By Jill Byers | Ohio State ATI Admissions
1 Start visiting colleges earlier than your senior year, since some admission applications and scholarship deadlines are as early as Nov. 1. Visit more than one campus so you have options and something to compare to; the process will help you see what you like, what matters to you, and what makes places different.
2Don’t rush through the admission application and/or scholarship essay. (And don’t have your mother do it.) If the birthdate is wrong, for example, your transcripts won’t match up to your file, so your application will never be complete. Also remember that you are responsible for requesting your high school transcript, checking that it has arrived, knowing when deadlines are, etc.
3Don’t write your essay (if one is required) the way you write your social media posts; proper spelling, capitalization, grammar, and thoroughness will always pay off.
4Admissions counselors are the front gate to the college and have loads of information about the school. However, they are not career counselors or academic advisers. While it is appropriate to have questions about the curriculum and it’s OK to be undecided about your major, you will benefit from meeting with a faculty member in addition to admissions, or attending an academic session so you can learn about a possible program of study.
5Watch your email and respond to it. If you ignore what colleges send you, you will never know what details and opportunities they’ve tried to communicate. Plus, if you never respond or follow-through, you may be sending an inadvertent signal that you’re not interested, which can affect admission and scholarship decisions at some colleges.
