1.) Be involved in the community. College scouts are not only looking for academically sound students, but also students who are involved in their community. Go on a mission trip. Coach a youth sports league. Volunteer at a local animal shelter. Whether it is in a small town or a big city, there are endless ways to get involved and beef up a student’s application while also doing good for the community.    

2.) Write a killer admissions essay. The Admissions essay is probably the most difficult part of the admissions process. Each school has different essay requirements. Regardless of the guidelines, writing a stellar essay is a must. One tip for students is to make sure they thoroughly understand what is being asked of them. Try brainstorming ideas and carefully coming up with answers that directly answer the question. Brainstorming first saves time in editing, and probably a few rewrites! Another tip is to come up with ideas on how to make a paper stand out. College admissions receive thousands of essays each year and it is difficult for each essay to stand out. The key to a good admissions essay is  vto find the healthy medium between professionalism and personalization.

3.) Know how to speak with admissions. Speaking to anyone in college admissions can be very nerve wracking to students, which admissions workers understand. The key is knowing that they are not intimidating but are quite excited to meet you! They work for the college for a reason. College admissions job is to connect with students and be there to answer questions. Be calm and collective and make sure to ask questions not easily found on a website. If it is with a school you are quite interested in, let the admissions officer know that. Also do not be taken back if they ask for your contact information and follow up later.

4.) Get plugged into campus early. Lastly, actually take a trip to the college. Not only does scheduling a college visit help the student get acclimated to the school, but also familiarizes the admissions counselors with the student. It always helps to put a name, or in this case an application, to a face.