Application Authority Admissions Consulting Blog

Successful college application essays include the following: - A story only you can tell - Personal voice - New information - A sense of who you are By telling your story aloud, you can capture the key details, moments, voice, and flow that will make the essay...

Seniors: We know that fall is an incredibly busy time, but don't let your high school activities and "to do" list distract you from preparing for your exciting next step! Her e are some steps you can take to make the most of your senior year fall: 1. Go on campus...

The Common Application is live! What does that mean for you? It’s time to get started so you can relieve some pressure before your school year begins. Most schools that accepted the Common Application last year are accepting it again this year. Be sure to double check...

We’ll start off by saying that we don’t see much good in College Confidential. An Admissions Officer from John Hopkins wrote an article titled: “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of College Confidential,” so there’s got to be some good that comes out of the website?...

Tips straight from the mouths of Admissions Officers. Tips via New York Times’ article on 8 Things Admissions Officers Wish you Knew about Applying to College. Comments via The Application Authority. 1. Start Early - Determining your college list is a very important...

Yes, teacher recommendations ARE important; they can be a powerful application element as they’re an opportunity for Admissions Officers to see a different side of you. Plus, the letters are (typically) written by experienced adults. So take the recommendation letters...

Admissions Officers look out for quite a few application red flags. Don’t fall prey to any of the following red flags, as shared by The Wall Street Journal’s “Inside the College Admissions Office” panel: Spelling and grammatical mistakesUsing the incorrect school...

Two of the biggest mistakes a college applicant can make are reading other students’ essays for inspiration, and trying to model one’s essay off of another student’s essay. The essay process is extremely personal, and successful essays take many shapes and forms. If...

For this month’s post, I’d like to share a blog post from the University of Richmond’s Admissions Blog. A few key points to note: Your college application essays are importantEssays ca n help distinguish your application from others in a competitive applicant poolYour...

In short, essays are one of the top three application items Admissions officers use to assess an applicant. 1. First, Admissions representatives look at your curriculum and grades. Has the student challenged him/herself? What kind of grades did he/she get in Honors,...

As you develop your college list, categorize the schools into “reach, target, and safety” schools, and prioritize them in terms of where you would most like to attend. Then decide if applying earl y is right for you. See below for more information about applying early...

Though I do not offer test preparation services, I have reviewed hundreds of applications and worked with hundreds of clients, and I often get asked whether a student should take the ACT or SAT. The tests are very different (see think link for how they differ) and my...

SEE UPDATED VERSION OF THIS BLOG POST IN OUR NOVEMBER 21, 2016 BLOG POST Selecting a college is one of the biggest steps in your young adult life. It is an important decision that requires thoughtful attention and time. Take the time to visit each school and get a...

Here are some important college essay "dos and don'ts" to keep in mind as you start thinking about your essays. My number one DO is DO be genuine! My number one DON'T is DON'T underestimate the importance of the essays. Essays are an effective way to differentiate...

There are several application elements required by each college/university. Let’s walk through each one. 1. Common Application - most schools require the student to submit the Common Application, an application that was built to streamline the application process. The...

Susie looks like a great candidate for X school. The school is ready to write her an offer of admission. Until the Admissions Officers logged onto Facebook. In the month since Susie had submitted her application, she had posted pictures of several illegal items and...

When you apply to a school, it's natural to talk exclusively about yourself. “I have done this, earned these grades, worked here,” and the list goes on. However, to be a strong applicant, you need to include these three other crucial elements: 1. KNOWLEDGE of THE...