Improve your chances of getting into college,

They want a student who will be successful, interested, focused, and engaging in college classes. They want a student who has the will to work hard and do his/her best. They want someone who will contribute to the college community in a positive way. If you can show admission officers that you have these qualities, they will be more likely to offer you admission.

Everyone exclaims about the extreme selectivity of colleges, so people begin to think most colleges are ultra-selective. But by far, most colleges admit more than 50% of their applicants. Another myth is that if colleges don’t have a well-known name, they must not be of good quality. In fact, there are thousands of fine colleges--places that aren’t always in the news--that make a good match for thousands of students. Incorrectly, many students have the impression that small colleges are boring. Check out the wide variety of opportunities and you’ll be surprised how interesting they can be!

You can get the best teacher recommendations by being an engaged, interested, thinking student in your high school classes. Teachers appreciate students who "help" them develop their lessons by being attentive, participating, and challenging students. You don't have to have earned an "A" in the course for a teacher to value your contributions. Classroom engagement and contribution is one of the qualities college faculty want, so if you hone these skills in high school, then ask the teachers who have noticed your interest to write recommendations, you'll be a step in the right direction.

Teachers often live by the philosophy that your procrastination should not be their problem. If you plan ahead, teachers will respect and appreciate you and will be more thoughtful about their recommendations. Plan ahead by knowing exactly how many colleges you'll be using the teacher recommendation for, by knowing exactly how many recommendations you need, by providing all the information and materials teachers need to complete the task, and by allowing plenty of time for the writing and processing. In my school, we suggested giving teachers two full work weeks' notice. And don't forget those thank you notes!

They can just write checks! You're very fortunate if you have extended family supporting you and your educational goals. Their financial help won't show on the FAFSA, so you might still be eligible for some financial aid or some loans. Having an additional source of funding will certainly give you peace of mind!

Complete the FAFSA and apply for as many scholarships as you can. The FAFSA doesn't care if you have a non-custodial parent or not. It's a shame your parent won't help with your college expenses, but if that's really your situation, be proactive about meeting FAFSA and scholarship deadlines, and save your money now!

Yes. The favorable loans accessible only via FAFSA might be desirable now or later in the year, and there is no obligation to accept them when they are offered to you. Something terrible might happen to the family finances during the year and without the FAFSA on file, the financial aid office won't be able to help you. Some scholarships, even if they are not need-based, require FAFSA filing, and you might not apply for those until later in the cycle. You can't predict the future; get the FAFSA filed.

Financial aid is a complicated process, and every school has a little different philosophy about awarding aid. The need-based aid is straight forward, but the merit-based aid gets tricky. You'll find the need-based aid is very similar between colleges; the merit aid makes the difference. You can try to speak with the financial aid office at the school that offered you less aid. Present a better GPA, or take another ACT/SAT to try for a higher score. Ask about departmental scholarships you can apply for. Just be careful not to take on more debt than is comfortable for you. That's tempting when the pay back period seems so far away. But you don't want to start your career with a huge debt, if you can help it. Try to reconcile yourself to the fact that you may not be able to attend XYZ expensive university. Remember that many schools can help you achieve your goals!

So you're not able to afford the financial aid packages that you've been offered. It might feel like a big setback, but it doesn't mean you won't find a college that will help you reach your goals! Many colleges are still taking applications, and will be--even into the summer. It may be time to do another college search. Give another look at the schools you did not apply to, but were interested in at one time. Discover which of those are still accepting applications, and find those with lower total costs. Also, take a closer look at the colleges close to your home. Two-year colleges could save you tens of thousands, and four-year schools you commute to could save a bundle, also. As you go through the college planning process, your goals and motivations mature. A school that didn't interest you last year might become a good match for you now. It seems late, I know, but you'll be surprised at the opportunities still out there for you.

Of course they are read! Essays give admission officers real insight into the applicant. You might wonder how a huge school would manage reading thousands of essays, but you can trust that they hire extra staff, if necessary, to make sure the entire application gets a close look. The number of readers depends on how "borderline" the applicant is, and the number of applicants being processed. So do your best on that part of the application. Even colleges who say their essay is "optional," you shoulod definitely write one. It can make all the difference in your admission decision.

Not only is it ok to have someone proofread your essay, it should be part of your planning! If you have a high school counselor who is willing to help, use him/her. If that person is too busy, try an English teacher. But those teachers are typically overloaded with reading essays, so perhaps a family member, or even a good friend. If you have a friend proofread your work, choose one who knows grammar and knows good writing conventions. Your proofreader should be able to caution you about gramatical errors, but also should be able to tell you if the essay reads clearly and logically, if it gives a true impression of you as a person and as a student, and if it is interesting.

When parents get involved in the nitty gritty of a college application, some families find conflict arises. If your situation is one where parents can offer opinions that are helpful and if you are the kind of student who is open to listening to suggestions, then surely parents can be good editors. Further, if you have parents who know grammar and writing conventions and can recognize flaws, go ahead and ask parents to help. For many students, finding an objective evaluator who is not a relative to help edit the essay is the best bet. Having a degree in English and being a published writer of college planning articles, and having edited hundreds of essays for students, I would be happy to help you too. Please contact me.

