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Here’s some information on how to get into top colleges and universities. Top Test Prep’s admissions experts can help you if you’re applying to college and need college admissions counseling.
The SAT writing section on the SAT exam can be mastered. Use these tips on how to improve your SAT writing scores from the SAT tutors at Top Test Prep.
Here’s a lesson on SAT Math Word Problems and how to answer SAT math questions. This should help you prepare for the SAT.
Top 10 Things to Check Before Submitting Your College Applications
Written by Admissions Expert, Ross Blankenship
Founder of Top Test Prep
When applying to college, your admissions application is the gateway to your acceptance. Your grades and academic history obviously factor into the equation, but since the application itself is what the admissions officers see first, caution must be taken to ensure you get everything right the first time. Remember perception is reality – admissions officers want to see a flawless college application. Before you submit your college application – whether using the common application or a University’s specific application – the same rules apply.
To help you get started, I have put together this guide to 10 things to check before you submit any college application or common application.
Before your submit your college applications…
1. Follow Directions Carefully – One of the most common errors applicants make is to simply not follow the directions on the application. As you begin filling out your app, be sure that you follow the directions thoroughly. If you’re been asked to submit an essay that is no more than 500 words, do so. If you’re asked to fill in all of your personal information, complete everything you can. There’s a reason college applications have a “word” limit. Admissions offices receive thousands of applications, so it’s important to be clear and concise in the spaces allotted.
2. Write legibly (and don’t handwrite). Yes, students still do fill out applications by hand. I would strongly advise you not to be one of these students. If you’re one of the few people in America without a computer, then of course you can handwrite. But your handwriting should be perfect if you do.
3. Re-read everything – Be sure to re-read every section of the application. Doing so will ensure that you say what you mean, and don’t send the wrong message because of an error or oversight. I would even encourage you to read the entire college application out loud. You’ll be pleasantly surprised if you catch a mistake before, rather than after, your application is submitted.
4. Check Spelling and Grammar – Spelling and grammar are important on your college application. If you’re pasting your essays and application information from Microsoft Word, this is so easy to do. It also helps to have someone else read your application entirely before submitting.
5. Make sure everything is filled out – Be sure that everything is filled out. You likely won’t have to fill out every section of the application, but you do want to ensure that you complete the portions that are pertinent to your acceptance.
6. Fill it out yourself – You can get your parents or friends to help you if needed, but fill it out yourself. If you allow someone else to write any portion of the document it will be apparent to the admissions officers with handwriting or general writing style. Some college admissions experts can also help you with your application, and make sure the application itself is perfected.
7. List Extracurricular Activities – Be sure that you list extracurricular activities that you actually were involved in throughout your academic career. Don’t overload the admissions offices with activities in which you spent very little time during the year.
8. Check the Date and Signature – Don’t forget to sign the application and date it correctly. On some documents the place for the signature will be on the back – don’t forget to check it!
9. Attach all relevant Information – Ensure that you attach every document needed with the application: ID, your admissions essay, and any other documentation the application asks for should be attached as per the directions.
10. Ensure your Online Application Gets Submitted – If you are applying online be sure that you are taken to the confirmation page, and that you save the confirmation email.
Your college admissions application is your one chance to show the admissions offices exactly what kind of student you are, and plan on being at their school. Thus, taking extra time and double-checking your application is crucial. These steps above are just a few of the many admissions counseling tips we use at Top Test Prep. Give us a call to learn more, at (800) 501-Prep.
Ross Blankenship is an admissions expert and Founder of TopTestPrep.com.
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Top Test Prep provides admissions counseling and private tutoring for students applying to prep schools, colleges and graduate schools. For more information on test prep, admissions counseling and private tutoring, go to http://TopTestPrep.com or call (800) 501-Prep.
What Admissions Offices Want, Objective vs. Subjective Standards
There are two sides to an admissions application for both colleges and graduate schools: objective vs. subjective standards. An admissions office wants both of these components, although some admissions committees emphasize one more than the other.
For definition purposes: the objective side of your application includes your test scores and your GPA. Whereas the subjective side of your application includes your personal statement, letters of recommendation, resume, extracurricular activities, and academic (or other) awards.
