a guide by a former applicant who never received a single rejection letter!
table of contents
where to begin
essays
transcripts + test scores
letters of recommendation
interviews
before we begin, please remember that while the process of applying to college may seem like it will never end, in just a few short months it will. yes, it is a stressful time full of uncertainty, and you may start to think that college isnât even worth it, but this is the time where all the hard work youâve been putting in for the past four years really comes to fruition. you know how hard youâve worked to get where you are, and let your applications accurately reflect that.
where to begin
figure out where you want to apply. have a backup, somewhere you can get in for sure, at least two schools youâd be happy to attend including one you know you can for sure afford, and then of course your dream/reach school. some people do more than this (I applied to 8 in total), but this is a good starting point.
set up your common app account. the common app application usually launches on august 1, but go in before that and get your account set up so you can get a head start. the first thing I would do is fill out the application part itself, sans essays. itâs a ton of information, and itâll be overwhelming at first, but if you can get it done, especially before you go back to school, then you wonât have to worry about it.
get organized! go through the requirements of every school youâre applying to. figure out what you need to submit and when. be aware of your deadlines from the beginning and make a checklist to mark everything off as you go.
essays
to be perfectly honest, the essays are the most time-consuming and most daunting part of this process. hereâs how to tackle them:
first of all, start early. in august it may seem like you have plenty of time, but then youâll blink, and itâll be november. I spent a first week and a half of my christmas break trying to finish a 2000-word essay because I didnât really start my essays until october. please save yourself that stress and aim to finish at least a first draft of all your essays by halloween.
KNOW. YOUR. SCHOOL. I cannot stress this enough. this is the one thing I can tell you that will make or break your entire application. certain schools and even programs value certain qualities in their applicants, and knowing what theyâre looking for can help you cater your essay to their specific tastes. for example, NYU values the diversity of their student body and their reputation as a global institution. express why you also value diversity and how you would contribute to or take advantage of that globality. donât go into your essay writing without some semblance of what the schools youâre applying to stand for. if you can demonstrate that you understand their missions and their vision, you can turn your borderline acceptance into a much more solid one.
on a similar note, get familiar with your school or programâs website. for one thing, it will help you get to know your school better and understand what theyâre looking for (point above). you can also prove just how interested you are by naming specific programs or opportunities available that youâre interested in or even a professor youâd like to study under. do outside research too: watch youtube videos, talk to current students, and read student publications. a deeper understanding not only strengthens your essays but also helps you to know whatâs available to you.
show some enthusiasm, even if an essay is for a school thatâs lower on your list. admissions officers want students who want to be there. you may think youâre above gushing, but youâre not. gush, even if itâs your backup and youâre a shoo-in. apathy is not impressive to an admissions officer.
really focus on what makes you unique. I know that sounds cliche, but admissions officers read thousands of essays every application cycle, so you really need to find what can make you, and thus your essay, stand out. I promise you, you can find some unique experience to write about, even if itâs some obscure anecdote. spin it to be a thoughtful, profound experience. talk about something that has seriously impacted you or your trajectory. if youâre having a hard time writing about yourself (I know I did) ask a parent or a friend, someone who knows you well, what they think makes you different. I promise you thereâs something there you can use.
work smarter. reuse material from similar prompts. reuse old graded essays. I even reused a book review I had already written for my english class. writing these essays is not your full-time job (though it may feel like it), so be smart about it where you can.
transcripts + test scores
(combining these since really at this point all you have to do is submit them)
in terms of test scores: so itâs the beginning of your senior year and youâre still not happy with your standardized test scores. take them again! you still have time! you should doublecheck to be sure, but most schools will take your test scores all the way up to the application deadline, and sometimes even after, which gives you at least two or three more opportunities to take the SAT/ACT. also, sending scores to multiple schools can get really expensive really fast (roughly $15 per school, so you do the math), so see if youâre eligible for fee waivers before you submit.
in terms of transcripts: request them early. it took my guidance counselor at my smallish public school almost 6 weeks to submit my transcripts after I requested them to be sent. the longer you wait, the more time itâs going to take them, because theyâll be doing the same for hundreds of other kids. also, double check and see if your schools require mid-year transcripts; most donât unless youâre actually going there, but some do. make sure your guidance counselor knows you need those in by a certain date; mine almost didnât make it in time because it took the school district almost two months to get them done. youâve already done the hard work to make the grades on your transcript; donât let a lack of action create an issue with it.
