5 things to do before hitting “submit”

I carefully folded the papers so that they fit inside the envelope. Once the envelope was properly stuffed, I licked the back of the envelope, tasting the distinctive glue, and sealed it shut with my index finger.

After placing a stamp on the envelope, I labeled it with the address of the Wake Forest University Admissions Office. Now my application was ready to be dropped in the mailbox where our local postman would pick it up en route to Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

This was 2005 and the admissions process was not yet completely digital. I actually filled out my entire application by hand and mailed it in (even though this seems like such an antiquated concept).

Now, students will simply hit “submit” on their online application. Even though the technology has changed, there are still some things that every student must do before clicking “submit”:

1. Revise your essays

According to a survey of admissions professionals, essays are the third most important admissions factor after your transcript and test scores. This includes both your personal statements, as well as any college-specific supplemental essays. We recommend that you ask someone else to read your essays and provide feedback. This could be a teacher, your guidance counselor, a parent, or a friend.

2. Talk to your school college counselor

Remember, your application and essays only represent a portion of the materials you will be submitting to the college. Your school college counselor will be your “point person” for everything that your high school will be submitting. This includes school forms, your transcript, and recommendations from your counselor and teachers. It is essential to check in with your school college counselor around the time you are submitting your applications. This will ensure that you are aligned with your college counselor about your deadlines, as well as the colleges that you are applying to.

3. Use the additional information section wisely

Some students may have additional context that they want to share in their application. Whether this was a challenging family situation or a complicated educational history, the additional information section can be a great way to share necessary context with the admissions officer. Here are seven tips for making the most of the additional information section.

4. Send your official test scores

At most colleges, you will need to submit official test scores through the College Board or ACT (even if you have also recorded your test scores on your application). It can take weeks for these test scores to be received by the colleges in question so it is recommended that you submit them as soon as you can. It is also important to be aware of each college’s testing policy. For instance, some colleges will require you to submit scores from all tests and others will require specific SAT Subject Tests. When in doubt, you should always check on the college’s admissions website or contact an admissions officer directly.

5. Give yourself enough time

Just because the deadline is January 1st doesn’t mean you have to wait until January 1st to submit. You should give yourself enough time to comfortably review your applications and essays before hitting “submit.” Waiting until the very last minute will just add additional stress to the process and give you little time to correct anything that you would like to change.

Bottom line

Completing these essential items will help ensure that your application is ready to go by your admissions deadlines!