College Application tips, applying to college on laptop

It’s November, which means we’re in the thick of college application season! Whether you’re a senior applying for regular decision deadlines, a junior getting ready for your ACT or SAT, or a younger high school student interested in this process, keep reading for college application tips that will explain how the process works and how to maximize your chances of acceptance!

College Application Deadlines

Each university has its own application deadline, so look on the websites of the schools you’re applying to for specific information. Generally, the Regular Decision application deadline for most universities is in January. Admission decisions for regular applicants will likely be released in March/April. 

That leads us to the first of our college application tips: start your application early. January may seem far ahead in the future, but it’s less than two months away. Applications require many components (which we’ll dive into below), so if you’re an applicant for Fall 2025 (i.e., a current senior)—start now!

Rolling Admission is an option if, for whatever reason, you don’t feel that you have time to make the Regular Decision deadline. Rolling admissions give students the option to apply within a window of time, accepting applications throughout the year. This window typically stays open throughout the school year, until all spots have been filled. Rolling admissions applicants often hear back around 4-8 weeks after they apply. Keep in mind, however, that not all universities have rolling admissions, so look into your colleges of choice if you’re interested in this option.

If you’re applying for Fall 2025 and were hoping to receive your application decision early, it’s slightly too late. Most universities’ Early Action/Early Decision deadlines are in October and early November. Both options give you an early admissions decision. Early Decision comes with a binding agreement to enroll in the college if accepted, while Early Action does not.

Types of College Application Systems

When you apply to a university, you’re often not submitting your application directly to your choice school’s website. (A few private schools use their own application systems, such as Georgetown University.) Instead, most universities have you fill out and submit your application through a third party website. Which application system you use depends on which school you’re applying to—you may even need to apply to different schools through multiple websites.

The next of our college application tips is to know how you’re applying. Once you determine which universities you’re applying to, see which college app system/website they use and start your application. You’ll only pay for the ones you submit, so it doesn’t hurt to get an early start. These services are personalized to the colleges they serve, so each application will already show you what’s required to apply.

Here are the most common college application systems and the types of universities they service applications for:

Common App

A non-profit organization that represents over 1,000 colleges and universities, Common App is the most popular college application system for higher education institutions across the country. 

The schools partnered with the Common Application include most popular private universities, some public school systems, and even some international universities. You can apply to all Ivy League schools and many of the other most selective private schools (like Stanford, U Chicago, Northwestern, and Rice) on the Common App. 

Coalition App/Scoir

Released in 2015 as a competitor to the Common App, the Coalition Application was founded by a group of over 150 universities and colleges called the Coalition for College. This group’s focus is on supporting all students as they apply to college, particularly those from minority or underrepresented backgrounds. 

Notable Coalition member schools include Caltech, Boston University, Emory, Syracuse, UNC Charlotte, and so on. The Common App and Coalition App lists of member schools have significant overlap, so you can choose between the two services when you start your application. The Coalition App uses Scoir as its application service.

Common App vs. Coalition App/Scoir

Colleges that offer either application service don’t prefer one or the other, so you can decide whether you want to use the Common or Coalition Application. There aren’t many differences between the two, but take the time to see what sets them apart before you start on either the Common App site or on Scoir.

  • Number of Schools. While the Common App limits students to apply to a maximum of 20 schools, the Coalition App/Scoir does not have a limit. Most students apply to fewer than 10 schools, so this isn’t a deciding factor for most.
  • Extracurriculars. The Coalition App/Scoir only allows you to list up to 8 extracurricular activities, while the Common App allows up to 10. However, the Coalition App provides a higher character count per each activity, allowing you to write a longer description.
  • Resourcefulness. Because of Coalition for College’s dedication to supporting students from underrepresented groups, its application is quite useful in making the application process more accessible. For example, the fee waiver approval process is faster, and a virtual “personal locker” allows you to easily upload and store application-related documents.
  • Consensus. Applicants over the years say they generally prefer the Common App since it is the most straightforward to use and most widely used.

QuestBridge

QuestBridge’s primary service is scholarship-matching; within that process, it allows students to apply to certain colleges together with scholarships. Intended for students who are high-achieving from low-income backgrounds, QuestBridge “matches” students with one of 45 member colleges. Accepted students get an early decision and a four-year scholarship. 

If a student is not accepted for this early decision, they can still apply through QuestBridge with the possibility of a strong financial aid package. Some QuestBridge partner institutions are MIT, Brown University, USC, Stanford, Wesleyan, and University of Notre Dame.

