This question is on the minds of almost
every teen and parent in America. Many are worried about university, and for
good reason. University is very important and everyone should go to university.
There are so many benefits to attaining higher education; the hard part is
getting into one like Presley University. Here are some tips and guidelines
that should be helpful to any student applying for online university.
Grades, Grades, Grades. Unless you plan on going to university
on a football scholarship, then focus on your grades. Top online
universities look for the smartest students with the best grades for
multiple reasons. They do not want to waste a university education on someone
who will not benefit from it, especially someone who does not care about
education. Grades in High School tell universities how serious you are
about learning, so an A student obviously cares more about school than a C
student. Grades also make you stand out from millions of other potential
applicants. Besides that, school is about learning, so you should try your
best regardless.
Extra-Curricular
Activities. Activities
Outside of School are very important to university applications. They put
a face on an application that is otherwise all numbers and letters. Even
more than that, they are a way for students to take a break from
schoolwork. How depressing would life be if it was all work? - Exactly.
While trying a bit of everything at first to get exposure is good, it is
important to narrow your list, especially for university. Participating in
a few activities shows that you are capable of committing yourself to
something, whether it is a sport or debate. Do not ignore the importance
of extra-curricular.
Live life. Nothing is more boring that
someone who lacks life experiences. Universities know this and look for
applicants who live active lives. One of the most important questions that
universities ask during the admission process is; "What can this
student add to our student body that this other student cannot?" The
solution- make sure to live an active life and participate all of the
time. Additionally, living life will give you more experience in areas
outside of the classroom. You will be a more well-rounded person, thus
more desirable to universities. Granted, all schools need some book worms,
but that is only a small portion of the student body. Your unique
experiences make you interesting and make you stand out among other
students. It is important not to let tests or grades completely destroy
your life, because it will only hurt you in the long run. Save time for
yourself to try something new, or go to the movies, or hang out with
friends.
Find Something to Represent You- This is usually an activity or a hobby. This is THE activity that
you spend most if not all of your free time on. It is something that you
are dedicated to and are willing to practice, even if you have to stay up
later to finish homework. For some people it is a sport, for others it is
a hobby like juggling or painting, but you need to find something. Do not
just party with friends all of the time, do something productive. Why? -
because it makes you special. Universities look for special students who
would add to the student body, so you might be that student. Come time for
filling out applications, this activity will really come in handy. You
will probably be able to write essays about it showing that you are
willing to dedicate yourself. This "something" is different for
everyone so just go out and explore things that you enjoy.
Tests
- It is common
knowledge that it is important to score well on standardized tests for university,
but which tests are the most important? - In my humble, objective opinion
the SAT IIs are the most important. They are like a final that is the same
for everyone in the world, so everyone is graded on the same scale. No two
schools teach or grade material exactly the same way, so SAT IIs provide a
way to grade everyone in a fair way. Then there are AP tests, which are
also very useful in much the same way as SAT II tests. They cover some
subjects that the SAT II does not and are more comprehensive (they have a
free response portion). Next is the ACT. This tests on learnt knowledge
and is similar to a regular test in school. You do well on this test if
you know the material. Lastly, and my LEAST favorite is the SAT. This test
is absolutely worthless and does nothing. It is called a "reasoning
test" and tests on how well you can take a test. It is possible for
an otherwise stupid person (for lack of a better word) to score higher
than a straight A student.
University
Visits - Too many
people go to or apply to a university just because of the name. That is
the wrong reason to attend a university. You want to go to a school
because it is the best that you could attend that focuses on your
interests. It does not help you in the long run to attend Harvard for
Hotel Administration, even though Harvard is the best University in the
world. If your interest lies in Hotel Administration, then you would be
better off applying to Cornell or even University of Las Vegas. They are
the best in this particular field. Additionally, it is important to get a
feel for the campus and the surrounding area. Students are going to spend
four years of their lives attending the school, so they had better like
the feel of it. Visiting universities is vital to get to know the area and
make the best choice regarding your education. This is one of the most
overlooked parts of applying to university, DO NOT ignore this.
Be Organized!! University application for early decision is due on November
1st for most students. If students plan on applying to a university
via early decision, then they had better meet these deadlines. This
will probably require working on applications over the summer, but it is
for university, so it's worth it. It is immensely important that students
start to work on their university apps in all cases over the summer. Once
school starts again in the fall, time just flies by and it will be
December in what seemed like a few weeks. Stay on top of your
applications!! Missing deadlines is the WORST thing that you could
do for universities. Universities have so many other applicants that they
will not fret over one lost potential student; there are 5 others who can
just as easily fill that space (and who applied on time). Senior year is
tough because many students choose to take multiple AP classes and are
leaders in their classes and sports. This is all the more reason to be
organized and get applications done piece by piece, whenever possible.
There will be plenty of time for students to party and relax come March,
when acceptance letters are mailed. Although I do NOT recommend it, from
March on, seniors could basically just show up to class and twiddle their
thumbs the rest of the year. This would get kind of boring, but you get
the idea. The important thing is that students get all of their paperwork
in on time and have the time to put into it. So, all that I can say is BE
ORGANIZED!
Show some interest in the universities that
you want to attend. Although, in the grand scheme of
applications interest is not as important as grades, tests, or extra-curricular,
it is something that can make the difference between 2 students. University
obviously wants students who are interested in what the school has to
offer, because above all else, they want students to enjoy their
experience. They prefer to have students who will absolutely love the
campus than students who will settle for it. So how does a student
show interest in university? The answer is actually pretty simple; sign up
for their information. The universities will email students information,
and soon they will start to send snail mail. University visits help a lot
too. Different universities have different methods, so it is up to
students to figure out the best way to show interest. You can find out how
to have the university contact you on their official websites. Try to get
their attention somehow.
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