2. Obtain application forms early in the senior year.

3. Submit all Secondary School Reports and Counselor forms to the counselor November 15. This will allow Mrs. Nurse ample time to write letters of recommendation for you.

4. Allow yourself sufficient time to do carefully written, thoughtful and neat applications. Do not rush; do not wait until the last minute. Check your spelling. Answer every question. Use a typewriter or word processor for the essay.

5. Keep in mind the importance of the ESSAY. You are presenting yourself. At a time when so many of the competitive colleges have the largest applicant pools in history, writing of a strong essay becomes even more important as a means of differentiation among applicants. The essay gives the student an opportunity to present ideas and, most important, to give a sense of himself to the Admission Committee. Remember: the personal voice must be heard. Teachers of senior English courses talk about essay writing in class. Mrs. Nurse will review student essays and make suggestions. Books about writing essays are available.

6. Give recommendation forms to your teachers. Ask those teachers to write for you if they know you well and have taught you in the junior or senior years. If a teacher agrees to write, make an appointment with him/her. At that time, tell the teacher why you are applying to specific colleges, indicate your educational goals and answer any questions. Give the teacher the forms with your name filled in. Indicate in writing the due dates. Do not give recommendations to a teacher just before the Christmas holidays if they are due within a week or so! Remember that the same teachers can write for all of your colleges since they will keep copies of their recommendations.

7. Keep Xeroxed copies of all applications. It is extremely important for you to keep a file containing Xeroxed copies of all applications, essays, and financial aid forms. Occasionally materials are lost in the mail or are misfiled by a college admission office.

8. Keep the College Guidance Office ( Mrs. Nurse) up-to-date on your applications and any action that has been taken.