State-Specific College Applications

If you’re applying to public colleges, it’s unlikely that you’ll apply using one of the above applications. Many public universities rely on their own applications for student applicants—these are some of the most popular services for the biggest public school systems:

  • ApplyTexas. From the University of Texas to A&M, Texas has some of the most popular and acclaimed school systems. ApplyTexas serves them all.
  • applySUNY. All but 6 of the State University of New York schools can be applied to with applySUNY.
  • UC Application. The University of California system includes the most prestigious public schools (UCLA and Berkeley), and students can apply to them and other University of California schools through its own application.
  • Cal State Apply. Not to be confused with the UC system, the California State University system is the largest public university system in the country.

College Application Process Checklist

Each university or college has its own particular application requirements, but all of them have several aspects students should include. This includes application fees, test scores, transcripts, recommendation letters, essays, interviews, and your resume. 

Use this section of our collection of college application tips as a checklist as you get your college applications ready. Note that you will include some of these items on your application, while others will be sent in on your behalf by your school.

Application Fees

Each college has its own application fee, which you will pay when you submit your application (on Common App or whichever service you use). 

Many students qualify for fee waivers—including those who are enrolled in free or reduced price for lunch, received an SAT/ACT fee waiver, or their family receives public assistance. If you qualify for fee waivers, your application service will have a field where you can enter that information.

Test Scores

Most colleges require ACT or SAT test scores to be submitted for a student’s application to be considered. Colleges don’t have a preference, so it’s up to you whether you decide to take the ACT or the Digital SAT.

When you’re filling out the personal information on whichever test you take, there will be a section where you can designate the colleges to whom you’d like your score report sent. Even after you take the test, you can sign into your MyACT account or CollegeBoard to send scores to colleges. The only downside to this is that you’ll have to pay a fee per ACT score report you send. 

One of the best college application tips out there is to invest in your test scores. In the months ahead of your SAT or ACT test date, take ample time to study. Research the average scores of accepted students at your colleges of choice, and aim to reach or surpass that score. By reviewing the content tested on those exams and taking incremental practice tests, you can improve your abilities and work towards that goal score.

Transcripts

On your high school transcripts, colleges can see your grades throughout high school. They’ll be able to see your grades through at least your junior year or the first semester of your senior year, depending on when you apply. The process of submitting varies by school, but it’ll generally be a hands-off experience for you; your high school’s college counselor will submit your transcripts. 

Recommendation Letters

Colleges ask for recommendation letters to get a glimpse at your relationships with educators and to see how your academic talents manifest in real life, not just in grades and test scores. Each university you apply to has its own recommendation letter requirements, but colleges commonly ask for 2 teacher recommendation letters and 1 recommendation from a school counselor. 

Some universities specifically ask for letters from core subject teachers or counselors, while others ask for a number of letters without specifications. Some colleges (like Dartmouth) even ask for peer recommendations, looking for insight into who you are as a teammate, classmate, sibling, or friend. Make sure you know who your colleges of choice wish to hear from.

Wondering which teachers in particular you should ask for a letter of recommendation? Think about which of your teachers know you the best and would be able to speak to your academic abilities, behavior, and strengths as a teammate to your classmates. Educators who are the best options in this case are:

  • Junior/Senior year teachers.
  • Core subject (ELA, Foreign Language, Math, History, or Science) teachers.
  • Teachers you’ve had for multiple years.
  • Teachers who know you outside of class. (A coach or instructor for an extracurricular activity, for instance.)

These college application tips for getting glowing letters of recommendations will make sure your teachers are best-equipped to write great letters:

  • Ask early. If your favorite teachers are loved by your peers, they may be asked to write dozens of letters. Early in your senior year, ask if they’re comfortable recommending you. Try to ask in-person instead of over email—this shows effort, dedication, and respect.
  • Write notes for your teachers. Some teachers may ask what you wish them to discuss in their recommendation letter. In case they ask, it’s helpful to jot down some notes of what you wish them to discuss, such as your work in-class, participation, how you manage your time, or how you help other students.
  • Send the request for recommendation early. Make sure your teacher knows how to submit their letter of recommendation. Oftentimes, your college application portal has a tool to send your teacher a link where they can upload their letter. On that note…
  • Waive your right to view the letter. When you request a letter from your teacher in the application portal, there’s often a check box where you waive your right to see the completed letters. If you haven’t seen your letters, admissions officials trust them more.
  • Politely follow-up. If you notice a deadline approaching but your teacher hasn’t submitted their letter, share that with them politely. Don’t wait until the last minute!
  • Tell them thank you. It takes a lot of time and effort out of a teacher’s busy day to write recommendation letters, so let them know you’re grateful. And, of course, continue putting your best work in their class!

College Application Essays

Your transcript shows admissions offices your in-school abilities, while your test scores show them your core ELA and math abilities and how you test (after the opportunity to study in the months ahead). Your essay, on the other hand, shows them both your writing abilities and your personality. 

