When to start your U.S. college admissions journey
A long-term commitment
Most candidates are well-aware that the U.S. college admissions process does not start in Grade 11, nor does it end with submitting the application. Instead, gaining admission to some of the top universities and colleges in the U.S. requires diligent work and careful planning over a number of years.
This includes carefully selecting U.S. colleges and programmes and then tailoring the candidate’s extracurricular and academic profile towards these decisions. It’s important that any aspiring U.S. college candidate engages seriously with this process throughout high school to secure their entrance into their dream school. This involves both heavy research, and long-term commitments to building a compelling profile and application. However, there are other key skills that students should bear in mind when considering how to prepare for their college admissions journey.
Developing skills
One of the key skills that applicants often overlook when they start to develop their profile for U.S. college admissions is expository writing.
The Common App essay remains the foundation of any good U.S. college application, and it is a form of writing not typically covered in high schools. At BartyED, we often encounter students who are intimidated and disheartened by the prospect of narrating their life’s journey, and how it has shaped them. The balance between showing one’s skills and demonstrating the requisite humility prized by admissions officers can be a tricky one to strike. As such, we prepare students thoroughly for this task through extensive practices of short and long-form expository writing. This allows U.S. college candidates to build the skills they need to craft a compelling and well-written Common Application essay, and use it to form the bedrock of their U.S. college admission application.
The application process
Rather than beginning the process in Grade 11, BartyED’s team of expert U.S. college admissions consultants recommend that this be a high school-long process. As noted above, this includes building the skills necessary for an attractive application, but there are also other things to consider.
For example, our admissions team always recommends that students do a number of college and university tours where possible. This gives prospective U.S. college applicants an idea of what the college is like on a daily basis, as well as letting the college get to know them as well. Indeed, participating in networking events throughout high school is an important part of any candidate’s U.S. college admissions journey, and applicants should seek out these opportunities whenever possible.
Then, in the Summer of Grade 11, that is when candidates open their Common Apps and begin the formal process of applying for U.S. colleges. This can be a lengthy and sometimes arduous process to complete independently, which is why qualified and experienced support can be so vital.
BartyED’s expert support
The U.S. college admissions consultants at BartyED have extensive experience in providing expert support to candidates aiming to get into some of the top institutions in the U.S. Through our admissions consultancy programmes, we work closely with students and their families to devise a shortlist of suitable colleges – comprising safety, target and reach schools that meet the students’ requirements.
We support our students in developing the skills necessary to completing a genuine and compelling U.S. college application, with the unparalleled support provided extending well beyond the submission of the applications themselves.
If you or your child is interested in attending college in the United States and wishes for expert guidance and support throughout the process, reach out to us today by phone at +852 2882 1017 or email at enquiries@bartyed.com.