Admissions Blog: Top 10 things I wish someone had told me about applying to college

A poetry course at Sweet Briar College, where classes often take place outside

Be organized and stay on top of application deadlines.

It will make the college application process much less stressful if you know when things are due and what you need for each of them.
Use your resources.

Talk to your guidance counselors, recent graduates from your high school and current students at your prospective schools for advice. This will allow you to know more about the application process, a certain school or what other students have learned about college.
Apply to a variety of schools.

This gives you options in case you change your mind on what type of school you want to go to.
Consider schools outside of what you think you want.

The type of school you have in mind might not actually be the best fit for you. So if you think you want to go to a big state school, consider visiting a small school, or if you think you want a school in a city, check out a rural school, too.
Don’t get attached to one school.

Keep an open mind and consider multiple schools so you have options in case something doesn’t work out with one school.
Visit the schools you apply to.

This way you can really get a feel for the school’s atmosphere and see how it fits in with what you want.
Bring a friend to your campus tours.

Having someone you know well there with you will make you feel more comfortable in the new environment. It also gives them a chance to look into the college at the same time!
Consider a variety of factors when choosing a school.

Consider the majors available; the dorms; the food; the location; the clubs, sports or other extracurricular activities; the professors and students you meet; as well as traditions, etc.
It’s okay to pick something different.

You don’t have to pick the school where all your friends are going, or one nearby. If you find that the school you think is best for you is far away or doesn’t have anyone you know there, don’t be afraid to pick it. You want to go where you’ll flourish and be happiest, not just where everyone you know is going. Plus, you can always visit your friends at their schools and have them come visit you.
Pick the school that is best suited for YOU.

Remember that where you go is ultimately up to you and you should pick what feels best to you. Don’t choose a school because of someone else’s opinion of it, but instead choose the school where you think you will be happiest.

Lacey Tucker is a sophomore from Swansboro, N.C. She is an admissions ambassador, an engineering major and a math minor. She also is a member of the tennis and soccer teams at Sweet Briar.