Top 25 Common Mistakes Teens Make to Sabotage Their Chances of Getting Into College
- Not having a quality and challenging high school curriculum
- Not working hard to earn a high GPA
- Not studying and getting tutoring for standardized tests like the SAT or ACT
- Not taking standardized tests enough times to improve their score
- Not participating in extracurricular activities or volunteer work
- Not researching colleges early enough
- Not starting the college application process early enough
- Not seeking help in the application process
- Not filling out college applications completely or accurately
- Not following directions on college applications
- Not being honest on the applications
- Not being organized during the application process
- Not submitting required documents on time
- Not writing a strong personal essay
- Not answering all parts of the supplemental essay prompts
- Not having an expert proofread their essays
- Not getting good letters of recommendation
- Not preparing sufficiently for college interviews
- Not asking relevant questions during the campus visit
- Not applying to a variety of colleges with various admissions requirements
- Not applying to safety schools
- Not understanding the financial aid process
- Not following up with the college after submitting an application
- Not considering colleges outside the student’s geographic region
- Not balancing the desire to get into selective schools with the need to find a good financial fit
Please note that this list is not exhaustive, and there are many other ways in which a student might accidentally sabotage their chances of getting into college. However, being aware of these common mistakes and taking steps to avoid them can help to increase the chances of getting into a student’s top-choice schools.
