Top ten mistakes students make on their applications 

1. Don't proofread!  Spell chick doesn't catch everything! (A second set of eyes would certainly pick up that typo.)

2. Be someone that you aren't.  Your application should reflect who you are... if you are funny, be funny; if you are contemplative, be deep.

3. Let someone else have too much say in your essay.  The highest praise you can receive for your essay - "Your voice really comes through in this."  Much better than, "This essay sounds like it was written by a 45-year old English teacher."

4. Not choosing the right teachers to write recommendations.  Choose teachers that can really write about you as a person and as a learner, not necessarily those that gave you the most As.

5. The "why us" question.  Be specific!  They really want to know what you will bring to their campus. If you can do a find and replace on one school's name and use it for another, it is not specific enough.

6. Forgetting activities.  As early as your freshman year in high school, keep a list of what you are involved in and what awards you have won.  You will forget!

7. Not meeting deadlines.  Many colleges have priority deadlines for consideration for merit scholarships or honors programs.  Be ready to go early!

8. Don't visit.  Gone are the days when you could apply and then go look.  Many colleges use demonstrated interest to gauge your enthusiasm for the college.  So visit!

9. Brag too much or too little.  Be proud of what you have done and don't be afraid to tell them.  But also realize that you are most likely not the only student that has had similar experiences, so don't make a huge deal of something small.

10. Cute, but no intellectual firepower.  Writing a good essay is like painting a self-portrait... it takes time.  You need to brainstorm, play around with different angles, pay attention to the background as well as the subject, and you need to step back often and evaluate.  Many essays tell a good story, but remember, that they also need to show the admissions committee both how you write and how you think.