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<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nGrade dips<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nThroughout high school, you\u2019re going to have some fluctuation in your grades — nearly every student does. While dropping from an A to a B grade average one quarter likely won\u2019t kill your chances of being admitted to most institutions, significant dips in your grades can be a big problem. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cA weak or inconsistent academic record is really a big flag,\u201d says Judith Burke-Berhannan, dean of admissions at Stony Brook University. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhen we see those types of things, and if we don\u2019t have supporting documentation regarding possibly any extenuating or personal circumstances that might impact a student\u2019s performance, then our concern is: \u2018Is the student well motivated? Is the student focused? How much are they committed to their own academic success?\u2019\u202f\u201d she explains. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hindsight is 20\/20. If you\u2019re a high school senior, any grade dips you may have had are already cemented in your transcript. Although there\u2019s no changing the past, most college applications, including the Common App<\/a>, have additional information sections that give you several hundred words worth of space to add any context you want to your application. <\/p>\n\n\n\nUse this space to explain the cause of your academic slippage. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Maybe a relative passed away during your junior year of high school and the grieving process took a toll on you. Maybe you were sick and had to miss an extended amount of school. Or, maybe your family was going through a tough time financially, and you had to pick up an after-school job that limited the amount of time you could spend on homework or studying. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cFor students, being as transparent as they can be when they\u2019ve encountered something that\u2019s been a gridlock or hurdle for them along the way, it allows the admissions office to put a face to why those grades went a direction they went versus us just having to make an assumption that they didn\u2019t study as hard,\u201d says Marcus Cooper, senior program director with College Advising Corps at Texas A&M University. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Never lie on your application, though. If there\u2019s no justified cause for your poor grades one term, admit that you made a mistake. If your grades have since risen since they dipped, you\u2019ve clearly learned something and grown. So, take time to explain what you\u2019ve learned and how you\u2019ve grown on your application. Admissions officers may consider this to be a sign of determination and ambition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cCollege admissions officers are always looking for reasons to admit a student rather than reasons not to offer admittance,\u201d says Burke-Berhannan. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Incomplete applications<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nApplications are carefully designed so that admissions officers can gain a well-rounded understanding of each applicant. If you brush over a section, leaving it blank or with minimal information, there\u2019s a good chance you\u2019ll be brushed over too. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Particularly if you feel you\u2019re on the border of being accepted, you should view the application as a way to sell yourself to the institution, Cooper explains. You want to show the institution that you\u2019re serious and passionate about attending and that you\u2019re doing everything you can to advocate for yourself. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
When filling out the activities and\/or resume section of your application, don\u2019t sell yourself short. If you play high school football, for example, and have to routinely travel hours away for road games, don\u2019t only give yourself credit for the two or so hours that it takes to play the game on Friday night, Cooper explains. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
And when you\u2019re describing your extracurricular activities, don\u2019t hesitate to add a bit of detail. If you volunteer at an animal shelter, for example, don\u2019t leave it at that. Instead, look for areas in the application to describe your impact. Try to fit in information about what you do as a volunteer, how long you\u2019ve volunteered, and what motivates you to volunteer, for example. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Of course, in some cases, brushing over a section may not be intentional. You could just completely miss a section, forgetting to fill it out. That\u2019s one of the reasons why it’s extremely important to go back and triple-check that you\u2019ve filled out the application in its entirety. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Not following directions<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nEvery year, there are applicants who opt to fill out applications their own way, rather than following the format of the application, Cooper explains. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
While being unique and thinking outside the box can be a good way to stand out from a crowded pool of applicants, make sure you do so within the confines of the application directions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
When writing the essay portion, for example, try to stay around the suggested word limit. And don\u2019t send a resume of your extracurricular activities to an institution when there is enough space to explain your extracurricular activities in the format of the application, explains Cooper. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you must send extra, outside documents, such as additional resumes or letters of recommendation, to the college or university you are applying to, make sure you use your full name and that every document follows a similar format so that it can be sequenced to you, Cooper adds. You don\u2019t want to lose information that is important to your candidacy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Exaggerations about extracurriculars<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nMost often, students are too modest in terms of explaining the impact extracurricular activities have had on their lives. But, from time-to-time, applicants will exaggerate about their extracurriculars. Don\u2019t be one of these applicants. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s always best to be honest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
