5 Tips for Getting into Your Dream School
So you found your dream school… now what?
I remember visiting my alma mater, Valparaiso University, the spring of my junior year of high school. It was the last stop on a multi-college tour, and that was it; I knew it’s where I wanted to be. I would apply to the other schools I had visited and liked, but my heart was set. In my case, my dream school happened to also be a safety school for me, so odds were in my favor that I would get in. If you have a school that has risen to the top of your list and want to know what you can do to increase your chances of that dream becoming a reality, here are some tips:
- Make sure it’s really your favorite. If you walked into 31 Flavors and had only ever tried chocolate ice cream, you might think it was your favorite. But maybe rocky road or raspberry sorbet or pralines & cream will turn out to be more to your liking. If you want to be sure something is your “favorite” then make sure you’ve seen what else is out there; otherwise, it’s a choice by default.
- In that same vein, make sure you’ve done the official visit, when possible. Taking advantage of the formal tour and information session on campus will allow you to learn more about a school than if you’d just walked around on your own. It will also give you great information for the “Why this college?” essay, a supplemental piece of writing many schools include in their applications. Finally, some schools track demonstrated interest, meaning they pay attention to how much attention you’ve paid to them, and some will consider it as one of the factors for whether or not you should be admitted. If getting to a campus is not possible for you, don’t worry—there are other ways to show your interest, like virtual info sessions and regional presentations at high schools and prospective student events.
- Tell the admissions office(r) it’s your first choice school. Believe it or not, admissions officers are real people who want to admit a class of students who are excited to be there. At some colleges, admissions officers have the time to connect with students via email. If you fell in love with the school, feel free to tell them. At the end of the day, everyone likes to be liked.
- Tell your school counselor. If you go to a huge public high school, you may not know this person well (or at all). But if you do have a relationship with your counselor, they may be able to advocate on your behalf to the admissions office.
- Consider applying Early Decision or Early Action. Not every school offers these options, but if they do, they are seriously worth considering. Early Decision (ED) is for students who know for certain a school is their favorite, are ready to commit if admitted, and do not need to compare financial or merit aid packages from other schools. Early Action (EA) also allows a student to potentially find out if they have been admitted earlier in the process, but without the requirement to enroll if admitted. ED almost always has a higher acceptance rate than regular decision. EA sometimes does, but is a great option for the vast majority of students because it has many advantages, with no real disadvantages, since it's not binding.
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