From the IvyClimbing Desk: 
With the successful ending of the 2009 admissions season comes a time for reflections. To help future college bound students, I've identified six common mistakes students made during admissions.
I hope you won't make the same mistakes. Have a great one!
Wan Q. Chen
Educator, Writer, and Consultant |
Six Common Mistakes Students Made During Admissions
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- Use an email address that reflects poor taste, such as WhoCares, IAmTheKing, or AdmissionSucks. Any of these addresses will make a bad impression. Create a separate admissions email address that is neutral and intuitive.
- Mis-spell college names. Harvard is Harford; Stanford is Stamford; Princeton is Princestom. Such careless mistakes should be avoided by all means. Usually this kind of mistakes happens when a parent (who was educated outside the U.S.) took over the process.
- Send one university's application to another university. This happens every year. Among all universities, I would say that Washington University in St. Louis is probably the most gracious. Two years in a row, they admitted students who said that they really wanted to go to WashU, but they ended with, "Stanford is where I belong." Their acceptances by WashU says a lot about how institutions are bending backwards to compete for the best and the brightest. It also says a lot about the institution's character - forgiving and open-minded.
- Wait until the senior year to ask for letters of recommendation. Counselors are required to write letters of recommendation, but the teachers are not. Some teachers just take 20 students a year. Asking your teachers early will not only warrant much needed support, but will also give them ample time to write thoughtfully.
- Miss important deadlines. For example, when NYU's deadline is January 1, you should submit your application by midnight Eastern Standard Time, which means 9 p.m. Pacific Standard Time. Otherwise, your application will arrive on January 2. Each college has numerous deadlines to hit -Early Action/Early Decision, Regular Decision, Portfolio (if any), Interview, Institutional Scholarship, Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), Additional Need-based Form (CSS Profile), and State Financial Aid (Cal Grant, if in California). Whenever a student misses a headline, he actually creates more work for himself. Take early actions. It will make your life so much easier.
- Nearly every high school's College Planning Guidebook advises students to send a thank-you note to those who wrote their letters of recommendation, but how many do? In the aggregate, only a small percent of students conduct this simple but yet crucial function. It is a common courtesy, a way to tell your teachers and counselor for a job well-done, a proof that you're worthy of their support, and a way to keep your name in front of them. Say thank-you today!
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