For the most part, an admissions office wants the highest test scores. In fact, test scores are the only objective standard in which an admissions office can compare your academic potential to another person applying. Think of the objective standard – test scores – in the same way that a person buying a new home would want to compare the house they’re interested in with a house on the same block. You can never really know the value of that potential home, until you see how other houses near that address fare when sold.
Also, it’s not easy to know exactly what test scores an admissions office is looking for, but one good guess is to research “median” test scores published by that school. For example, many Ivy League schools, which are ranked in the top 10 – i.e. Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Penn, Columbia, generally have test scores that range above the top 90th percentile. This means for the SAT generally students score a 2000 or higher. For test such as the LSAT and GMAT, students generally score a 165 or higher and a 670 or higher, respectively, on these two exams for both schools. However, if you’re not quite in these ranges, you have two options: re-take the test, or make the subjective side (essays, resumes, recommendations) so good that they de-emphasize your test scores.
I would argue that objective standards such as your test scores and GPA are the gateway to having an admissions officer review the subjective side such as your essays and personal statements. In other words, many admissions officers won’t begin to look at your full application unless your test scores and GPA are strong enough and fit their median range. There’s a little bit of flexibility on the GPA, as there is some grade inflation at certain schools, and admissions offices know this. But for the most part, you want this objective component to also be as strong, as your test scores are. If the admissions office sees a higher GPA and a really low test score (or vice versa), you might have to explain why such a discrepancy exists.
On the subjective side of the admissions application, you really should focus on your admissions essay. In addition, your recommendations can make a big difference especially if the admissions office is comparing applicants with similar test scores. Overall, the subjective criteria that defines your application is the secondary component – but very important – to your potential admission into a top school.
If you need help with college admissions counseling or graduate admissions counseling, give us a call today or fill out our contact form.
Ross Blankenship
Admissions Expert, Founder of Top Test Prep
By Ross Blankenship
Founder of Top Test Prep
& Admissions Expert
So you’ve been put on the waitlist for your top school? Well, it might not be the most ideal situation, but I’ll try to help you get off the admissions waitlist with a few easy admissions tips.
Whether you’re on the admissions waitlist for a top college, medical school, graduate school, business school, these steps will help you get accepted.
Tips for Getting Accepted off the Waitlist:
(1) Reply immediately.
When you get your letter (or email) from the admissions office indicating you’ve been placed on the waitlist, don’t wait until the last minute to send in your reply letter. The sooner you indicate your interest in being accepted off of the waitlist, the more likely you’ll get into this school. I would recommend waiting no more than 48 hours. Also consider writing a certified letter, instead of an email, directly to the admissions office. Consider doing something extraordinary like writing a handwritten letter. There’s no harm in trying a different approach.
(2) Notice who wrote your waitlist letter.
With today’s technology, you can do basic research on any University’s admissions officers. If you received a letter from the Dean of Admissions or their assistant, do a little background check to find things out such as their age, how long they’ve been at the school, and what sorts of things they’re interested in at their current school. You’d be surprised about how much information you can find by doing a Google Search or researching social networks such as LinkedIn. Now, take this information and use it to your advantage.
Write a rapid response letter whose tone is as formal as you know that person to be. For example, if you’ve found that the admissions officer is younger, be less formal in your response. Note: this does not mean writing a casual response! Instead, try to be a little less wordy and more to the point. Your salutations and greetings also can be less formal, depending on your audience.
(3) Be specific.
Instead of writing a general letter or calling to say how interested you are in their school because “it’s [simply] such a great school,” write instead about how you’ve followed Professor “X” academic research and how you want to be part of the school so you can contribute to their academic work. The more specific, the better! Don’t be so general in terms of how or why you think the school is a good fit for you. Do simple research to display how much you know about their school and every department in which you are interested.
(4) It’s not always about you!
This applies to pretty much every setting, whether in your letters or correspondences to an admissions office, or in your admissions interviews. Too often students think these two situations are opportunities for you to go on about how smart or great you are personally. Think about turning the table and making it less about you and more about what you can do for their school, college or university.
(5) Re-take that test.
