College Application Extra Material

College Application Extra Material February 24, 2012 Dont send unnecessary extra materials with your college application. Elle Woods didnt really get into Harvard Law (photo credit: Jerry Avenaim). Including college application extra material is always a risk. From time to time, parents send us these big books filled with accomplishments of their child. Sometimes, these books even have glitter on the covers. Sometimes theyre filled with news clippings, photocopies of awards, photographs of trophies and ribbons, and other accomplishments. Once, we even got a book that included a copy of every award and report card the kid earned since kindergarten. Would you be surprised to learn that some applicants send such weird things along with their applications? Why would anyone think that sending such accomplishments and weird extra material would help ones case for college admission? Why would a parent think that an article about winning a scavenger hunt as a ten year-old would push a student over the edge? Or a cute photo of the applicant at nine in a pirate outfit? Oy vey. These materials would definitely not help! In fact, it would only hurt ones chances! The student would be regarded as weird in a bad way! A very bad way. Dont ever send such superfluous material that has utterly zero relevance to your chances for college admission! If you otherwise have an outstanding application and you include a book like this, we promise your chances for admission will be severely hurt. No question about it. So dont submit weird extra material with your college application. Legally Blonde was a movie, as weve previously stated in our newsletter on college essays. Dont submit your activity sheet on pink paper  (even though its submitted electronically so this would be rather rough!). Dont include glitter. This is not the way to stand out. Well, you might stand outbut not in a good way! Just take our advice on this one. We promise were right. And seriously no glitter!