Building the perfect application: it's only a couple pieces of paper. But when it comes to attending the college of your dreams, those few sheets are the most important documents in the universe. It's your college application—your chance to introduce yourself, show your qualifications, and relate what you can contribute to a school - Strategies For Success

Careers and Colleges, Sept-Oct, 2003 by Tracey Randinelli

5 FINAL TIPS

Keep these college application hints in mind:

1. Neatness counts. "We've seen applications with grease stains, soda stains," says Michelle Petro-Siraj, an admission director at The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC. Also, don't fill out the application in pencil use a pen. Better yet, many schools allow you to download the application and fill it out on screen. You can then print out a copy to mail or submit a copy via e-mail.

2. Make copies of everything. That way, if a college misplaces any materials, you can replace whatever is needed.

3. Send the application In on time. "It can affect not only whether you're admitted, but what financial aid you receive," says Petro-Siraj.

4. Don't give in to stress. "Try not to spend too much time worrying," says Bock. Getting into college is an important hurdle, but don't treat it as a life-or-death matter.

5. Don't slack off grade-wise. Colleges have access to your senior year grades, and if they drop drastically, you can expect a school to take a second look at your record--and possibly even rescind an offer.

WRITING A GREAT COLLEGE ESSAY IN 3 EASY STEPS

STEP 1 PICK A TOPIC, ANY TOPIC

For many students, deciding what to write about is the toughest part of the essay process--after all, how many significant experiences has a 17-year-old really had?

"One girl said she wished someone in her family had died so she'd have something good to write about," remembers Amy Storrow, director of Essay Experts in Houston.

Often, the smaller, seemingly unimportant moments in your life are the most meaningful. "Learning how to drive could be significant," says Sanford Kreisberg, founder of Cambridge Essay Service, a consulting company in Cambridge, Massachusetts. "So could the first time you argued with your parents, or the first time you realized you didn't have to fight with your younger sibling."

Educational planner Judi Robinovitz stresses the importance of telling the reader how the experience has changed your own life. "If you want to talk about your grandmother's Alzheimers disease," she says, "you'd better talk about how it affects you."

STEP 2 WRITE IT DOWN

The most important thing to remember is that you're not writing a term paper. "A conclusion that repeats the essay's main points may show that you know how to write a five-paragraph essay," says educational consultant Dodge Johnson, "but it sure is boring." A few tips:

* Fill the essay with detail. Use words and descriptions that appeal to all five senses. Include action verbs whenever you can.

* Don't forget who your audience is. In all likelihood, your essay will be read by a group of adults in their 20% and 30% and beyond. Use descriptions and language your readers can relate to. That means phrases like "My trip to France was off the hook" are out.

* Watch the humor. Go with a funny essay only if you've already proven you have comic writing ability--and even then, think twice. Keep in mind that you don't know the personality of the admission officer reading your essay, so it's possible that your senses of humor may not click.