All College Applications Articles

Should you use the Common Application when applying to colleges
college applications

The Common Application: Should You Use It?

By Katelyn McAdamLast updated on December 22, 2022
Working on college applications can be a daunting process. It’s your senior year of high school and you have a lot on your mind (mainly the future) not to mention all the social events taking place. And we all have those relatives–every time you’re at a family gathering it’s “where are you going to college …
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 …
Photograph of a "Wrong Way" sign that symbolizes your mistakes as a high school student, which you need to explain during the college admissions process.
college applications

How to Tell Colleges About Your Mistakes

By Lynell EngelmyerLast updated on December 22, 2022
News flash! You’re not perfect. You know it. Your parents know it, and every admission counselor reading your application knows it. So, how do you handle your imperfections when it comes to applying to college? Some issues don’t need to be shared. The fact that your bedroom looks like a pile of old Mayan Ruins …
college applications

7 Tips for Writing an Impactful College Essay

By Hilary CairnsLast updated on February 14, 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 …