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It's time for college app deadline final tips. You’ve been working on these applications for months. Revising and editing over and over.
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It’s Deadline Time, College App Deadline Final Tips

It’s Deadline Time, College App Deadline Final Tips

It’s time for college app deadline final tips. You’ve been working on these applications for months. Revising your essays tens of times and scouring every corner of your mind to figure out the right order of your activities can be a stressful experience. Now that it’s almost college app deadline time, I’m sure there are a lot of nerves and jitters before sending in your applications. But guess what? You are so close to the end! For that, you deserve a pat on the back.

After doing all this work, it’s worth it to take a look over just one more time. After all, you don’t want to let all your hard work be undermined by something you accidentally misread or misunderstood. In this article, we’ll talk about some final tips you can employ to maximize your application.

 

Academic History

Make sure to report your GPA to as many decimal places as you have on your transcript. If the number of decimal places on the application is less than your transcript, just apply normal rounding rules. For example, if your high school reported GPA is 3.397 and the application takes 2 digits, the GPA you enter will be 3.40. 

Next, remember that you typically want to be reporting your weighted GPA (unless it explicitly asks you for your unweighted). Hopefully, the weighted value is higher than your unweighted due to any Honors or AP classes you have taken. 

Class ranks are issued by some schools to help you measure your academic standing relative to other people in your class. Some applications ask you for this number. Enter it if you have it, leave it blank if you don’t.

UCs don’t need you to report PE or Health. HOWEVER, Leadership and Religious studies should be included in the “Coursework other than A-G” section.

College App Deadline Quick Tips

  • If you take any Semester long course, make sure to mark it appropriately. Government and Economics classes are typically misreported.
  • UCs don’t want you to send your transcript before your applications, so wait before sending them in!
  • Only include classes take in the start of freshman year and afterwards

Required Documents & Documentation Deadlines

This first tip goes without saying but remember to READ carefully the documentation requirements for the college you’re applying to AS WELL as their due dates. The most notable example is for the UC’s. They require no transcript, and for this application season (Fall 2021 enrollment), no standardized testing. However, it is still best to send an official test score if you have “a good score” relative to your GPA. To do this, just send your score(s) to just one UC directly through College Board or ACT platforms.

Activities & Awards

The activities section carries more weight than you think in the application process. It’s imperative that you maximize it before your college app deadline. First, make sure to check for grammar and then check for it again. You’d be surprised how many applications contain basic grammar errors. Remember, there is a place for just about everything you did outside of the classroom. So if you have any activity not listed – be it self-studying Python to self-learning the guitar – it’s wise to add it if you have the room. If you don’t have any more room for activities, consider using the Additional Comments section.

Essays

This is our most popular line of questioning and that’s why we try to address it as much as possible. Check out our article and video on the UC PIQs and our article and video on acing the college admissions essays. For a bite sized summary, read on. The number one way to check your essays is by asking yourself one simple question. “Do I answer the prompt?” We are sure that you have heard this before from all of your english teachers. Surprise, surprise it is still relevant! If you don’t answer the prompt, it does not matter how eloquent or well illustrated your essay is. It doesn’t count.

Common examples are for UC PIQ #6, which asks for a student’s favorite academic subject, many students respond with a desired career path or profession. Or for UIUC’s supplemental essay asking for recent experiences pertaining to one’s major, many students start talking about experiences that date back to elementary school, or why they’re interested in going to UIUC – both off topic.

College App Deadline Additional Comments

This section is the most underutilized section in the entire application. That makes it very relevant to the people that do use it. For a full discussion on this section, check out this video. To summarize, ask yourself this question. Is there anything else about you that’s not fully and clearly told in the rest of your application? Both the Common App and UC App provide A LOT of space for you to elaborate. Use this section to explain any anomalies in grades, any activities you weren’t able to cover in detail, or other life circumstances that affected your high school experience. It may not seem important, but every bit counts – especially since someone is trying to make an informed decision on the next 4+ years of your life!

