It’s Important To Stay Organized As You Work On Your Applications
Each college needs you to complete common questions and add counselor. Beyond that their applications vary. Each college can determine their unique requirements for:
- Deadlines
Here are some places where you can find each college’s specific requirements:
Each college’s Explore Colleges profile provides lots of information about the college. You can find details on application information, campus culture, scheduling visits, and more.
In the My Colleges or College Search tab, you can learn more using a school’s college information page. Here you can see requirements for testing, writing, deadlines, and more.
The requirements grid is a comprehensive PDF that lists all the colleges that use the Common App and their requirements. You can also find the grid within the application.
We maintain a list of all Common App colleges and their essay prompts. This resource will help as you begin planning your essays. For more help on planning essays, check out our essay planning worksheet.
Account Rollover
Did you know: Common App accounts can roll over from year to year?
Account Rollover is a great tool to explore the Common App, save answers to questions in the Common App tab of your account, and house ideas for your essay.
Plan essays
Organize and plan for your writing prompts
Academic Honors And Awards Examples
Here, we give you a list of 70+ academic honors and awards examples you could include on your own college application, from prizes won in national and international contests to school-based distinctions and awards.
All the academic honors examples below are grouped by category and listed alphabetically.
Note that this is not an exhaustive list of all academic honors and awards you could possibly have, so if you have an achievement that doesnt exactly match one of the examples below, dont worryyou can still put it on your college application!
- IB Middle Years Programme Certificate
- Presidents Award for Educational Achievement
- Presidents Award for Educational Excellence
- Presidents National Service Award
- School-based National Merit Scholarship winner
- High class rank
- Honor roll/GPA award
- Subject-specific Honor Society membership
A Second Personal Statement
While some counselors argue that the Additional Info section is a GREAT place to put a whole essay, I side with those who feel like this section should be reserved for, well, additional information. The exception is those 50 to 100ish-word statements that add factual, succinct context or information .
When we see that a student has completed the additional information section, we surmise that the student has something to share that could not fit anywhere else in the application, says Patricia Peek, Ph.D., Dean of Undergraduate Admission at Fordham. If a student takes the time to complete this section, it should signal that the content is important. This is also a good place to share context about an element, or elements, of the submission that may need explanation . We do not ask for an extra essay, but even if we did we would not see this section as a place for that type of response.
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Resident Outside The Eu
If you are or have been resident outside the EU you may have to applydirectly to some HEIs. You need to contact the admissions office of HEIs toenquire whether you should apply through the CAO or directly to the HEI.It is very important to check application procedures for courses sinceerrors may be difficult or impossible to rectify.
You should make your enquiries well before the closing date of 1 February,preferably not later than early in the previous December.
Here Are 13 Ways Students Can Show Leadership Experience On Their Applications:
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Specific Academic Entry Requirements
A student must also have the particular academic entry requirements for the course they want to take. You canget detailed information about the academic entry requirements from eachuniversity, college or institute.
University sector
Universities in Ireland are State-funded, but they are generally autonomous.There are 7 universities in Ireland. These include:
The technological sector includes technological universities andinstitutes of technology .
There are 3 technological universities in Ireland:
- Dublin, Tallaght and Blanchardstown institutes of technology joined together to form Technological University Dublin .
- Cork Institute of Technology joined with Institute of Technology Tralee to form Munster Technological University.
There are 7 institutes of technology located around the country. In theDublin area there is DunLaoghaire. Outside Dublin they are Waterford,Dundalk,Athlone,Galway and Mayo,Sligo,Letterkenny and Carlow.
In early 2022, Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology, Sligo Institute ofTechnology and Letterkenny Institute of Technology will join to form a technologicaluniversity for the West and North West. Students graduating in 2021-2022from those institutes will graduate with university qualifications.
In 2022, the Institute of Technology Carlow and Waterford Institute ofTechnology will join to form a technologicaluniversity for the South East.
Colleges of education
PLC courses
How To Write An Email To A College Admissions Office: The Ultimate Sample
There are many reasons to email an admissions officer. You may need to ask some clarifying questions about a specific program, you may need help understanding your financial aid package, or you may want to confirm the college has received every part of your application. No matter the reason, you must ensure that your email to the admissions officer is both professional and authentic.
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High Grade Point Average
Dont be afraid to show off a high, grade point average, this is the time to do it.
If you maintained a consistently high GPA over your high school career, thats great. You can set and hold a high standard for yourself, which demonstrates focus and commitment.
However, if freshman year was tough but over the remaining three years you improved your GPA significantly, admissions officers will pay even more attention.
They want to see your potential for growth. The more you can show, the more theyll be interested in you.
What Are Colleges Looking For And Why
As you know, every college is slightly different in terms of what it looks for in applicants, and finding a good fit between a particular applicant and a particular college is very important. However, its possible to make some broad statements about the kinds of qualities and skills that competitive colleges are seeking.
To get admitted to a top college, you need to stand out. As weve discussed in our blog post Why Are Acceptance Rates So Low?, competitive colleges attract a far larger number of qualified applicants than they could possibly admit, so simply having high grades and test scores isnt enough to obtain any guarantees of admission.
When youre facing this kind of competition, youll need to take special care to ensure that your application will pique admissions committees interest. Emphasizing particular skills and qualities that colleges appreciate, such as those we list below, will help to round out your applicant profile and give colleges a sense of who you really are.
Competitive colleges need to know that youll be a positive addition to the campus. A college isnt just a place where you go to school its also where you work, socialize, build communities, and live your life for four years. Similarly, you dont attend college alone, so how you interact with the people around you is important, whether theyre peers, instructors, or others.
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Recap: Honors And Awards To Put On A College Application
As you can see, there’s a huge variety in the types of academic honors and awards examples you can put on your college application. The 70+ academic honors examples listed above are just some of the possible honors you could include.
