Independence. Although scholarship applications are less fun to fill out than tax
forms, they can be much more rewarding. Please note that the cost of a college
can be a misleading indicator of whether you can afford it. Some of the most
expensive colleges have the best financial aid options.
SOME OTHER THOUGHTS ON GETTING INTO
COLLEGE
Remember, the SAT is only one aspect of your college application. If your score
isn’t that strong, make sure the rest of your application is.
GRADES AND COURSES
These should always be your first priority. Colleges usually insist on a minimum
standard of grades and courses before they even look at the rest of an
application.
ESSAYS
College admissions officers read hundreds of essays—your goal is to write one
that will stick in their minds. You might want to reveal something about yourself
in your essay that didn’t come out in the rest of your application. Sure, you can
write about your summer job, but realize that many others will probably write
similar essays about their summer experiences. Make yours stand out. Humor
can be effective, but if the admissions committee doesn’t find your witticisms
funny, it’s worse than not using any humor at all. So make sure you get feedback
on your essays before you send them in. (This goes for all essays, not just
humorous ones.) Show them to your family, your friends, your teachers, your
plumber. However, don’t let any of your readers write the essay for you—it
should always reflect you.
And, drumroll please for the most cliché advice of all time: Be yourself. If you’re funny, be funny. If you’re inspirational, be inspirational.If you’re a compulsive liar, well then, maybe you shouldn’t be yourself.
—Samantha
EXTRACURRICULARS
These are secondary to grades, but they are becoming more important. No one
wants a school full of do-nothing dweebs. (If you are a do-nothing dweeb,
change your ways now. There is still hope!) One extracurricular that is
irresistible to colleges is organizing and leading something socially responsible.
Ask yourself what your school or community needs, and then get your friends to