The online college application

What information do you need to give to schools when you apply for admission? Generally online colleges will ask for:
• Personal information - name, address, date of birth, citizenship,
• Educational History and transcript information
• Extra curricular activities- non-academic interests, résumé
• Personal statements - goal statements, essays
• Letters of Recommendation

Not all Admissions applications will be the same; some are as simple as a single sheet of paper on which you answer questions. Other universities will ask that you submit an essay, letters of recommendation, military background information (if applicable) and in some instances, a portfolio of past accomplishments. Be sure to read the application guidelines carefully and contact an admissions counselor if you have any questions. Since the admissions process at different schools varies in both difficulty and time to complete, make sure that you leave yourself enough time to complete the process and don’t hesitate to ask for help from your contact at the college.

Admissions essays at online colleges

Some online colleges and universities may require an admissions essay to be submitted prior to enrollment. These essays may be part of the process at a particular university, or they may only be required for specific programs. Essays are an extremely important part of the admission process because they are the most personal piece of the admission application. Admissions officials are looking to read about you; your characteristics, your personality and your goals. In order to accomplish this, present yourself as clearly and fully as possible. Keep in mind you are writing for a purpose; you are trying to convince either an admission officer or a committee, that by virtue of your merit they should admit you into their school. Your personal essay should be dedicated to illuminating your superior qualities and achievements.
Committees and admission officers are impressed with personal growth and individuality. Try to take a step and look at yourself objectively. Where were you and what were were you doing three, four years ago? Were you the same person that you are now? Most likely, your interests and capabilities have grown and matured. Had you not grown, you probably wouldn’t be in the position of filling out an application to attend college. Be proud of how far you’ve come and be inspired by where you can go. You needn’t worry about impressing others because you are already unique and that is a story in itself. Start thinking and begin writing…

One last review

As a final step, review your essay to make sure you have achieved the following:
1. Does your introduction have a clear thesis?
2. Does the introduction capture your reader’s attention?
3. Review the verb tense. Is it consistent throughout?
4. Check for grammatical and spelling errors
5. Are there any areas of the essay that you could do without?
6. Are there topic sentences and transition sentences for each paragraph?
7. Does the closing paragraph encompass all of your objectives throughout the essay?

Contributed by Katie Smith