The application season is upon us! After all the research, campus visits, and test prep, your teen has finalized their college list and is likely about to start submitting their first actual applications.
Before they begin, here are some common mistakes to watch for. These tips will help your child create a strong, well-prepared application and avoid many pitfalls.
1. Procrastinating on the Application Process
We can’t stress this enough: It’s important not to leave college applications until the last minute.
Gathering all the necessary documents, like letters of recommendation and writing the essay, can take time. If your child is applying to multiple schools, it becomes an even longer process.
We’ve seen students wait until the last minute and that results in rushed work, missed deadlines, and unnecessary stress.
Our Advice: Have your child create a timeline that outlines each step of the application process, from college list research to final submission. Starting early will give them enough time to complete each part thoroughly and meet all deadlines.
Here’s a timeline that you can use as a starting point: “Where am I in the college process?”.
2. Missing College Application Deadlines
Deadlines are a big deal in college applications. Missing one can be the difference between getting in and sitting out. Also, missing a deadline could mean losing out on financial aid or scholarship opportunities. It is important to know the schools’ established deadlines for these.
Our Advice: Stay organized with a checklist, printed calendar on the wall, and/or calendar reminders to set reminders weeks and months in advance.
3. Overlooking Application Instructions
Every college has its own set of instructions and requirements for applications, from supplemental essay word counts to test score submission to format of activities. Ignoring these details can hurt your child’s chances of admission.
Admissions officers are looking for applicants who follow directions and pay attention to detail.
Our Advice: Before submitting the application, be sure your teen reviews each college’s application guidelines carefully, and again, create a checklist to ensure all requirements are met.
4. Submitting Generic Personal Statements
Admissions officers go through hundreds, if not thousands, of application essays. That’s why it’s so important for your child to craft a personal statement that really stands out, showing who they are beyond just their grades and extracurriculars.
The Common App requires ONE main essay about 550 words long (and 7 essay prompts are provided). Once the essay is written and uploaded to the Common App, the essay will be sent to all schools in the student’s college list.
Our Advice: Start by brainstorming topics that are genuine and unique to your child – think about challenges they’ve overcome, stories of personal growth, or passions that drive them.
5. Dismissing the Supplemental Essays
Please don’t confuse “supplemental” with “trivial.” Supplemental essays are another important part of the college application. And even if a response is not required it is better to submit something than not. These responses may seem inconsequential because they are often only a few hundred words, but they require research and specific focus.
Supplemental essays are questions asked by the individual colleges and are normally released over the summer before senior year. These essays help colleges determine if your child shows genuine interest in the school and is a good fit for their programs.
Our Advice: Take the time to write thoughtful, detailed, and tailored responses for each supplemental essay.
6. Choosing Weak Recommenders
Letters of recommendation offer insights into your teen’s character, achievements, and potential from someone else’s perspective. Choosing recommenders who don’t know them well might lead to vague or impersonal letters.
One recommendation must be from a teacher from a core academic area. The second recommendation can be from any teacher and could be from an elective course.
Our Advice: Pick someone who can speak to their strengths with specific examples. Ideally, choose teachers or mentors who have seen their growth and can provide a detailed account of their contributions and character.
7. Focusing Too Much on Grades and Test Scores
Yes, academics are important. But colleges also want to see well-rounded students who actively contribute to their communities and have diverse interests. An application that focuses solely on grades and test scores misses the opportunity to highlight other qualities.
Our Advice: Encourage your child to showcase their extracurricular activities, volunteer work, and personal achievements. Show how they’ve made an impact in their community and developed skills beyond the classroom.
8. Misrepresenting or Exaggerating Information
Exaggerating achievements or misrepresenting facts can have serious consequences, including the risk of having an acceptance offer rescinded.
It’s also important to avoid overloading the application with unnecessary information. Don’t send multiple letters of recommendation when only two are required or include every certificate they’ve earned if it’s not relevant.
Our Advice: Encourage your child to be strategic, thoughtful, and authentic in their application. Admissions officers are skilled at spotting inconsistencies, so presenting an accurate and honest picture is essential.
9. Skipping Optional Sections
Many college applications include optional essays or sections where your child can provide additional information. Your teen might try to skip these sections as a time-saver, but it’s often a missed opportunity to showcase more about themselves.
Our Advice: Encourage your child to use these optional sections to add context or highlight experiences not covered elsewhere in the application. This could include explaining gaps in their academic record or sharing how they’ve overcome challenges. It’s a chance to give admissions officers a fuller picture of who they are.
10. Not Proofreading The Application
Typos, grammatical errors, and careless mistakes can make a bad impression on admissions officers and raise doubts about your teen’s attention to detail and commitment.
Our Advice: Encourage your child to proofread their application thoroughly and then ask a teacher, mentor, or family member to review it. A fresh set of eyes can catch mistakes that might have been missed.
Final Takeaway
Now that you know about these common application mistakes, we recommend talking them over with your teen.
Avoiding these common pitfalls will help your child better showcase their strengths to admissions committees and improve their chances of acceptance.
Encourage your teen to take their time, seek feedback, and use every part of the application to tell their unique story.
For more tips and resources, check out our other blog posts or sign up for our newsletter here.
If you’re interested in personalized guidance through the application process, feel free to reach out for a free discovery call.
We’re here to support you and your student every step of the way!
Also, when you’re ready, here are three ways we can help your teen find their best-fit college:
At Stodghill College Consulting, we help each high schooler showcase their unique skills and talents, discover their own brilliant voice, and find a college that will enable them to reach their full potential as young adults.
- Schedule a free discovery call to discuss how we can create an action plan to help your child keep on top of deadlines and create a college list that is personalized to their strengths and talents.
- Get college essay writing support from our essay expert, who will guide your teen through brainstorming and revising until they have a polished final product.
- Hang out in our free Facebook Group for parents where you can ask your burning questions, get answers from myself and the community, and access our extensive video library on college application topics.
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