The International Student Blog

It’s a dream you’ve had for a while and you’re finally making it happen: you’re going to apply to study in the US. Although it might seem like it’s an easy enough process, there are many things that can get in the way of you receiving that acceptance letter. Here are three things that can delay your college admission that you need to be aware of before you apply.

1. You Miss the Deadline
   The application deadline isn’t a suggestion- it’s a strict deadline that you’ll need to follow. Not only will you be competing with hundreds of students (maybe even thousands, depending on the school), but not meeting the first deadline given to you by the school automatically sends a negative message to them. Make sure that you know the deadline, you take any applicable time difference into consideration, and you submit on time- if not early!
2. You’re Not Prepared
   Although you might feel more prepared than ever, if you don’t have every single item the school you’re applying to asks for, then you’re not. Whether you didn’t understand the application, you forgot to include something, or your dog ate your transcript, don’t assume they’ll make an exception for you when it comes to submitting a required information. Unfortunately, nine times out of ten they won’t grant you an extension- no matter what your excuse. Make a check list of everything you need to submit, mark items off as you go along, and check it twice.
3. You Don’t Meet Minimum Requirements
   Is your academic achievement a big determining factor in getting accepted? Although it’s not everything, it’s big. Institutions expect to see that you meet or exceed their minimum requirements. It’s important not to assume that since you have a good GPA they won’t mind if you completely bombed a required test. Although institutions often take each of the required item scores into account before eliminating students, it’s key to come as close as possible to what they require. If you take the SAT and your score isn’t quite what you hoped it would be: take it again! If your letters of reference aren’t as flattering as you know they could be: ask someone else! Not being accepted into the school of your choice the first time will mean you need to wait until the next round you’re able to apply (and re-pay the application fee). Although it might seem like a hassle to re-take a test or ask someone for a letter or reference before you apply, it’s a lot less hassle then having to re-apply.

You can watch to get more information on what to expect when completing a college application here. Do you have any tips when it comes to applying to a US college or university?

This entry was posted on Friday, January 13th, 2017 at 11:15 am and is filed under Study in the USA. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Written by Bryanna Davis

Bryanna joined EIC in 2011 after returning to the United States from teaching English in China. Her interest in international education, sparked initially by her own study abroad experience in Wales, led her to the company. Bryanna is originally from Missouri and is a graduate from the University of Central Missouri.

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