If you’re applying to college and you’re on the admissions office’s waitlist specifically because of your low SAT or ACT scores, re-take the test! If you’re applying to graduate school – perhaps to medical school or some graduate program- and your MCAT score is low or your GRE score is too low, re-take the test. Admissions officers are people too (yes, hard to believe) and they know how stressful tests can be for students. If your scores are outside of their median whether for the SAT, ACT, MCAT, GRE, and so on, taking the test again will show the school how dedicated you are to getting into their program. This doesn’t mean that you have to continue re-taking an exam over and over again, but instead you should give the test one more try. When you get your improved scores, send these scores directly to the admissions office. Also, write a letter to the admissions office indicating you’ve re-taken the exam and that you are still committed to attending their program if accepted.
I hope these tips for getting accepted off the waitlist help you. There’s no need to panic if you’re placed on the waitlist. In fact, you can use it as an opportunity to showcase other talents that didn’t necessarily come out in the first round of admissions.
Ross Blankenship is an admissions expert who helps students get into colleges and graduate schools. He is also the Founder and President of Top Test Prep.
Top Test Prep provides admissions counseling, test prep, and private tutoring for students applying to prep schools, colleges and graduate schools.
To find out more about Top Test Prep, go to http://TopTestPrep.com or call (800) 501-Prep.
When you’re applying to colleges, it’s important to know the most common application mistakes, and how you can prevent these simple errors. In fact, these common admissions application mistakes can make your test scores and hard work in school, less relevant. So, know these mistakes so that you can make your application perfect and so that you won’t get rejected from your top college.
Most Common College Application Mistakes:
(1) Forgetting Spell-check. This is by far the most common mistake students make. You should have someone you know read your essays and applications, and at the very least (which takes two seconds) select “spell check” on Microsoft Word when completing your application. This could literally save your application as admissions officers don’t like to see typos and simple errors. Remember, the application is a reflection on your entire high school career.
(2) Entering the wrong college “CEEB” information. When you’re applying to colleges, you should know the correct “College Entrance Examination Board” or “CEEB” code number. This number is assigned by the College Board to any college you’re applying to. Don’t mess this number up! If you assume that a college’s CEEB code is correct, double-check. Many SAT scores are not received each year because student’s incorrectly put the wrong CEEB code.
(3) GPA (weighted v. unweighted). The difference between your weighted and unweighted GPA can be significant. The weighted GPA is what carries more significance, particularly because it means you have taken harder courses in high school. Know the difference between a weighted and unweighted GPA. The weighted GPA means that AP and honors courses are assigned higher values compared with the unweighted GPA, which means a GPA that is based on “normal” course work. If you mess up this calculation, the college admissions offices could reject your application. So be careful not to confuse the two concepts. Your high school should clearly note these on your transcript they provide.
(4) Extracurricular activities. On the new common application, you are given an option to enter 12 extracurricular activities. Be careful not to put too many here! Fewer extracurricular activities is sometimes better. Also, if you enter too many extracurricular activities on the common application, there’s a good chance a “red flag” might be raised by the admissions officers. What this means is that an admissions committee could either doubt that you actually completed that many extracurriculars or believe you’re exaggerating. Remember, there’s a fixed number of hours in any week – whether academic or not – and if you suggest in your common application that you’re doing close to 25 to 40 hours in extracurriculars, that work will come into question. Less is sometimes better. Think quality over quantity.
(5) SAT and ACT score self-reporting. On the common application, you’re asked to self-report your SAT/ACT scores. Be careful you get the dates, scores and subjects correct. Any mishap here can cause a serious red-flag, and your application will be tagged by the admissions committees. Now that the SAT is based on score-choice, you can select which scores you want to report. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t include the proper scores. Your SAT and ACT scores need to be accurate, along with your entire college application.
I hope this information helps you as you begin to apply to colleges and universities. If you need help with college admissions counseling or with admissions experts, give us a call today at (800) 501-Prep or fill out our contact form.
Best regards,
Ross Blankenship
Founder, Top Test Prep
Admissions Expert
Here’s our new updated tutoring and test prep guide. We hope you enjoy it, and look forward to helping you improve your test scores.
For more information on Top Test Prep’s private tutoring or admissions counseling, call (800) 501-Prep.
Here’s Top Test Prep’s SAT Vocabulary, Word of the Day -
Bellicose – adj. having or showing a ready disposition to fight
Find out more about Top Test Prep’s SAT Tutoring or ACT Tutoring, by calling (800) 501-Prep.
Here’s Top Test Prep’s SAT Vocabulary, Word of the Day -
Abdicate (verb)- cast off or relinquish
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