Academic Aptitude Test) or ACT (American College Test). Most colleges take both tests into account. If you want to go to a good college, you can take advantage of your high SAT / ACT scores! While these grades alone will not affect your admission decision, high test scores will not hurt. Take them seriously!
    • Work every day with vocabulary, words, math problems, and selection test tips.
    • Sign up for preparatory classes if this learning style helps you. Many do not attend additional classes and still get excellent grades, while others, attending preparatory courses, significantly improve their results.
    • Get out your test preparation book and work it through. Focus on areas in which you are not so strong and complete enough hands-on activities on those topics.
    • Remember, you can take the SAT multiple times and select the best scores to go to college. However, you cannot take this test twice by selecting the reading and writing scores from the first exam and the math section scores from the second. If you are happy with the results of your second attempt, then you can only submit those results and the college will not know the results of the first test.
11. 11 When choosing a college, do your research. Select different colleges for admission and analyze your chances, view your average test score and GPA in general. Pick a couple of suitable colleges, a large number of targeted colleges, and a few as a fallback. If you only target Ivy League universities, you will significantly lower your chances of admission, as they are the most elected in the country.
12. 12 Write an engaging essay. Your essay will allow the college to understand you, how you write and how you think - your position in life.
13. 13 Prepare for the interview. If possible, try to arrange an interview on campus rather than with a graduate off campus. Since on-campus interviews are conducted directly by the admissions officer, and thus it will give you more benefits than an off-campus interview, which can only be useful if your personality and dedication tells much more about you than numbers.
    • Relax. Your interview, for the most part, does not decide your fate, unless you make an extremely bad impression by arriving in ripped jeans and a sweaty T-shirt, and starting to swear during the conversation.
    • Study college before your interview. Think about why you are applying, why this college is so good for you, and what you can do for the college.
    • Come up with questions.It doesn't matter if it's an interview with a graduate or an admissions manager, understand that this is a great way to learn more about college! If you are interviewing a graduate (s), then ask him (her) about the experience gained during his studies, what was his (her) favorite part, about the dormitory, food, etc.
    • Be natural. Explain to your interviewer exactly who you are and what you are interested in. Stay friendly and polite, show him (her) your best side!
    • Search the Internet for common college interview questions and think about your answers. Here are some examples of such questions: Why do you want to study at this particular college? What kind of books do you like to read? What do you do in your free time?
    • Refresh your knowledge of current events. You do not need to know “everything” enough of what is happening in the world at the moment, and it will be helpful to read the newspaper daily for a few days before the interview.
14. 14 Ready.

Tips

• Scholarships earned in the past will give you an edge.
• You also have a choice between SAT and ACT.
  • ACT = English, math, reading, scientific reasoning and essays on a specific topic.
  • SAT = math section (includes elements of algebra, arithmetic and geometry), critical reading section (drawing analogies (logical thinking), grammar (language skills) and reading texts), and writing (essays, several sentences for finding mistakes, correcting sentences and paragraphs).
• Work! Your teachers will appreciate this.
• Live life to the fullest! It feeds your mind, and you just need to enjoy it.
• Do not disdain your introductory essay. In this essay, don't just tell your audience about your goal. Show them. So, you have to write it so well and to the point that they actually say ... this is the best essay ever! Show them that you are determined to continue your studies at this institution.

Warnings

• In an admission essay, you shouldn't constantly look into the dictionary. People reviewing your work will know right away that you have used a thesaurus or dictionary. Just write and stay natural!
• Things to Avoid During an Interview:
  • Late arrivals
  • Awkward and robotic speech - don't memorize it, it should be natural and literary.
  • Chewing gum.
  • Swearing.
  • Arrogance.
  • Lies
  • Monosyllabic answers.
  • Parish with parents.
  • Refusal to be interviewed.
  • Phrase that this is the safest option for you.
  • Silence.
  • Falseness and apathy.
  • Inappropriate or inappropriate clothing.

What do you need

• Books to prepare for the screening test and the Internet
• Quiet place to study.