My Applications are in...Now What? Baltimore MD

My Applications are in...Now What?

By Howard and Matthew Greene

Now that the hard work of filling out applications and writing essays is over, you may think all that's left to do is to wait anxiously for a decision about your college future. Even if you've turned everything in, however, there are still some things you can do to improve your chances of admission, and to keep your mind occupied while you wait.

Monitor the process
Colleges won't make a decision about you if they don't have everything they need, so you may want to follow up with schools to make sure they have all your paperwork. If you don't receive postal or electronic notification that your application is complete, check your colleges' Web sites or call to ask about the status of your application. During mid-winter and early spring, colleges are often still awaiting mid-year high school grade reports, a teacher recommendation letter, an official SAT/ACT report, or other various forms. You may need to do some careful prodding of others to make sure your application moves forward.

Keep your eye on the prize
Continue to work hard and keep up your grades as they are the most important on-going factor in the admissions process, and could mean the difference between an acceptance, a waiting list, or a flat-out rejection. The mid-year report from your high school will include your most recent transcript and grades.

Author: Amy Ambler

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