College Applications Articles - College Raptor Blog

What Extracurricular Activities You Do Matters

Better Ways to Show Extracurricular Activities on College Applications

By Lynell EngelmyerLast updated on December 22, 2022

You know well that what you do outside of the classroom is important to colleges, but are all extracurricular activities created equal? Do colleges care what you do? Are some activities better than others? It matters more how you do it. I would argue that more than colleges care WHAT you do, they will care …

After all those applications, there's still one thing you must do afterwards

college applications

The One Thing You MUST Do After Applying Early Decision or Early Action

By Lynell EngelmyerLast updated on December 22, 2022

Congratulations! As November 1 has now come and gone, many of you must have filed your first college application(s), applying either early decision or early action. Others of you will join this club on November 15th. If you’re like most high school seniors, you will hit send on that first college application(s) and breathe a …

college applications

Understanding Prior-Prior Year FAFSA Filing and What It Means for Students and Parents

By Lynell EngelmyerLast updated on December 22, 2022

The federal government has come up with a wonderfully confusing new name for something that actually simplifies the financial aid process. Let me try to make it easier to understand. Historically, students and parents have used income information from the last full calendar year on financial aid applications (FAFSA). In other words, you used the …

Students who submit an early application usually have a higher chance of acceptance.

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College Prep Checklists: What Freshmen, Sophomores, Juniors and Seniors Can Do to Stay on Track (Free Download)

By Allison WignallLast updated on May 31, 2023

With so much going on during your high school career, it can sometimes be hard to know if you are on track for college. We created these college prep checklists to help students and parents navigate their path to college and know what steps they should be taking each year to prepare for college and …

college applications

7 Tips for Writing an Impactful College Essay

By Hilary CairnsLast updated on November 30, 2023

College admissions departments have to read through a lot of applications every year. Harvard University alone received over 61,00 applications in the 2022 admissions cycle. That’s a lot of essays to read! That’s why standing out with your college essay and making an impact on the reader is so very important. You have so little …

What should you do if you've been waitlisted?

college applications

What to Do If You’re Waitlisted by a College

By Hilary CairnsLast updated on December 22, 2022

As your college acceptance letters roll in, you’re probably wondering, “Am I accepted or rejected?” But there’s always that middle ground that could happen, too – waitlisted. So what should you do if you’re waitlisted for a class? And what shouldn’t you do? We’ll answer those two questions below. What Are College Waitlists? When a …

college applications

Holiday Crunch: 8 Tips for College Applicants on Winter Break

By Olivia PittmanLast updated on December 22, 2022

It’s that time of year. Yeah, it’s the gift season, but it’s also frantic college application frenzy season. As deadlines for many college applications loom just around the corner, many students are now in what we call “Holiday Crunch” mode. If you’re a student–or a parent of a student–like most, who plan to use the …

college applications

When to Apply to College: Early Decision vs. Early Action vs. Regular Decision

By Hilary CairnsLast updated on June 10, 2024

Once you have decided which schools you will apply to, you’ll then need to decide which application deadline option is best for you: early decision vs early action or regular decision. They are vastly different and it’s important to understand the uniqueness of each college admissions process– or you might just apply under the wrong …

college applications

How to Build a Great College Application List

By William StaibLast updated on December 22, 2022

How many colleges should prospective students apply to? What if a student isn’t accepted to any of the schools on their list? One of the most important parts of the college search process is building a college application list. Why should you make a list? It’s critical that students create a balanced college application list …

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