I hope that this provides some valuable insight into how to quality check your applications before submitting. For a full feature and even more detail, check out our YouTube video about it.

We specialize in youth mentorship and college counseling. From 8th grade to 12th, we have you covered for any stage in your high school career. Schedule a free consultation with us here.

We are always posting more helpful tips and tricks to help reduce the stress of college application season. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn

See you soon!

Ariana Lee

Senior Admissions Advisor

Q:How many total years of experience do you have in your current role, including but not limited to ReadyEdgeGo?

A: 12

Q: What about working with students do you most enjoy?

A: I love hearing their stories. There's so much to discover about a person. It's very rewarding when my students get comfortable and know that I'm there for them.

Q: What do you like to do in your free time?

A: Swim, read, write, sing, enjoy nature, and play with my two crazy boys.

Q: What is your one piece of advice for high schoolers?

A: Do what you love, and everything else will fall into place.

Julian Hoffman

Special Programs Manager

Q:How many total years of experience do you have in your current role, including but not limited to ReadyEdgeGo?

A: 5

Q: What about working with students do you most enjoy?

A: Hearing each student's unique stories, guiding them in discovering their passions, and helping find their voice!

Q: What do you like to do in your free time?

A: I am a figure skater, world traveler, dessert aficionado, and devotee of the Pioneer Woman, the Barefoot Contessa, and Maneet Chauhan!

Q: What is your one piece of advice for high schoolers?

A: Work hard now -- procrastinate later!

Sarah Gooch

Essay Editor

Q:How many total years of experience do you have in your current role, including but not limited to ReadyEdgeGo?

A: I have five years' experience in coaching student writing, but this is my first year with ReadyEdgeGo.

Q: What about working with students do you most enjoy?

A: I love helping students find depth and meaning in their own stories—but I also just love it when they make me laugh!

Q: What do you like to do in your free time?

A: In theory, I enjoy painting and writing poetry, but these days I actually spend most of my free time socializing or watching movies with my husband.

Q: What is your one piece of advice for high schoolers?

A: Don't just focus on achieving top grades and credentials because they look good on applications, or your education will be meaningless. The numbers and awards have their place, but stay connected to your sense of curiosity, discovery, excitement, and wonder so that the content you're learning is constantly transforming you—it's something you care about, something you remember after the final exam. Work on the aspects of yourself no one can measure, like integrity, wisdom, kindness, and compassion, so that you're not only developing your academic and career potential but also investing in the type of adult you're going to be, the person you'll have to live with after you clock out every day for the rest of your life.

Doing the hard inner work of building your character and learning deeply instead of just earning grades will set you up for a satisfying, well-rounded life. Strange as it sounds, it will also put you ahead in your academic and career goals, because colleges and hiring managers aren't looking for an empty set of data on a spreadsheet; they want a fully fleshed-out person marked by passion, creativity, and a story no one else has lived.

So go on studying hard for tests, but also spend some time asking yourself what matters in life and who your role models are. Read up on topics that amaze you, and build something incredible just for fun. Cultivate that spark of joy you feel when you're immersed in a subject that fascinates you. If you can hit that balancing act of doing your homework and meeting deadlines but also investing in the kind of person you want to be, then trust that all the rest will follow: schools will recognize you as a dynamic, all-star person, and you will also build a life of happiness, close relationships, and peace.

Bernie Nguyen

Admissions Advisor

Q:How many total years of experience do you have in your current role, including but not limited to ReadyEdgeGo?

A: 5 years high school mentoring experience. I was heavily involved in it all throughout college and after graduating.

Q: What about working with students do you most enjoy?

A: I love hearing about their passions and what they genuinely love to do. It also makes me extremely happy to.

Q: What do you like to do in your free time?

A: I recently picked up the electric guitar! I also have multiple aquariums, and founded a company that built body armor.

Q: What is your one piece of advice for high schoolers?

A: Don't go down a path just because you think that's "what you're supposed to do." Life is more diverse and unexpected than any of us could ever know.

