Mackenzie Parrish on Applying to College

Applying to college can be a scary time for a high school senior. Mackenzie Parrish, student at the University of Tampa, knows that college applications are full of stress and confusion. However, applying to college does not need to be as frightening as one might imagine. If you create a plan early, applying to college should go very smoothly. With these tips from Mackenzie Parrish, you can create a college application plan to execute without obstacle.

·          Talk to Your Guidance Counselor: Guidance counselors are intended to do just that: guide students. Your guidance counselor should be able to help you determine what colleges are feasible for you, what safety schools you should apply to, and which schools have programs that fit your interests. Mackenzie Parrish states that going to your guidance counselor early, perhaps during the spring of your junior year, will be a huge benefit to you in the next steps of your college applications. Your guidance counselor can then guide you through the entire process, step by step.

·          Make a List: The most important first step in tackling applications is making a list of which schools to apply to. First, make a list of your top choices. These include your dream school and other high-ranking institutions that are selective yet attainable. A good suggestion from Mackenzie Parrish is to apply to three top choices that are a high reach. Next, choose three schools that border between safety and high reach. Finally, choose three more schools as safeties, meaning that you can count on admission based on test scores and GPA. After you have chosen all of the schools you want to apply to, consider whether or not you want to submit early decision applications to any schools.

·          Get Recommendations: Asking your teachers for recommendations early is very important in the college application process. Remember, nearly every student in your high school senior class is asked for recommendations, and teachers are likely unable to accommodate all students. Mackenzie Parrish suggests asking for recommendations as early as September of your senior year, allowing plenty of time for teachers to write you a recommendation.

·          Draft Your Essay: Finally, the most important component of your college application is the long essay. You should begin drafting this early in order to seek feedback from teachers and make revisions. Mackenzie Parrish asserts that your college essay should be unique and set you apart from other applicants. The essay should also demonstrate your writing skills for the admissions committee.

Source: http://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/applying