The college application essay is a chance to tell them why you belong in their student body, in your words. Here are some tips for college application essays to help you leverage this task to the advantage of your application.

1. Start Writing Early

Maximize the time you have to perfect your application essays by starting them early. Start your applications on the Common App or wherever you’re applying, and you’ll be able to see which prompts your colleges of choice have tasked applicants to write.

By beginning well ahead of your application deadline, you have plenty of time to brainstorm compelling and creative ideas, develop a strong work that reflects who you are, and revise until it’s grammatically and syntactically perfect. You’ll also have the time to start from scratch with a new idea if the one you started writing doesn’t shape up to be what you hoped for.

2. Be Authentic

Admissions offices can tell when your writing isn’t true to who you are—and they can tell when it captures your unique, one-of-a-kind personality. Be excited to talk about stories from your life, your opinions, your aspirations, and what motivates you. Each essay will often have its own specific prompt, but admissions teams generally want to see why you truly want to go to college. They want to hear about deeper themes: how you overcome challenges and persevere, how you’re open to new experiences, and what you want to do to improve the world around you. 

Embrace writing in your own voice, too. Don’t feel like you have to emulate the writing style of others or a very serious tone. Colleges want to see what you bring to the table and how you can enrich their student body, and the essay(s) give you a chance to showcase that.

3. Try a Unique Approach

Each school usually has at least one essay prompt that it assigns to applicants. Sometimes you can choose from a list of prompts, like for the Common App essay. Overall, admissions offices will be reading thousands of essays about the same topics—so you want to make yours memorable!

Be creative within the confines of the prompt. Try not to write about experiences that are very common—some of the most popular college essay ideas are stories about moving or immigration, sports- or volunteering-related stories, or summaries of achievements. If you feel like you have an excellent story to tell about an idea like these, however, take a fresh approach by integrating a twist or discussing it from a unique perspective.

Otherwise, brainstorm interesting approaches to the prompt you’re given. Don’t be afraid to write about your most eccentric interests or deeply personal ideas, if they relate to your story! And keep in mind that the best ideas can surface unexpectedly. Be sure to take advantage of those moments of epiphany—if an idea comes to you while you’re in class or on the bus home, jot it down on your phone to write about later.

4. Revise, Revise, Revise!

Starting your college application essay-writing process early will give you plenty of time to brainstorm at the beginning and revise towards the end. Don’t be afraid to go through several iterations of drafts as you refine your work. Here are some of the best college application tips for refining the admissions essay: 

  • Show, don’t tell. Whenever you can, use descriptive or figurative language to paint a mental picture for the reader instead of explicitly stating ideas. For example: if you want to show why you’re pursuing a particular field of study, tell a formative anecdote instead of listing reasons.
  • Write with readers in mind. While your essay may include several different ideas or short stories, make sure that it’s a cohesive work that is enjoyable to read. Use transitions between ideas, organize paragraphs with intention, and make sure you have a strong hook to reel them in. 
  • Be concise, and don’t repeat. The Common App essay word limit is a maximum of 650 words. If you have other college essays to write, those word counts will likely be similar. This means you have limited space to tell your story, so every word must count. Don’t repeat activities or anecdotes you mentioned elsewhere in your application, and avoid using too many words to appear eloquent.
  • Read your writing aloud. Your eyes can quickly glaze over mistakes in your writing when you read something silently. Reading aloud can quickly reveal syntactical errors or writing that doesn’t “flow” well.
  • Ask others to read it. When you have a draft ready that you’re proud of, share it with others! Ask people from different age groups and backgrounds in your community to read your essay(s) and share their opinions, from your family to school friends and teachers. If they say that your writing is confusing, your story is hard to follow, or certain aspects don’t have their desired effect, you’ll be able to make those revisions and produce an even better work.

Your Resume

A college resume isn’t the same as a work resume. It focuses on your academic and extracurricular strengths, rather than job skills. You can easily make a clean resume as a PDF in Microsoft Word, Google Sheets, or a program like Canva. 

However, many schools don’t want a separate document, so your college application portal may not request a traditional PDF resume; instead, it’ll have a few sections where you can fill out different achievements you’ve earned, responsibilities you’ve had, and roles you’ve been in as a student.

If you’re a high school freshman or sophomore, the college application tips that apply most to you are to (1) earn good grades, and (2) involve yourself in communities outside of class. Here’s what all students should know about what colleges look for in your resume.

Extracurriculars

Admissions offices love when students participate in extracurricular activities. Students should aim to participate in a variety of extracurriculars throughout their high school careers. Early in your high school years, join a diverse set of clubs, societies, and teams. Not only will this help you prepare for college applications in your future, but it’ll enrich your high school experience!

