“Say Cheese,” this is the time to give universities an up close and personal picture of who you are and the potential you have.
It is that time of year! College Applications are going in by the hundreds, make that thousands, no, make that hundreds of thousands. The competition is steep and the process requires attention to detail and deadlines.
This is your big chance. You have the opportunity through your applications and essays to show off and give universities a picture of the life you have lived, the education you have, the test scores, the interests, talents and unique gifts you possess. Think of the application as an opportunity for you to SHINE. This is YOUR moment!Here are a few tips about the application process from the team at Imagine Scholarships:
Be prepared before you begin – Make sure you have all necessary information before you begin filling out the applications. These include Resume, Test Scores, Class Rank, Recommendation letters etc….
Don’t be afraid to brag on yourself a little. This is the time to let them see you shine. This is where you get to show off those community service hours and the results of all those hours you studied. Find your strengths and highlight those.
Pay attention to details. Make sure to spend adequate time to fill out each line carefully. Don’t hesitate to reach out and ask for help.
Don’t miss the deadlines. There are no do overs with this one. Get a plan of organization for meeting each deadline.
When writing your college essay, make sure you answer the prompt and stay in the word count. There are some excellent ideas for your essays. I recommend you take a look at http://www.essayhell.com/ It is one of my favorite resources for writing excellent essays.
Don’t forget to apply to scholarships with your application. Several applications have the option to apply for school scholarships. Don’t miss this opportunity. The deadlines for being eligible for scholarships is often before the deadline for applications to be in. To have monthly scholarships delivered to you, you can subscribe here.
Most importantly, take the chance and fill out the applications. Often students think they don’t stand a chance at a specific school. You will never know until you try. Some schools offer free applications on their school websites. If using the common app or other state specific school application, you can get a fee waiver to help offset the costs. Ask your school counselor. They have the resources to give you fee waivers and help you.
Take the time to research schools so you know which schools are a good fit for you.
Go on some school visits. Many schools offer premiere days where you get an up close and personal look at all aspects of the school. If possible, take advantage of the days.
You can do this! This is the moment you’ve been waiting for. Don’t hesitate, jump in with both feet, “say, cheese,” and show them who you are! You are fabulous and your future is waiting for you!
Check out our additional resources at Imagine Scholarships.
Sherri Ross