First Things First

Many students rush to fill out the applications, whether online or hard copy. There is Christmas morning satisfaction in completing the form blanks with required information. However, this very item is one that should be tackled last in the application process. Focus on the imperatives first; namely, the student resume and the essay. Resumes are required for most schools, whether for admission, scholarship, or both. Applicants should compose their perfect resume first so that it is ready for use with every application later submitted. The student will put forth maximum effort on the front end of this task, but ultimately will save time by compiling one perfect document, rather than attempting to complete a list of activities and accomplishments for each college/university. (A separate blog post will address specific issues related to the student resume.) Especially when utilizing the Common Application (www.commonapp.org), students have the opportunity to draft one essay to be used for multiple applications. Writing a solid essay is another aspect of the admission process that can be time consuming and requires a lot of brain-power...and rightfully so! The essay is an additional tool that assists the selection committee in bringing the student to life...more than a social security number, a cumulative GPA, and a set of test scores. If ever there is a time to submit a perfect piece of writing, the college application essay is it! (Essay tips will be addressed in a later blog post.) The student resume and the essay are integral components of a successful application, for admission and scholarship alike. Time and attention must be paid to these two aspects while the mind is fresh, not boggled down in the inevitable stresses of senior year. Completing these two tasks early in the academic year will not only reduce stress, but will allow for full creativity and a much more smooth process of submitting applications online or via hard copy. Two major tasks will be out of the way early and students can then expend more energy on raising test scores or earning top grades during seventh semester. Students know their names, addresses, genders, and birthdays. Save filling in the blanks for last, as the finishing touch to an incredible student resume and an attention holding essay.