Monday, 20 April 2009 15:32
by
Melissa
Do you cringe at the idea of going to some of the schools where you applied?
The surprising truth is that a lot of students try to increase their admissions
odds by sending applications even to schools that don't interest them.
Think about your search list for a moment. Does it look something like this?
Dream Schools: Where I would LOVE to go. This is my life’s ambition.
Target Schools: Where I would LIKE to go. This is a good fit for me.
Safety Schools: Where I would go, if I HAD to scrape the bottom of the barrel.
If you're nodding yes, then think your list through again. Consider this: If
someone asked you to make a list of individuals to date for four years,
wouldn’t you want to make sure that all the romantic candidates were
exciting, attractive options? If, on the other hand, your list started
with celebrity look-a-likes and trickled down to those you'd only consider
if they were the last people on earth, then you're going to have problems.
A better approach is to start at the bottom and move up. You should make it
your mission to find the one or two “safety schools” that are a
sure bet for your personal strengths. You should be a rockstar
candidate given their admission criteria but it would still be totally awesome
for you spend four years in the environment they offer. If you can think of ten
things you HATE about a safety school (or even a few), then it's not a safe
choice at all!
Next, identify two or three target schools that you have a pretty good chance
of impressing with your college application. These colleges are a great step up
with some of the same characteristics that you like about your safety schools
and some of the perks that you love about your dream schools.
Finally, you look at your dream schools with determination. If these colleges
are your ideal matches, there is a pretty good chance that they are the most
coveted and wooed candidates of the admissions world. Hey, it is great to compete
and win- but this is often a numbers game. Apply to two or three dream schools
with confidence, knowing that if they say “no”, you have a handful
of backup colleges that would make you extremely happy for the next four years.