Re-Post: Last Minute Application Tips

It's winter break and despite your grand plans of finishing your applications early and kicking back with hot chocolate and a good book, you're stuck at your computer trying to come up with 500 words on what kind of kitchen appliance you would choose to be and why. Don't worry -- you're not alone. And there's still hope. Here's what you need to know as you're finishing up your Common Application and Supplement.

• Keep a checklist. Not only will this help you keep track of what you need to submit and when, but then you can enjoy the highly motivating sensation of crossing items off your to-do list.
• Pay attention to your "Why Mudd" essay. We want to make sure you've done your research about Mudd and understand our academics, but we also want to know how you envision yourself melding with our community. We often read these answers aloud in committee just because "fit" is so important to us. Whatever else you skimp on, this shouldn't be it.
• Skip the separate resume. The Common Application activities section should be adequate for the vast majority of students. Why waste two hours formatting a separate resume when you could use that time for your essays?
• Anticipate the questions someone reading your application might ask. If there's anything that might seem unusual -- a change of high school, a blip in grades, trying out for the volleyball team senior year -- please don't hesitate to explain. That's what the "Additional Information" section of the Common Application is for! The only thing we ask is that you don't use the essay space for this purpose.
• No matter how rushed you feel, don't forget to proofread. When you're balancing ten applications it's easy to let a "Stanford" linger in a "Caltech" essay or forget to replace an "Amherst" with a "Williams." Bribe a friend or a relative to glance over your essays and applications one last time before hitting submit.

 Still stuck on that college essay?  Here's what I wrote back in the dark ages of 2010 on what admission counselors are seeking from a personal statement.