letters of recommendation
(this is one area that can actually really help you if you take the time and put in some effort)
teacher recs: most schools require at least one teacher recommendation. start thinking about whom you want to write your recs once school starts, and then ask those teachers as soon as possible. chances are, theyâll have other students asking as well. it takes time to write a really good recommendation, and you have to remember your teacher is doing all of this on top of their other work. so be courteous and donât wait until three weeks before the deadline to ask.
counselor recs: pretty much every school requires a counselor recommendation. this process probably varies from high school to high school, but at least for mine, we had to print an online form and fill it out to give to them. I had no idea, however, that that was a thing until one of my friends told me. so get on your schoolâs website as soon as possible and see if your guidance office has a section posted about the college application process. then, as with teacher recs, make the request as soon as possible. counselor recs may take even longer (again, hundreds of students), and you donât want to wait until the last minute to get something so simple done.
other recs: recommendations from someone associated with the college youâre applying toâa prominent alumnus (the more money theyâve donated, the better) or a well-respected staff member are your best optionsâcan really tip the scale in favor of a borderline application. we all know that in the real world itâs not always what you know but whom you know. yeah, itâs unfair, but work that system anyways. ask your parents if they know anyone with some kind of connection to your school. if you live nearby, get in contact with a professor in your field. even if you donât, go on facebook and find your local alumni chapter. contact someone involved and ask them to meet you for lunch. express how important that school is to you, and Iâm sure theyâd be more than happy to help. make the system work for you!
interviews
*a total sidenote: interviewing was actually really helpful for me personally. my interview at my former top choice made me realize what I really wanted for myself in college and totally changed the trajectory of my college experience*
let me just say, interviewing is not for everyone. some people come off better in person than they do on paper, and some people donât. so do not feel like you need to interview at every single one of your schools if that really isnât your thing.
again, know your school. most schools offer interviews, but itâs rarely a requirement. if your school strongly recommends you interview (ex. wake forest), you should probably do it. if not, itâs really up to you.
just putting in the effort of interviewing, especially if you have to travel to get there, shows your interest in the school and can help you in the long run. an interview is typically weighted equally with all the other aspects of your application, so unless you really bomb it, it wonât make a big difference.
prioritize. some schools offer skype or local alumni interviews to make things more accessible if you farther away, but not all do. if you have to travel for an interview, especially if it involves getting on a plane, pick your top two or three choices to focus on, especially if you think youâll be more of a borderline applicant.
every school does interviews differently. some treat it more like a conversation, others like a Q&A. you may be interviewed by an alumnus, a current student, or an admissions director. it all varies. do your research ahead of time so youâll know what to expect. some schools even have sample questions you can practice answering.
prepare, prepare, prepare. the more prep you do, the more confident youâll feel, and the better youâll do. talk through the questions youâll be answering. have a mock interview with someone you trust, preferably who has interview experience and can give you pointers. if you know ahead of time who will be interviewing you, do a little research on that person so you know something about them and what to expect. and again, know your school and what they value in their students so you can exemplify those qualities.Â
random bonus tips
get in touch with the admissions director for your region. most schools have multiple admissions officers that read applications for a certain area of the country (ex. pacific northwest). most likely, theyâll be the one reading your application. so email them with your questions or issues (although, please, please donât ever ask anything that can be found on the website, and for the love of god, donât have your mom call or email for you). if you happen to be on campus, stop by admissions and make an effort to introduce yourself. by the time that person gets to your application, the hope is that even if they donât recognize your name right off that bat, it at least seems familiar enough that they know youâve made an effort and demonstrated your interest.
thank you notes! if you interview or have someone besides your teacher or counselor write a letter of rec for you, donât forget to send a handwritten thank you note. itâs just a little adult thing to start doing that goes that extra mile. plus, if you mail a thank you note to your interviewer via the admissions office, it may get put in your file, which will reflect well on your personal professionalism.
more helpful tips & resources
if you have any questions, please feel free to send an ask. also, if youâd like more specific advice here are the schools I applied to:Â emerson college, univ of central florida, colgate univ, wake forest univ, college of william & mary, middlebury college, new york univ, and univ of st andrews.
