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The college application process is a lot about fitting four years into 500 words. Ah, that wonderful time of year. The air becomes crisp, the mornings have a chilled freshness, and seniors around the country come to realize the magnitude of the coming months. The college application process beckons. For every junior awaiting senior year, spring is the time to begin preparing for the fall, when applications are due. Consider this not only fair warning, but early warning. Because, all too soon, you'll discover a truism: This is a time of trying to fit four years into 500 words or attempting to list significant activities into five 20-character-limit boxes. The college application is, to say the least, a daunting task. Yet, talk to any parent, teacher or administrator and they're all likely to comfort you the same way: It wasn't half this hard 20 years ago, 10 years ago or even three years ago. Let's face it; getting into college is becoming harder as well as more nebulous with each passing year. Is all hope lost in getting into the college of your dreams or sacrificing your personal life to do so? Fortunately, no. The game has definitely changed, though, and students and parents have got to keep in step to be competitive. Before, admission for most colleges was a numbers game; 4.0 gpa, 1600 SAT I, 800 SATII = Entrance. Bombed on the Math Level IIC? Bye-bye, Berkeley and UCLA. Flopped on the SAT verbal section? Adios, Stanford and Harvard. Today, however, most colleges take a more comprehensive approach to student evaluation. Believe it or not, admissions officers are human beings too, and they recognize that achievements outside the classroom carry just as much significance as the A+ on that physics test. A student's access to educational opportunities, extracurricular activities, and special talents are all now closely considered by admissions boards. Don't get me wrong: A consistent standard of high academic achievement is still first and foremost, but now other people besides valedictorians have a chance of getting in to the top-notch colleges. Indeed, universities now look for students who fit their personality, priorities, and strengths. Think "Love Connection" or MTV's "Singled Out." They're looking for the right match. However, this highly increased selectivity does have its benefits. Now the applicant also gets to be more selective in choosing which college to apply to. Just as universities now consider more than just grades and standardized scores, students should look for more than just reputation and prestige but also departmental strengths, available majors, social environment, extracurricular opportunities and overall quality of life. If you want to go to Harvard just because it's an Ivy League school - bad reason. However, if you want to go to UC San Diego for its strong biomedical program or USC for its famed film school, then you are on the right track and, in turn, more likely to have a rewarding college experience. For those of you worried about getting into a selective college, applying to 20 different schools to improve your chances is NOT a good option. We all know that you would be an indispensable asset to every one of those campuses, but trust me, they'll manage. Narrow your list down to about 10-12 schools. Instead of wasting your time filling out meaningless personal data, you can concentrate on improving your personal statement, something that plays a huge role in the admissions process. An added bonus: Your teachers won't hate you for making them fill out 20 recommendation forms. Some quick tips: Read up on the college literature that will deluge your mail box; go to information meetings; talk with students at colleges you're interested in; and stay ahead of the application process. That means giving your teachers at least three to four weeks to complete your recommendation letter, getting some critiques and suggestions on your essays, and submitting the final, completed application two weeks before the deadline. Most important of all, don't stress. By the time you start applying, you've done everything you can, so just turn the application in, and sit back and enjoy the rest of your senior year. For more information on colleges and the admissions process, purchase a copy of the Yale Daily News's "The Insider's Guide to the Colleges" or the "Fiske Guide to Colleges." Rajiv Bhuta is a student at Troy High School in Fullerton. |
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