Last Minute Regular Decision Reminders
Last Minute Regular Decision Reminders
As the regular decision deadlines approach (not to mention winter vacation!) we know you’re in the throes of finalizing your applications. Perhaps your main essay is complete but you’re still working on supplements, or vice versa. Maybe you’re done completely. If so, congratulations! Stop reading here.
For the rest of you, we’re wishing you good luck and clarity as you sprint toward the finish line. Remember the tips below and you’ll be sure to submit the strongest applications you’re capable of.
Proofread.
This should be obvious, but you’d be surprised how many careless mistakes admissions officers find each year in essays, activity lists, or in various other parts of the Common App. These small oversights could be the difference between being accepted and waitlisted or worse. Remember, the admissions officer has mere minutes to form an opinion of you among hundreds of qualified students. Just because they could give you the benefit of the doubt doesn’t mean that they will. Before you hit submit, be sure to proofread carefully!
A best practice for catching errors is reading out loud with fresh eyes and ears. Build in this time into your application process. Don’t treat it like an afterthought. Check out these other tips on proofreading from the University of Wisconsin.
Confirm your school has done their part.
Double check that your college counselor or whomever oversees the application process at your school has submitted letters of recommendation. If you’re responsible for sending your teacher recs, then follow up with them as well.
Don’t assume other people know your deadline or have cleared their schedule to be available for you at the last minute. There are some schools that are unforgiving about material reaching them late. This is an avoidable hurdle. Avoid it!
Confirm you’ve done your part for the school.
You may have steps to complete in your process before your school staff can finish theirs. Perhaps there’s a questionnaire or permission slip you’ve yet to turn in. Perhaps you haven’t added your teachers to your Common App so they can upload their recommendation.
Double check these logistical steps so you can focus on the creative aspects of your apps. And don’t let small but critical details slow down your process.
Trust your instinct about last minute changes.
Students are often tempted to tweak their writing up until the deadline. Much of this is nervous energy. But sometimes, continuing to fine tune an essay or activity list can make a major positive impact. It’s important to know the difference.
Try to avoid letting too many people influence you, especially those without recent and relevant admissions experience. And listen to your own instincts about what you think is right. Ask yourself the following: in your gut, is your impulse to make last-minute changes to your writing guided by fear or by a sound strategy.
Don’t submit at the last minute.
Inevitably a website will crash, your internet will be down, a relative will stop by unexpectedly, or some other unforeseen event if you wait until the last second to submit. It happens to students every year. But you can avoid this dilemma by planning to submit early.
Aiming for four to seven days before the deadline (or sooner) still gives you plenty of time to complete the steps mentioned above. So, use the remaining time you have now to put that into motion.
It will be OK!
Remember, if you’ve put together a strong list of schools from varying ranges of selectivity that speak to your passions, this process will work out! You may have your sights set on a specific school, and we’re cheering for you! But, as you move toward the finish line, try to keep the proper perspective of how joyful the college experience can be and how close you are to realizing it on one of the campuses you’re applying to.
The expert admissions consultants at Wise World Prep have helped hundreds of students maximize their potential of being admitted to their top choice colleges and universities. Over 20 years, we have successfully guided students through each stage of the application process – from choosing competitive high school courses to building an appropriate college list to drafting winning essays to writing persuasive update and appeals letters. We would be happy to answer your questions and partner with you to create a successful admissions roadmap.
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