In general, the best academic honors to include on your application will have some or all of the following qualities:
- Theyre highly selective/competitive
- They highlight your academic interests and strengths
- They emphasize your leadership skills/potential
You wont have a ton of space on your application to explain the academic awards youve won, so its important to use the room you have wisely. To reiterate, here are our four best tips for how to talk about your academic awards and honors on your application:
- Open with your most impressive awards and honors
- Focus on your spikei.e., your biggest academic passion and commitment
- Describe any vague, unclear, or lesser-known awards/honors you’ve received
- Explain the competitiveness of the award
Now get out there and win some awards!
Start With A Compelling Introduction
Great writing is hard to achieve, but its possible if youre smart about it. Anyone who works in journalism will tell you that you can catch any readers attention as long as you deliver a great introduction.
The admissions officers will only spend a brief amount of time reviewing your essay, so you need to start with a vivid paragraph that will keep them engaged. The introduction has to reveal to the reader what your essay is about and catch their attention. You could open with an anecdote or an interesting story that will show some of the best parts of your personality and character, offering an insight that will help the admission officers get to know who you are.
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Details That Show You Might Be Overly Obsessed With Academic Perfection
If you have straight As, or near straight As, and you got a B+ in one class, dont explain that B+. Why? It may backfire, revealing qualities that are not super flattering. Its like when you walk into someones house and its in immaculate condition and theyre like, Sorry the place is such a mess… and youre thinking, Come on, really?
College Application Resume Tips
Finally, here are some of our college application tips that didnt fit anywhere else in the article:
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Final Thoughts On Drafting Your College Application
As you apply to college remember that details count. Watch the spelling, be honest, and dont exaggerate.
Essays are important. Start early, take your time, proofread and proofread again.
You may still get into your dream school even if your resume isnt perfect and you havent checked off all of the boxes .
Schools are looking for passion, intellectual curiosity, and a willingness to challenge yourself. Now is the time to put your best foot forward! Given this, a B in a hard course where you challenged yourself is more impressive than an A in an easy course.
Sincere Specific And Well
The personal statement is an important part of your college application as it’s one of the only areas where you can really showcase your personality.
According to the 2019 NACAC survey, 56% of schools consider application essays moderately or considerably important. While some colleges don’t require essays, those that do usually place at least moderate importance on them.
So how can you ensure your essay will impress the admissions committee? Generally, colleges are looking for three main qualities in a personal essay:
- Honesty: What you write about should have actually happened to you and should be how you actually feel. Exaggerating details and outright lying are big no-noes here!
- Specificity: Using concrete details to effectively convey your thoughts, view, and experiences will make your essay a lot more memorable, personable, andmost importantlyunique.
- Eloquence: Don’t expect to get accepted anywhere if your essay is poorly written and full of grammar and spelling errors. A great personal statement has a sensible organization, tells a compelling story, and is completely free of technical errors.
Below are some steps you can take to guarantee that your essay will have all three qualities.
Step 1: Brainstorm Significant Moments From Your Life
What you write about for your college essay will vary depending on the prompt you’re given from your school or the prompt you choose .
In general, you’ll want to pick a topic that meets the following criteria:
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Study Up On Your Intended School
Most schools look for applicants who completed rigorous coursework, extracurricular activities, and volunteer work. But if you’re applying to a specialized school, it may have unique requirements that you should include in your resume. For example, a performing arts conservatory may require applicants to have substantial prior artistic training.
In addition, while most schools don’t ask you to declare your major in advance of admission, some large universities require prospective freshmen to declare the division of the school where they intend to obtain a degree. That particular division may have unique expectations of applicants that should be highlighted in a resume. For example, an engineering division may expect incoming freshmen to have completed physics or a certain number of years of general laboratory science.
The best way to determine what your school and intended degree program require is to review the website for undergraduate admissions, and, if applicable, the division of the school where you intend to obtain your degree. Including the recommended criteria mentioned there in your resume will prove to admissions committees that you’re qualified.
All Colleges Need Things Like Official School Forms Many Colleges Will Also Ask For Letters Of Recommendation
Counselors, teachers, and recommenders will submit these kinds of forms on your behalf. Here are the types of recommenders you can invite in the Common App.
Counselors share their perspective using the context of the entire graduating class. They also submit the School Report and transcripts.
Parents will only need to submit a form if you apply using a college’s early decision deadline. They will fill out part of your early decision agreement.
Teachers give a firsthand account of your intellectual curiosity and creative thought.
Other recommenders are usually non academic recommenders like coaches, employers, and peers. They give insight into your interests and activities outside of the classroom.
Advisors do not submit any forms. They track and check in on your application progress.
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Compelling Letters Of Recommendation
Most colleges require at least one letter of recommendation from either your high school counselor or a high school teacher .
The 2019 NACAC survey indicates that 54% of colleges consider teacher recommendations at least moderately important, while a higher 55% consider counselor recommendations the same. Therefore, we can say it’s pretty important to secure great recommendation letters for your application.
If you’re asking for a letter from a teacher, make sure to choose someone whose class you got a high grade in and who is familiar with your abilities, ambitions, and interests. Typically, you’ll need to submit at least one letter from a teacher who taught a core class .
It’s a good idea to also get a letter from a teacher who works in the field you plan to major in. So if you got an A in AP English and plan to major in English, asking that teacher for a recommendation letter would give a great boost to your application.
While you don’t have to be best buddies with the teacher you ask, they should definitely know you well, beyond the classroom, so they can effectively explain to admissions committees what makes you special, that is, what makes you worth admitting.
For example, if you did research with a particular teacher, are part of a club this teacher coaches or leads, or helped out this teacher with a project, this would be a good person to ask to write a letter for you.