College Application General Guide
US News offers a generalized guide to the college application process. It can be found here. The guide explains how to use the common app, completing college applications, ways to stand out in an application, among other important things.
Application Portals
- Common App: The Common App allows you to input basic information such as personal and parental information, financial information, and extracurricular activities. You will also be able to upload transcripts and test scores (SAT, ACT, AP scores). In addition to basic information being supplied to the institutions you choose to apply to, you will be able to submit a personal statement. Common app also offers a mobile app to track application deadlines and statuses.
- Arizona State University Application Portal: ASU has its own application portal that operates very similarly to the Common App, but you can also apply through the Common App if you are already using it to apply to other schools.
- University of Arizona Application Portal: UA has its own application portal that operates very similarly to the Common App. You cannot access this portal through the Common App.
- Northern Arizona University Application Portal: NAU has its own application portal which you cannot access through the Common App.
Advice for Navigating the Application Process
- Create your own spreadsheet (Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets) to navigate deadlines and keep track of completion of application requirements such as personal statements, test scores, recommendation letters, and supplemental essays.
- Create your own deadlines throughout the application process for certain materials. For example, the deadline for the completed application is November 5th, but I would like to have my personal statement completed by November 1st to allow for last-minute changes to the statement
- Form good relationships with teachers or mentors that you may ask for a recommendation letter from - make sure they can remember you or you can clearly state what impact you had on them and vice versa
- It’s okay to not know what you want to do in your future! However, it is important to demonstrate a desire to learn throughout your application.
College Essays
Writing college essays can easily become a daunting task, however it doesn't necessarily need to be this way. There's many ways to improve at writing college essays. Reading example essays is one way of improving, as it may help you get a better grasp of what universities expect to see. Below are some resources which offer a multitude of example essays:
In general, when writing a college essay keep in mind that the Personal Statement is less about saying that you are the top student in your school or restating some super cool thing you did. It is about convincing another person that your education and life experiences have impacted you in a way that has led you to pursuing higher education. To that end, you can write about something you might think another person would find boring, but for whatever reason you want to learn more due to that experience. Additionally, a college essay can include cultural experiences, extracurricular activities, daily routines, mentorship - just to name a few examples.
- 14 College Essay Examples From Top-25 Universities
- 27 Outstanding College Essay Examples From Top Universities
- Essays That Worked (Johns Hopkins University)
- College Essay Examples: How to Write Your Story
In general, when writing a college essay keep in mind that the Personal Statement is less about saying that you are the top student in your school or restating some super cool thing you did. It is about convincing another person that your education and life experiences have impacted you in a way that has led you to pursuing higher education. To that end, you can write about something you might think another person would find boring, but for whatever reason you want to learn more due to that experience. Additionally, a college essay can include cultural experiences, extracurricular activities, daily routines, mentorship - just to name a few examples.
Resume Resources
Some schools may require submission of a high school resume. This, essentially, is a list of your experiences and education in an organized document. Some resources to help you get started with writing a resume are listed below: