Common Mistakes of the College Admissions Process

Procrastination/leaving everything to the last minute

Starting the application process late may not give you enough time to complete all aspects of the application effectively. This could include not having time to proofread/edit your essays, ask for feedback, or not have enough time for your teachers/counsellors to write you a personalized recommendation letter. Start early to ensure you have time to draft and revise your application before the final submission deadline.

Not researching colleges thoroughly

Applying to a college without thoroughly researching them is a common mistake students make. You should make sure to do thorough research to ensure the colleges you are applying to will be a good fit for you. For example, do they offer competitive financial aid packages? Do they offer the exact major you are interested in? How far is the college from where you currently live and how will you account for living expenses if you are moving away from home? 

Focusing only on academics

Many students think that a high GPA or strong SAT/ACT scores are enough to impress admissions officers. In reality, the admissions process is holistic, looking at other factors like extracurricular involvement, fit for the college, research experience, internships, personality, recommendation letters, and answers to essay prompts. You should ensure all aspects of your application are strong rather than focusing on academics.

Writing generic/clichéd essays

Clichéd essays do not stand out against the crowd and are lacking in originality. Although it might be tempting to use clichés as they often sound grand, you should try to be original in your college essays and write about your lived experiences in a writing style that is true to your natural tone. For more information on how to avoid clichés, check out this post here.

Having too many recommendation letters

Having too many recommendation letters can actual have the opposite effect as it can be questionable how well so many people know you. rather, you should focus on having a few recommendation letters from people who know you thoroughly and can credibly speak to your character.

Choosing prestige over fit

The most prestigious schools may not necessarily be the best fit for you. When choosing a college to attend, you should focus more on factors such as whether they offer the program you want, competitive financial aid packages, proximity to home, etc. You should also consider the prestige of the program you are applying to rather than the prestige of the college itself. For example, even if College A is ranked higher than College B overall but College B is ranked higher for its life science programs, College B might be a better fit if you want to study biology, immunology, etc.

Not proofreading the application

Another common error is not proofreading the application before you submit it. You should read over your entire application at least 2-3 times to ensure all the information is correct and that you are satisfied with your essay answers before you submit your application. Proofreading can also help you catch errors you may not have noticed before. For more proofreading tips, see this post here.

Not being on top of deadlines

Not knowing deadlines can be an issue when planning and submitting your application as it could lead to rushed work or missing deadlines. You should aim to have all important dates and deadlines in a calendar (paper or digital) so you can visualize when each application is due. You should be mindful that application deadlines and financial aid deadlines might differ, so make sure you thoroughly check each type of deadline for each college you are applying to.