Do tell a story in an interesting and engaging way. Don't just relay the facts, but pretend you are sitting in a coffee shop talking to a friend. Don't repeat what is found elsewhere in your application, unless you're adding pertinent information to round it out. Do be yourself. Do write in your own style and using your own words. Don't steal an essay from the internet. Don't let someone else write it for you. Take the time to make sure your essay is something you're proud of.

The essay may be the most important piece. Why? Because that is the only way students have to "tell their story." The essay reveals a great deal about you as a student. It may show what is important to you, how you react to events in life, how you solve problems, how you relate to others, and it might reveal something about your personality. In addition, it gives the admission office a great writing sample. That's why you should spend a fair amount of time getting the essay right.

It takes advanced planning, so consult with your high school counselor or one of the Unigo counselors (such as me!). You should do a thorough evaluation of your high school record and accomplishments, then look carefully at the application for admission and plan where and how you will communicate your strengths and qualifications and experiences. The essay will surely be a major part of the planning. You'll also use your list of experiences, the short answer questions, your letters of recommendation, and of course your transcript to tell the college everything about you. You'll want to prioritize information about yourself, emphasizing your best qualities. The essay is a key component to the total plan, but it doesn't exist in a vacuum.

Well, I dislke the word "hook" because it sounds as though you're "gaming" the system. You have to enter the college planning process understanding that the goal is a good match, not just getting accepted into the college you think you want to attend. Even thinking about "using athletics to get in" implies you aren't that dedicated to your sport. If you aren't dedicated, but you give the impression you are, you're basically lying to the admission office. And besides, why would you want to be stuck with the pressures of college athletics if you aren't fully dedicated? You're better off being honest with yourself and with your college, and let the process proceed naturally.

The way recruiment happens depends a great deal on whether the sport is one of the high-profile sports with big budgets and big scholarships, or whether the sport is a "minor" one with limited scholarships. If you're a division I athlete, your high school coach has probably already made some contacts for you, and college coaching staffs may have already noticed you. With the minor sports, you can be more aggressive yourself. Create your sports resume of statistics, accomplishments, awards, etc., and perhaps a video of you playing or demonstrating your skills. Go ahead and email these items to coaches. They will be restricted as to when and how they can contact you, but you can certainly make yourself known to them. If the coach shows interest, tell him/her of your schedule. Coaches are permitted to watch you in a competition.

More opportunities than you (or your college-paying parents) might think! Museums are full of arts majors, as are art galleries, retail art businesses, and artist supply businesses. Artists are in demand by residential and commercial builders, furnishings suppliers, and window treatment companies. Artists work for greeting card companies, magazines, and adversiting agencies. You can teach independently, too. Take some business and entrepreneurship classes so you'll have the tools to be successful in the business of the arts.

Parents should stand back and observe during the campus visit. This is the chance for your child to practice being engaged in the process. The parents' role takes place BEFORE the visit happens. Ahead of time, have a discussion with your child about what kinds of information you both want to get from the visit. Encourage your child to brainstorm the kinds of questions he/she will want to ask. Practice asking follow-up questions with each other. Check other Unigo answers for suggestions about what factors you might want to learn on your visit. Your kids will often allow you to take over the questions and discussion with tour guides. Kids: don't let them! Take charge of your own campus tour.

Parents, please don't do this project for your child! Of course the kids are busy. They have school work galore, they have after-school activities, they have stresses to maintain their social life and enjoy their last months of high school. But you will not be doing them any favors by taking over the college planning process. Students have to own it themselves. There are important ways you can help, however. Initially, help your child set up a system for researching and applying. Maybe it's a spreadsheet, or as simple as a handwritten chart. With your child, map out a timeline month by month. Establish a time (i.e. once a week) for the family to convene and check progress. Later in the process, parents can be a big help by doing the research for independently sponsored scholarships. This can be tedious and time consuming, and student are seldom motivated to plod through the databases. Parents can mark those scholarships that seem possible, record deadlines, gather the necessary application materials (they often include financial information), then let your child do the applicatons.

The best way to get your parents to stop nagging you is to take charge of the college planning process yourself. If you are organized, have a realistic timeline and plan, and you let parents know you have things under control, chances are good they will stay off your back. Of course, you might have to "prove" to them you have taken charge, so be prepared with a spreadsheet, an organization system, and a "to do" list. Show them a few times how you're making progress, and be willing to give them an update once a week or so. Not only will you get less stress from your parents, you will feel less overwhelmed yourself, and hopefully make an even better decision!

Be open-minded, patient, courteous, flexible, and clean. Also, keep communication open. Respect your roommate's space and belongings. Check with your roommate before inviting friends in. Compromise about temperature, space, quiet times, visitors, and sharing of personal items or electronic items. Be the roommate you'd like to have, and you'll find it a satisfying and interesting experience.