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1.
Misspellings and grammatical
errors—This is a big
pet peeve of admissions people. If you misspell on something as
important as the application, it shows that either you don't care or
you aren't good at spelling. Some students even misspell their
intended major. But don't stop with a spell check. Proofread for
grammatical errors, too.
2.
Applying online, but the
application isn't submitted—If
you apply online, you should receive confirmation that the college or
university received it. Confirmation could be an email message, a Web
page response or a credit card receipt. Follow through and make sure
that your application has been received.
3.
Forgotten signatures—Make
sure you sign and date the form. Often students overlook that part of
the form if it's on the back. Check that all spaces are completed.
4.
Not reading carefully—For
example, if the form asks what County you live in, don't misread it as
Country and write United States.
5.
Listing extracurricular
activities that aren't—Those
that make the list include sports, the arts, formal organizations and
volunteer work. Talking on the phone and hanging out with friends
don't make the cut. Make sure your activity information is accurate.
Colleges may check with your high school.
6.
Not telling your school
counselor where you've applied—Let
your counselor know which colleges you're applying to, and ask him or
her to review your high school transcript before sending it to
colleges. Sometimes transcripts have errors.
7.
Writing illegibly—First
impressions count, so take your time and use your best handwriting. It
will make a better impression.
8.
Using an email address that
friends might laugh about, but colleges won't—select
a professional email address. Keep your fun address for friends, but
select an address using your name for college admissions.
9.
Not checking your email
regularly—If you've
given an email address, the college will use it. You don't want to
miss out on anything because you didn't read your email.
10.
Letting Mom or Dad help you
fill out your application—Admissions
people know if your parents help, whether you have two different
styles of handwriting or your admissions essay sounds more like a
45-year-old than a 17-year-old. It's fine to get advice, but do the
work yourself.
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