Joanna Yang Yowler

Senior Essay Editor & Program Specialist

Q:How many total years of experience do you have in your current role, including but not limited to ReadyEdgeGo?

A: 15

Q: What about working with students do you most enjoy?

A: I love hearing students' stories and seeing their faces light up when they talk about their passions and dreams.

Q: What do you like to do in your free time?

A: Cook, write, draw, save Azeroth .

Q: What is your one piece of advice for high schoolers?

A: Pursue dreams that matter to you and don't be afraid of forging your own path to where you want to go.

Graham Traylor

Senior Applications Advisor

Q:How many total years of experience do you have in your current role, including but not limited to ReadyEdgeGo?

A: 7 years

Q: What about working with students do you most enjoy?

A: One of my favorite experiences working with students is opening student's eyes to possibilities they didn't know would be an option for them.

Q: What do you like to do in your free time?

A: In my free time I like to stay active playing sports / running, but most of the time I am hanging out with my wife and daughter (usually with college sports on in the background).

Q: What is your one piece of advice for high schoolers?

A: It's possible there could be several colleges that are a good fit for you. Don't lock in on just one preferred option, and work toward finding places you can thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.

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Tylar Pendgraft

Director of Programs

Q: How many total years of experience do you have in your current role, including but not limited to ReadyEdgeGo?

A: 12

Q: What about working with students do you most enjoy?

A: I love how open students are to learning and trying new things. As mentors, we get to see so much growth simply because our students are so open to new experiences and are looking forward to applying their learning and other skills.

Q: What do you like to do in your free time?

A: In my free time I like to read and write. I also spend a lot of time just watching--my dogs, birds, trees. I also enjoy baking and cooking (even though I'm terrible at baking).

Q: What is your one piece of advice for high schoolers?

A: It's never too early or late to start practicing self-care. Build moments of joy and celebration into your week. Give yourself a treat for working hard. It's important to have things to look forward to. If you can get into the habit now, you'll have a much more balanced college experience.

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Anika Sharma

Essay Editor

Q: How many total years of experience do you have in your current role, including but not limited to ReadyEdgeGo?

A: 2

Q: What about working with students do you most enjoy?

A: As a major advisor for students interested in the humanities, I’ve found it immensely rewarding to offer an outlet for students to explore ideas that they often don’t get to delve into at school. Watching a student light up when they realize that there is in fact a community around their specific interests is easily the best part of the job.

Q: What do you like to do in your free time?

A: In my free time, I love to be outdoors - I've been hiking around the Bay Area and recently started biking again. I also volunteer at community gardens and trail restoration projects in San Francisco. When I'm not outside, you can find me reading visionary fiction, practicing yoga and qigong, or cooking.

Q: What is your one piece of advice for high schoolers?

A: My advice for high school students is to focus on the present! Use this time to learn more about yourself and the world around you. Solid values and a sense of self will allow you to make challenging decisions for the future and create the life you want.

readyedgego

Tushar Singla

Chief Technology Officer

Q: How many total years of experience do you have in your current role, including but not limited to ReadyEdgeGo?

A: 4

Q: What about working with students do you most enjoy?

A: Watching them accomplish great things.

Q: What do you like to do in your free time?

A: Watch Formula 1, play ice hockey, and watch TV.

Q: What is your one piece of advice for high schoolers?

A: Spend time exploring different things -- you have a long time to become an expert.

readyedgego

Dan Zhou

Chief Executive Officer

Q: How many total years of experience do you have in your current role, including but not limited to ReadyEdgeGo?

A: 16

Q: What about working with students do you most enjoy?

A: Inspiring a student towards self discovery, and wanting to learn about everything there is in the world. Reaching this moment can take time, but it's what makes it worth it every time.

Q: What do you like to do in your free time?

A: Outdoors hiking, photography, gardening, and reading.

Q: What is your one piece of advice for high schoolers?

A: Do the thing that moves you, or be moved by forces not your own. The choice is yours.

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