Colleges love to see:

  • Commitment. It doesn’t reflect well on you if you’ve joined many extracurriculars but quit or moved on to different ones. When you find extracurriculars you enjoy, try to stick with them—even if they get hard. If you don’t have extra time throughout the week for all the ones you chose initially, pick a few that you want to stick with for the long run.
  • Diversity. Pick a variety of extracurriculars that you’re interested in. Most schools offer many options: sports clubs, academic teams (like speech & debate or DECA), art and theater clubs, identity-based/cultural societies, volunteer organizations (like NHS), or even interest-based clubs (like gaming clubs). Colleges like to see students who branch out and participate in a variety of organizations. Don’t be afraid to join some as a junior or senior, too!
  • Leadership. If there are some clubs you consistently participate in, you’ll likely have the chance to hold at least one leadership position. Stay deeply involved in your extracurriculars, and you can have the chance to be a president/captain, historian, secretary, or another leadership position. Teamwork and leadership are valuable traits in prospective students.

Jobs

Maybe you’ve had a part-time job at a restaurant or coffee shop, or you’ve been lucky to earn a summer internship in high school. Including jobs you’ve had on your college applications shows that you were able to juggle academics, extracurriculars, and work—a feat that admissions offices will respect. From helping out at your parents’ small business to babysitting or tutoring younger students, make sure to discuss any work you’ve had on your resume.

Volunteering

Whether you’ve volunteered through an extracurricular organization (like NHS) or on your own at, say, a local soup kitchen, include that experience on your college application.

Like a job, admissions offices like to see students that can manage their academics and extracurriculars with obligations outside of school. And of course, they like prospective applicants who want to give back to the community and help others.

Awards/Honors

There will always be a section on your application for awards and honors you’ve earned throughout high school. This is where you showcase how schools or clubs have recognized you for your work and dedication. Make sure to include the year you got the award as well as any applicable details. Here are some examples of awards or honors that you may have earned in high school:

  • Honor Roll
  • School Subject Grade Awards
  • AP Scholar/AP Scholar With Distinction
  • National Honor Society (NHS) membership
  • President’s Award
  • Perfect Attendance
  • Medals in academic competitions
  • Valedictorian/Salutatorian
  • National Merit Scholarship (or other merit-based scholarships)
  • IB achievements
  • Certificates in technical skills

College Interviews

Finally, our final college application tips pertain to college interviews. Very selective schools often invite prospective students to apply to interview, either via a phone/video interview or in-person. Often, the interviewer is an alumni of the college, someone from the admissions office, or a current student.

Like the letters of recommendation you’ll submit on your application, the interview is a chance for the college to get a better understanding of who you are as a person. You also don’t have to worry about describing these interviews on your application itself, as your college will get this information directly from your interviewer (since they take place after you’ve already applied).

While we have an in-depth article with tips on preparing for and excelling on college interviews, here are some basic college application tips that extend to the interview:

  • Show your interest in the college. Tell the interviewer what truly excites you about the potential of attending. Discuss your goals and ambitions, and ask honest questions that show you’ve done your research.
  • Explain your high school record. Your interview is a chance for you to illustrate what’s on your application itself. If there’s a temporary drop in grades, for example, explain the reason for that and how you grew from that challenge. 
  • Share more about yourself. If there’s anything you haven’t discussed on your application, from your essay to your resume or test scores—now’s your chance! 

What the Best College Applications Have: Great Grades & Test Scores!

We hope these college application tips have helped you prepare to show admissions offices how uniquely amazing you are! If you’re a high school senior preparing for Fall 2025 admissions, it’s high time for you to ask for recommendation letters and start working on your essay and resume if you haven’t already.

If you’re a junior looking at colleges in anticipation of next school year, it’s time to ramp up your SAT or ACT test prep journey! Your SAT/ACT test date will likely fall in March or April of next semester if you’re taking the test in school; otherwise, you can register for a test day that works for you. 

If you’re looking for an abundance of affordable resources to help you prepare for your college admissions test journey, Piqosity is here to help. Along with our full-length, online ELA and Math courses for grades 5-11, we offer full SAT and ACT test prep courses, each of which includes 12 practice exams, dozens of concept lessons, personalized practice software, and more. 

In addition to our new digital SAT course, we’re offering two free digital PSATs! These DPSAT practice tests are designed to help you prepare ahead of time for the October exam’s format, available for anyone who signs up for a Piqosity community account. 

Our free community account allows you to try out all of Piqosity’s features—no credit card required! When you’re ready to upgrade, Piqosity’s year-long accounts start at only $89. 

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