<< How to survive senior year

By Gohar Galyan, 18, Marshall HS
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I had heard all the advice on college: don’t wait until the last minute, this is what you should do your essay on, blah, blah, blah. But when it came down to filling out the applications and writing the essays, I did what most teenagers do: I mailed all my applications on the last day possible. Here are some things I learned.

Don’t procrastinate!


Don’t start filling out your application the night before it’s due. I got started early. Pretty soon I ran into things that I didn’t know. I asked my college counselor about everything. But if you leave it to the last minute, then you can’t do that.

Know what your application says


Read your application and have information handy. When you get your application, it usually comes in a book about the college. READ especially about what you need to send in with the application. I didn’t read my application and so didn’t know that I had to send transcripts with my USC application. Make copies of all your applications. Have a couple of copies of the first one you send. It comes in handy. Since most college applications ask the same basic questions, you can just copy.

Fill out online applications early


If you are going to send in your application electronically, don’t wait until the last minute. Some of my friends decided to fill out the UC application online the day it was due. But because so many people were trying to do that, the computer couldn’t accept all the applications.

Make time to write a good essay


The essay is a big part of your application. Read the essay question and think. Don’t wait until the day before it’s due to read the question. Read it as soon as you get your application, and make sure you understand the question. Then whenever you have time, think about it. Think about what and who is important to you, what makes you unique and stand out from the other gazillion applicants. Then start to write your essay. Chances are, the first few times, it won’t work. I wrote four drafts before I got the essay I wanted for the UCs. Don’t worry, just write. When you are done, make sure it feels right. If you don’t feel comfortable with it, rewrite it. Leave it alone for a couple of days and come back to it (a trick all writers use.) If you don’t make major changes, it’s a good indication. And have someone proofread it. You’ll be surprised at the mistakes they find.

Don’t spill food on applications


One final note: don’t drink or eat on or near your application. The weekend before my Stanford application was due, I spilled coffee on it. I had to run around frantically to get a fresh copy. Dedicate some time to each application, sit down and fill them out.