college application

college application questions and answers

More information about college application at Education News.

Q: What is the college application process like?
I won't be applying for about another year or so, but I just want a heads up as to what the college application process is like. Do you have any tips for applying?

A: my best advice is to maintain as high grades as you can. When your applying for college its the same for when your applying to a high school. It takes a few months for a response so I would suggest dont put all your eggs into one basket, take an idea of what you maybe interested in unless you already know what career you want and take a lot of things into consideration, you really should start looking now the more prepared you the better it is calculate if you want to be out of state, how will you survive for money to eat to get your books, clothes etc, or if your going to somewhere close by then you still have to consider books which are very expensive the amount of time you will need for a lot of things so when your applying think ahead, its what I did when I was high school. But in the meantime while you plan it out and think carefully keep those grades up and if they are not high move them up, it looks very impressive. look into scholarships, there are a lot out there that will cover a high school graduate and do as many of them as you can. well that's all I got

Q: What are some ideas for good college application essay topics?
For this certain university, one of the prompts was to write an essay comparing myself to a book character. But since comparing myself to the protagonist of "The Great Gatsby" isn't such a good idea to some people, I'm completely stuck of what I should write about for that specific prompt. I wanted to write about overcoming conformity and doing what I want to do, and I wanted to write about overcoming shyness and how it would be beneficial in succeeding in life, but it has nothing to do with that certain prompt. So, do you have any ideas for a good college application essay topic, relating to the prompt?

A: Interesting topic, but you have to do something that you've read.

Q: What does a College Application Essay consist of?
I'm planning to write my college application essay. But I don't know what to write about (exactly), or where to begin. Please Help me Thank You!

A: first of all, look at the essay choices for each of your schools. write down a few common themes that run through all the suggested topics of every school (i.e. write about a person who has influenced you, your proudest moment, a hard time in your life, etc). often, you can find a prompt that will lead to an essay you can send to most of your schools; this will allow you to write fewer full length essays as you apply to different colleges. when you look at the suggestions you've written down, choose the one that evokes an immediate reaction for you - for instance, one of my suggested prompts asked me to write about a time i had fun, and since i'm a very outgoing person that prompt got me thinking right away. after that, choosing the actual topic of your essay matters LESS than your ability to write it. your topic should relate to one of your passions or one of the people you love most and know best. once you've chosen something you know inside and out, the writing of the essay will come quite naturally. just remember - it's always best to choose a topic or angle that you consider unique and special to you. the more personal, the better your essay will be, hands down.

Q: How long should a "short statement" for a college application be?
I'm working on an application to a college and they are asking me to provide a short statement of why I would like to transfer there. This application is online and the text space provided looks like no more than a paragraph but if I continue typing in the field it does add scroll bars to the side. Any idea on what the length of this statement should be? Also, if anyone has any suggestions on what I can include in it, in case I'm forgetting anything, would be helpful! Thanks in advance to anyone who can offer help.

A: Type up a half of a page on Word (or whatever program). Then copy and paste to the text space. This way you can proofread (print it out and have people read it too) and spellcheck. It will also save you from accidently hitting the 'submit' button when you're not done with it.

Q: How far before should I send in my college application?
How far ahead should I send in my college application before the due date? For example, my application is due Jan. 15, and today is Dec. 16 and I still do not have my essays fully written. Am I cutting it too close to the due date to send it in? I was just wondering, because some people said I already waited way too long and I should have already sent it in by now. Think this will cut my chances of getting into the college?

A: Make sure your essays are as good as you can make them. the college wont care if you submitted your app on january 5 versus jan 14 if you have a stellar essay. Essays are one of the most important factors in admissions decisions, so I would work hard on fixing them up after you take your finals and try to have them sent in by Christmas. Good Luck!

Q: Can I use good lines from a college application essay book in mine?
My friends mom just let me get a book on how to write college essays from the store, and it's got several sample essays in it... Can i use some of the really cool wrap up sentences and stuff? Would the people reading my application, notice that they sounded similar? Like... I realized It was not America that changed, but myself. Like i won't copy them word for word, I'll scramble them a little bit, or do you think it would sound too generic and they would catch on?

A: It doesn't matter if you change the words around. Closely copying someone else's ideas without giving proper credit is still plagiarism, and if you get caught at it, your application will be thrown on the rejection pile instantly. Don't take the risk.

Q: What looks better on a college application?
What looks better on a college application: Somone who went to a college prep private school and got a 3.4 gpa verses someone who went to a public school and got a 4.0 gpa?

A: The 4.0 from public school.

Q: How can I turn my interests into extracurricular activities for my college application?
I always hear that when picking extra curricular activites, you should choose something you're interested in. Well, I'm interested in photography, fashion, and web design but I don't know how to turn any of those hobbies into something I would be able to put on my college application. Is there anything I can do? And I mean things I for over the summer, so no starting clubs or anything like that.

