That dreaded yet most anticipated moment in your academic journey is finally here. You need to start with your undergraduate US college applications and submissions. To be fair, you’ve been preparing for a while, and now is the culmination of all that effort, apply to US universities. You’ve done your research, made a strategic college list, and decided that an undergraduate degree from the US is most suited to your career path. Now, all you need to do is start applying to universities. The college admissions process can be daunting, which is why we’ve broken it down for you. When to Begin You should begin your college admissions process more than a year before classes start. Although exact deadlines vary with each university, application submissions usually begin ten months before the program is due to start. However, there is a lot you need to do before you can submit your application. Getting each university’s submission material organized and readied can take weeks, if not months, to prepare to apply to US universities. Standardized Tests Many US college admission counselors, including Ivy League universities, look for standardized tests like the SAT and ACT. Some colleges have made test-score submissions optional. However, taking the tests and submitting your scores is a good idea as it presents you as a more solid student. Moreover, as an international applicant, you may also be required to take English proficiency tests like IELTS and TOEFL. Application Portal The next step in your US college admissions process is contacting the universities you are applying to and getting their admission details and application forms. You can apply directly through university websites. Alternatively, you can apply through a standardized application platform like the Common or Coalition Application. Most US universities are on the Common App, where you can apply to multiple universities simultaneously. To begin, you need to create an account on the portal and proceed from there to apply to US universities. The Essay All US universities require you to write an essay or personal statement. This is the single most important part of your application. The essay has a maximum word limit of 650 words and gives an insight into who you are by showcasing your values and interests. You need to show a side of yourself that is not apparent through your grades, courses, extracurricular activities, or any other part of your application. Give yourself ample time to write the essay because spending just one day on it will not be enough. You will probably need to go through several drafts until you develop a version that you are happy with. Recommendation Letters Letters of recommendation are also an important part of your undergraduate US college admissions process, and selecting the right person to write them is critical. This person must have authority over the subject matter and should also be intimately familiar with your contributions and achievements. That’s why recommendation letters are usually written by teachers, school counselors, or a superior from one of your internships or job placements. The recommendation letter aims to present a more holistic view of who you are and how you interact with peers, faculty, and in a formal setting like the classroom or the workplace. It also makes sense to get a recommendation letter from a teacher whose subject aligns with your intended major in college. Ideally, they should know you and your academic and personal strengths. Again, timing is everything. Ask for these recommendations well before the deadline so that they have ample time to write one. Chances are you’re not the only student a counselor is writing a recommendation letter for, so it is better to give them enough time to write a well-thought-out piece. Extracurricular Activities Extracurricular activities are also integral to your application, especially if you’re applying to the US. American universities want to know your interests outside the classroom. This is where you can list all your activities in and outside of school. These can be activities like being part of a sports team or club, employment, research work, or even caring for a sibling or relative. Universities pay a lot of attention to these, so do not overlook this section. The bottom line is to give yourself plenty of time to apply to US universities. The process can be daunting, which is why Eye on Ivy is here to help. If you’re looking for admissions counseling and help in applying to US universities, get in touch with one of our experts.

The personal statement is a core component of any college submission process. Both the Common and the Coalition Application ask for it. In colleges where standardized test score submissions are optional, it is the only way for admissions officers to discern a student’s personality, values, strengths, and linguistic craftsmanship. And very often, it can be the difference between a “yes” or a “no.” However, writing a powerful personal statement that’s intelligent, witty, and specific, yet humble, is both an art and a science. It requires the right balance between sharing information, passions, and achievements while staying open and vulnerable. You must highlight academic and extracurricular wins, as well as character traits like resilience, grit, stamina, and tenacity. Only when you do all of the above (in a well-articulated body of writing) can an admissions officer get a more wholesome and clearer picture of who you are and what you stand for! To get you started, we reached out to some of our resident college counseling experts. Below are some of their top tips to get students started writing a powerful personal statement that stands out! Find a Narrative Arc What’s your story? Everyone has one, but putting it down logically and concisely requires talent and creativity. It helps if you find an anchoring theme—an incident, a core personality value, or a strength around which you can build your essay. Tell (sell) your story Nothing captivates a reader like a good story, and a college admissions personal statement is no different. Don’t get caught up in bragging about yourself and what you’ve achieved (you’re already covering that information in the other parts of your application.) Write from the heart in a way that helps the reader connect with you. Make your writing interesting, fun, evocative, sentimental, and witty. Show, don’t tell! Don’t state things blandly. Help your reader experience your story through actions, words, subtexts, thoughts, and feelings. Use verbs to describe, define, and flesh out your writing to create an atmosphere. Stay humble With such high stakes, staying grounded, open, and humble can sometimes be difficult, but a personal statement is not the space to become a braggart! That’s not to say you should not mention your achievements and wins. Instead, you should talk about them from a place of authenticity, maturity, and self-awareness. You need to highlight your emotions, belief systems, and personality traits in ways that showcase you as a candidate with ambition and potential. Keep it concise While all expert college admissions counselors will tell you not to hold back on your first draft, they will advise moderation and restraint during revisions. That’s because most college personal statements have a hard word limit. Don’t meander into a beginning. Dive right in and focus on your story’s anchoring arc. Build towards a climatic “aha” moment that explains why a particular college or course is ideally suited for you. Proofread …and then proofread some more! Get someone else to read your personal statement and suggest edits and amendments. A new pair of eyes can spot mistakes you may have missed. While students are allowed some creative license, grammar, spelling, and punctuation should be entirely error-free. Get organized early Last but certainly not least, get started with your application submissions with time on your side. College admissions can get stressful, especially as students navigate school and external exams like the ACTs and SAT, alongside filling out forms for multiple universities. Undoubtedly, portals like the Common and Coalition App have streamlined the process. However, there is still much to do to ensure a solid submission, and getting organized can help you stay on track. As with anything, slow and steady wins the race. Look around for inspiration and ideas, and keep jotting down bulleted information you can string together into an essay. If you are looking for a good place to start, don’t forget to check out Eye on Ivy’s sample student essays that stood out in application cycles. Alternatively, reach out to our expert student advisors here to start on your college application journey.