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Tips for Turning Student College Admissions Stress Into Solutions and Success

Posted on Sep 26, 2011 - 09:00 AM | College Admissions | Comments (1)

In her book I’m Going to College – Not You!, Jennifer Delahunty, dean of admissions at Kenyon College, has a great line about college admissions: “College admissions turns all of us, no matter how smart or experienced, into stumbling idiots.”
 
That’s because applying to college can be confusing, fast-paced, and stressful. And many people don’t make their best decisions under such duress.
 
The Stress of College Admissions
 
Students face many stressful situations when applying to college, including:
 
·        College Applications. These vary from a few pages to a packet, with students encouraged to complete at least 6 of them. Many choose to do more.
·        Admissions Essays. Students should write separate essays for each college, showcasing their uniqueness. College admissions officers often reject an applicant simply because they didn’t like a turn of phrase or idea expressed in an essay. It's that important.
·        SAT & ACT Scores. Students spend hours studying, taking the test, retaking it, always shooting for the highest score. A low SAT score isn’t just the difference between getting into a good school or a great school; it can be the difference between graduating and dropping out.
·        More College Applicants. More students than ever are applying to college, and thanks to the Common Application, they’re applying to more colleges than ever. Some students apply to as many as 25 colleges, meaning admissions officers have far more candidates to review. The competition has never been stiffer.
·        Financial Aid Deadlines. Financial aid deadlines come one right after the other. Students have to fill out, review and update the FAFSA and CSS profile, plus state and institutional forms. Throw in scholarships and student loans and they have that many more to complete. With tuition sky high and tens of thousands of dollars at stake, many students see this as the only way to pay for college. Now that‘s stress!
 
How to Reduce the Stress of Applying to College
 
  1. Start Early. Begin preparing for college in 8th or 9th grade. Waiting until junior year doubles your stress.
  2. SAT & ACT test prep can be done in as little as 15 minutes a day depending on the program.
  3. Apply to the right colleges. Applying to 25 colleges, even through the Common Application, increases your work. There’s more to sort through and research, and even more rejections to worry about. Applying to a half-dozen colleges that are right for you can decrease your workload and your worry.
  4. Stay ahead of deadlines. Keep abreast of all financial aid and traditional college application deadlines.
  5. Get help with college prep. By finding someone willing to take on much of your work, an outside resource like RSC can keep you on track by letting you know the next step in college admissions.
 
If you make bad decisions when applying to college, you won’t maximize the return on your investment. You work too hard and worry too much when you don’t have to. All that added stress is what Ms. Delahunty – and RSC – want you to avoid. We’ll keep you from becoming a “stumbling idiot” because we’ll take some of the pressure of applying to college off your shoulders.
                                  
RSC Helps You Succeed!
 
 

 
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Comments (1)


1. Great article. I agree with everything you read here. I would like to congratulate the writer and encouraged him to continue writing such valuable materials. Good luck for the next.

    Comment By admission12 - Jan 09, 2012 9:37 AM

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