essays
âthose different essays that keep popping up tipsâ by @thisnerdsadventuresÂ
âcollege essay masterpostâ by @studyfandomÂ
âwould you admit you?â by @genericappblrurl
âcollege essaysâ by @sootudyingÂ
âcollege essay editsâ by @intellectys
letters of recommendation
âteacher recsâ by @etudiance
interviews
â15 questions to know for college interviewsâ by @solustudies
âcollege interviewsâ by @cyberstudiesÂ
general
âmassive college masterpostâ by @heyiwantyoutostay
âcollege application websites masterlistâ by @cyberstudiesÂ
âsmol college app tipsâ by @365textÂ
good luck, young ones!! you can do it!!
496 notes
¡
View notes
I'm excited!!
Paulineâs book recs : a MASTERPOST
Itâs time for a summer cleaning, so I thought I would organise my book recs once and for all. Iâll try to update this post once in a while and I also added it to my info page so that you can access all those links super easily. HAVE FUN.
CLASSICAL LITERATURE (ANTIQUITY)
Where should I start? The fundamental works
Where should I start? The mythology-oriented works
Where should I start? The translation edition
A very touristic overview of Ancient Greek literature
Different texts for Antigone
Different texts for ElektraÂ
Different texts and translations for The Odyssey
CLASSIC BOOKS (ALL ERAS)
First things first : a few favourites
Where should I start? My first classics
A very touristic overview of literature reading
Modern classics
Reading women : a few favourites
Where should I start? English and US literatureÂ
Where should I start? Modern Italian literature
Where should I start? German and Austrian literature
Where should I start? Russian literature
Where should I start? Renaissance literature
Where should I start? French Medieval literature
Where should I start? Victorian literature
Reading classics to children
Children literature for adultsÂ
Short-length classics
Short stories
One last thing: books I donât want to check out
POETRY
First things first : a few favourites
Second things second : a bunch of recs
Where should I start? Poetry
Learning French? Easy French poetry
Narrative poemsÂ
Mystic poems
Poems about separation
Poems about love
Poems about happiness
Poems about exile
DRAMA
First things first : a few favourites
NON-FICTION
First things first : a few favourites
On feminism
On translation
On literary analysis and adaptation
On biographies and diaries
On writing theory
On art history
On reader-response theory
On Sufism
Literary interviews
Essays
YEARLY SUMMARY
Best of 2015 : Fiction
Best of 2015 : Poetry
2015 - 2016Â awaited releases
2016Â Summer reading list
Best of 2016 : Fiction
Best of 2016 : Poetry
THEMATIC LISTS
By character
Works featuring Persephone
Works featuring Kassandra
Works featuring mermaids
Works featuring the femme fatale archetype
Works featuring female villains
Works with Nature as a character
Works with introspective characters
Works with narcissistic characters
Trope : Star-crossed lovers
Trope : Friends to lovers
Trope : Villainous love
Trope : Toxic mother figure
By theme
Rewriting Greek and Roman myths
LGBTQ (a terribly lacking list)
Introspection and self-discovery
Melancholy and sadness
Happiness and hope
Symbolism and atmosphere
Moral corruption
Spiritual decadence
Sex politics and philosophy
The female rage
World War I
Southern Gothic
Great love stories
Unusual love stories
Dystopias
Crime novels
Medieval historical fiction
Beach reading
Travel reading
By book
Books similar to The Secret History
Books similar to Wuthering Heights
Books similar to A Grief Observed
Books similar to The Brothers Karamazov
Recommended editions of Romeo and Juliet
Recommended editions of Shakespeareâs Sonnets
Recommended translations of Tristan and Yseult
Books adapted to the screen (1)
Books adapted to the screen (2)
By author
Favourite French writers
Favourite Contemporary writers
What to read? By Women French writers
What to read? By Anne Carson
(And some prep reading for Anne Carson)
What to read? By Richard Siken
What to read? By Roland Barthes
What to read? By Agatha Christie
What to read? By E. A. Poe
What to read? By Priya Sarukkai Chabria
If you love Angela CarterÂ
If you love Louise GlĂźckÂ
If you love Virginia WoolfÂ
If you love Sylvia PlathÂ
If you love Marguerite Duras
If you love Emile Zola
19K notes
¡
View notes