College admissions officers have networks, with friends and family members in all types of professions and communities. Particularly if you\u2019re applying to an institution in your state, you don\u2019t want to run the risk of exaggerating the amount of hours you worked at that local nonprofit or years you played on the soccer team, for example. While tall tales may not completely disqualify you from consideration for admission, they will leave a bad taste in the mouth of the admissions officers who are reviewing your application. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Overlooking the personal statement or essay<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Use this space to explain the cause of your academic slippage. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Maybe a relative passed away during your junior year of high school and the grieving process took a toll on you. Maybe you were sick and had to miss an extended amount of school. Or, maybe your family was going through a tough time financially, and you had to pick up an after-school job that limited the amount of time you could spend on homework or studying. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cFor students, being as transparent as they can be when they\u2019ve encountered something that\u2019s been a gridlock or hurdle for them along the way, it allows the admissions office to put a face to why those grades went a direction they went versus us just having to make an assumption that they didn\u2019t study as hard,\u201d says Marcus Cooper, senior program director with College Advising Corps at Texas A&M University. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Never lie on your application, though. If there\u2019s no justified cause for your poor grades one term, admit that you made a mistake. If your grades have since risen since they dipped, you\u2019ve clearly learned something and grown. So, take time to explain what you\u2019ve learned and how you\u2019ve grown on your application. Admissions officers may consider this to be a sign of determination and ambition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cCollege admissions officers are always looking for reasons to admit a student rather than reasons not to offer admittance,\u201d says Burke-Berhannan. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Incomplete applications<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nApplications are carefully designed so that admissions officers can gain a well-rounded understanding of each applicant. If you brush over a section, leaving it blank or with minimal information, there\u2019s a good chance you\u2019ll be brushed over too. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Particularly if you feel you\u2019re on the border of being accepted, you should view the application as a way to sell yourself to the institution, Cooper explains. You want to show the institution that you\u2019re serious and passionate about attending and that you\u2019re doing everything you can to advocate for yourself. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
When filling out the activities and\/or resume section of your application, don\u2019t sell yourself short. If you play high school football, for example, and have to routinely travel hours away for road games, don\u2019t only give yourself credit for the two or so hours that it takes to play the game on Friday night, Cooper explains. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
And when you\u2019re describing your extracurricular activities, don\u2019t hesitate to add a bit of detail. If you volunteer at an animal shelter, for example, don\u2019t leave it at that. Instead, look for areas in the application to describe your impact. Try to fit in information about what you do as a volunteer, how long you\u2019ve volunteered, and what motivates you to volunteer, for example. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Of course, in some cases, brushing over a section may not be intentional. You could just completely miss a section, forgetting to fill it out. That\u2019s one of the reasons why it’s extremely important to go back and triple-check that you\u2019ve filled out the application in its entirety. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Not following directions<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nEvery year, there are applicants who opt to fill out applications their own way, rather than following the format of the application, Cooper explains. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
While being unique and thinking outside the box can be a good way to stand out from a crowded pool of applicants, make sure you do so within the confines of the application directions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
When writing the essay portion, for example, try to stay around the suggested word limit. And don\u2019t send a resume of your extracurricular activities to an institution when there is enough space to explain your extracurricular activities in the format of the application, explains Cooper. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you must send extra, outside documents, such as additional resumes or letters of recommendation, to the college or university you are applying to, make sure you use your full name and that every document follows a similar format so that it can be sequenced to you, Cooper adds. You don\u2019t want to lose information that is important to your candidacy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Exaggerations about extracurriculars<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nMost often, students are too modest in terms of explaining the impact extracurricular activities have had on their lives. But, from time-to-time, applicants will exaggerate about their extracurriculars. Don\u2019t be one of these applicants. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s always best to be honest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
College admissions officers have networks, with friends and family members in all types of professions and communities. Particularly if you\u2019re applying to an institution in your state, you don\u2019t want to run the risk of exaggerating the amount of hours you worked at that local nonprofit or years you played on the soccer team, for example. While tall tales may not completely disqualify you from consideration for admission, they will leave a bad taste in the mouth of the admissions officers who are reviewing your application. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Overlooking the personal statement or essay<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Every year, there are applicants who opt to fill out applications their own way, rather than following the format of the application, Cooper explains. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
While being unique and thinking outside the box can be a good way to stand out from a crowded pool of applicants, make sure you do so within the confines of the application directions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
When writing the essay portion, for example, try to stay around the suggested word limit. And don\u2019t send a resume of your extracurricular activities to an institution when there is enough space to explain your extracurricular activities in the format of the application, explains Cooper. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you must send extra, outside documents, such as additional resumes or letters of recommendation, to the college or university you are applying to, make sure you use your full name and that every document follows a similar format so that it can be sequenced to you, Cooper adds. You don\u2019t want to lose information that is important to your candidacy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n