When you open your college application for the first time, it's normal to feel both excitement and apprehension. Years of homework, report cards, and extracurricular involvement have led to this moment, and it’s time to present yourself to potential colleges. Filling out your college application is a big task. We know you want to do your best work and not make any “careless mistakes” along the way.
Let’s discuss common mistakes made on college applications so they don’t trip you up. After all, you’ve worked too hard to let an error make or break your college application. Here are some of the most common mistakes we see during the application process and how to avoid them.
Mistake #1: Procrastinating
Don’t wait until the last minute to begin filling out your application!
Procrastinating on your college applications can lead to several problems. If you start an application the day before the deadline (or worse—the day of the deadline!), you may be surprised to find application components like essays, grade reporting, or recommendation requirements that you are not prepared for and don’t have enough time to complete to the best of your abilities.
Many colleges share the same deadline dates, so waiting until the last minute could leave you with more work than you can complete. Rushed responses and overlooked details are common consequences of procrastination.
Fix It:
Set up your application early. Go through each application carefully to understand each college’s requirements and specific deadlines. Make a list of your deadlines so you know when applications are due and how many applications are due the same day. Work ahead and plan to submit each application at least a few days before the deadline.
Mistake #2: Not Doing Your Research
Answering a college’s application questions shouldn’t be your first connecting with them. It’s expected that you’ve done your homework to understand a college’s academic and campus life—especially if the college has a supplemental essay question about why you want to attend their institution or study your chosen major.
If you rely on the application alone, you may also miss important information about that college’s application process. A college’s admissions website can include more information about testing policies (like whether a college will superscore or require official score reports from the testing agency), requirements for specific majors, or opportunities to connect, like interviews.
Fix It:
When building your college list, make sure you fully understand the characteristics that make each college unique. Engage with the college through research, college visits, and social media until you can articulate why each school on your list is a good academic, social, and financial fit for you.
Reference a college’s admissions website as you complete your application. If you have questions about admissions requirements, reach out to your admissions representative so you can approach the application with confidence.
Mistake #3: Only Focusing on Academics
For colleges practicing holistic admissions, academics are only one part of the application review process. Don’t neglect non-academic sections of the application, like your essays or activity descriptions. Who you are and what you do outside of the classroom matter in this process! These are opportunities to highlight information not captured in your transcript or academic history, so don’t waste this opportunity by repeating your academic accolades again and again.
Fix It:
Your application should be a complete picture of you as an individual, and you are more than your grades or academic achievements. Your application, particularly your essays and activities, should highlight what a multi-dimensional human being you are! Your application reader will get to know you better, and your application won’t be repetitive.
Think about this: You have the chance to meet your admissions representative. They have your application file and tell you they know everything about you as a student. Then they ask, “What else do I need to know to fully understand you?”
Find a way to incorporate the answer to your question in your application!
Mistake #4: Not Giving Enough Context
On the flip side, let’s say there’s something in your academic history you wish you didn’t have to include with your application. Maybe you experienced a grade drop, or your test scores aren’t what you hoped for.
Ignoring it and hoping your application reader won’t notice isn’t the right move here.
Fix It:
Take ownership and give context. The Additional Information section of the Common App is there for students to give more information to help their reader understand the application. Perhaps the academic dip you experienced was influenced by illness, a learning difference, a situation at home, or another contributing scenario. Instead of avoiding the situation and hoping it will go away, maturely address it and provide enough context so the person reading your application can see the whole picture.
Mistake #5: Skipping Optional Sections
A lot of different parts make up a college application. Questions, essays, recommendation letters, resumes, interviews, and the list goes on. You might breathe a sigh of relief when you see that a certain part isn’t required. But before you get too relaxed, remember that you only get one chance to submit your application, and you want that application to be your best effort.
Cutting corners may save time, but it won’t benefit your application. Don’t leave anything on the table.
Fix It:
While a few things are truly optional (for example, an essay prompt asking for details about a suspension when that has never happened to you), some things are “optional.” As in “optional but strongly recommended.” As in “optional, but almost every other student applying is answering this essay question about why they want to attend our institution, and if you skip it, we may assume you don’t have an answer.”
If there is an optional opportunity that will add more context to your application, take advantage of it! Write the optional essay, submit a letter of recommendation from a teacher, and sign up for the optional interview. We can’t say for certain whether completing an optional section of an application will be the one thing that tips the scales in your favor, but it certainly can’t hurt!
Mistake #6: Not Proofreading
Last but certainly not least… The most common mistake we see on the college application is the failure to proofread each and every application.
Submitting an application with typos can not only give a negative impression to the person reading your application, but it can also lead to much bigger problems. A misspelled email address or mistyped phone number can make it impossible for colleges to reach you if they need to. Accidentally entering 750 instead of 570 for your SAT math score provides false information that could see an acceptance revoked. Pasting the wrong supplemental essay into the incorrect college application could mean telling your dream college all the reasons you want to attend another school.
Fix It:
Luckily, this is an easy mistake to fix! Proofread!
First, take your time filling out your application. Have any necessary information (like grade history or your senior schedule) in front of you, and use proper capitalization.
Then, always review your application before you hit submit! Every time. Make sure you are actually reading it instead of just scrolling through! Pay particular attention to sections that may change from college to college (like supplemental essays or where you input test scores if you are—or aren’t—submitting them).
Bookmark this post to return to after you’ve finished filling out an application. Check that you haven’t fallen prey to any of these common pitfalls along the way. Review your application with these mistakes and their solutions in mind, and submit your best possible application!