A: Well... You can volunteer your time to help a non-profit do their website. If you're unsure who needs help, start surfing the existing websites of some of your local charities or churches and then offer your services explaining your long term goal.

Q: How good would an exchange trip to Mexico look on a college application?
I really want to go on an exchange trip to Mexico to learn about the culture. The school takes us to a really nice piece of Mexico and we stay with a family there and learn more about the language, people, and customs. My parents seem to think that it won't make much of a difference on my college application and it's a lot of money. I'm having a hard time finding proof for them. Please help me :( :(

A: It depends on what type of college you are looking at and your major. If for example you're majoring in Spanish it would look great if you wanted to be considered for the Spanish Department's Honors Program. If you're leaning towards a large, state university then things like this which help you to stand out from the pack can move you to different levels and help you to become much more appealing for scholarships and admission. Private colleges love love love this kind of thing, seriously if you can and want to do it, do it. I wish I could have had this kind of opportunity.

Q: What do you have to put on your college application if you got your GED?
I got my GED and i want to get into a University.Im planning on taking some classes at a community college first.On the University application,what information do they need?I have never done this before.Im only 16.Please help me out.Thanks.

A: You put that you got your GED. Most universities don't care. Your placement won't be by your diploma or high school GPA anyway. It will be by your ACT and/or SAT scores. I had a friend in high school who was always on the honor roll. They made a 15 on their ACT and had to take all remedial classes. Don't stress on the GED. Study for the entry exams.

Q: What looks better on a college application, debate or speech team?
What looks better on a college application, debate team or speech team? Ok, so before I decide what to do, I need to know what looks better on a college application. I like both equally! It's extremely hard to decide, so I'm asking you: What would look better? To know where I'm thinking of applying, here's some I'm thinking about: MIT CalTech Princeton Yale Harvard Stanford University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana (Safety) Thanks!

A: Add them both. Colleges don't care about which one looks better. They care about how committed you are to each one. They seem pretty similar to me.

Q: What classes should i take 9th-12th that would look good on my college application for law school?
I am in 8th grade and hope to be a lawyer. What classes should I take for the next four years that would look good on my college application.

A: Keep in mind that you have your four years of high school, then four years of college (where you can major in anything you'd like) and THEN you have three years of law school. As for the classes you should take, I would really focus on taking classes that will help you to develop written and oral communication skills. If you have the opportunity to take AP classes, take them. They'll save you some credit hours once you get to college. Also, if your school offers any sort of law class, that might be a good idea to help you make sure that law is really right for you. Good luck! :]

Q: What do I include in a college application essay?
Im working on an essay for a sholarship that says "You must submit a college application essay that is your original work". Can this be a narrative that is based on true events of my life? Like perhaps my aunt being killed in a car accident? Or is it supposed to directly correlate to what I want in life and my personality?

A: If they dont specify on what you should write about then you can write about anything you please as long as it shows your style of work.

Q: What are some activities or organizations that are good to add to a college application?
I have to apply to the professional phase of pharmacy school this fall (so im already in college) and i am just looking for some ideas on different activities and organizations that might look good to put on the application. if anyone has had any success with a certain activity or organization it would be greatly appreciated! I already work in a pharmacy, just looking for some extra things to add.

A: Yikes. That didn't sound good. Schools of that level like to see that you're really dedicated to something you do - they like to see that you put a lot of time and effort into it, and stuck with it for several years. If you have anything like that, you should definitely include it. Ahh, it's bad to just add "extra things", if they honestly didn't have a big impact on your life. Get involved with something that you're actually really interested in, not just what will look better in the end. You'll be happier and better off that way. However, some things which DO look good would be the work in the pharmacy (excellent), any leadership positions you may have, or COMMUNITY SERVICE. Graduate schools love to see community service. So you better go out there and help some needy people :] lol Good luck! I hope you get in <3

Q: How Much Volunteer Hours Would Be a Good Amount On Your College Application?
How Much Volunteer Hours Would Be a Good Amount On Your College Application? Is there a spot on the application for you to put volunteer hours? Do you count volunteer hours over a number of years or just for a certain year? How do you or them verify the hours that you have done?

A: I just finished my application process, and my schools were on the Common App, which I'm sure you're familiar with. On the app, there is a spot for extracurricular/volunteer activities, with the hours and details following. You should include the years you've done something (crucial!) The amount of work you've done or how many years has to do with a variety of factors, including your planned major, pursuits once you're in school, etc. There is no magic number! You should be honest with them. It's not necessarily a benefit to say you've done 100000 hours of work and be lying. Amazingly, it seems like colleges always find the truth anyway. Good luck ♥