Understanding the College Admission Process

The college admissions process is a painstaking procedure that high school students have to go through.   It is a laborious love with hopes of being admitted to your favorite school. Years of school and study and months of test preparation lead to envelopes arriving at your home in the spring. Image the relief you’ll feel when you see “Congratulations” in bold lettering! Or are you still concerned about receiving a slight communication via email conveying what you dreaded?

Here are the bad news: college admissions are more competitive than ever, and it doesn’t seem to be changing. The good news is that you have more control over the admissions decision than you think. You simply have to spend a little time researching and do a little work. In the amount of time, you spend checking your closest friends’ social media or posting selfies that no one really cares about can find a great fit school that you can afford.

I've written easy-to-understand tips on what you should do to stand out from the crowd.
Tip#1 Applying to reach schools early can be helpful.

Early in the admissions cycle, colleges/universities have fewer applications hence there is less competition for those few coveted seats. However, I would apply to my slam dunk schools first so I know I have a home in the fall and likely a substantial financial aid package.

Tip#2: Spice up your academic profile.

Take a look at your high school performance and SAT/ACT scores and compare them with the schools you are interested in. Then separate the schools on your list into three categories. Reach the academic profile of an admitted student and make sure your profile exceeds theirs.

Tip #3: Consider Career Clusters.

Career Clusters are groups of occupations, for example, Health Services or Education. They cover some similar or related types of work. Most students will change major, yet many will stay within the same cluster of careers. A student may opt not to continue to pursue a medical degree...