Application Authority Admissions Consulting Blog

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...