How to Get a Guaranteed Admissions YES from Colleges and Universities

For many would-be or soon-to-be college or university students, receiving an acceptance letter from the institution of their choice is like rolling dice and walking a tight rope all at the same time! But there is a method that, if followed exactly, will ensure that a student will be accepted 99 percent of the time to the institution of higher education of their choice AND likely get a scholarship or assistantship to pay for it!

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 3 top college choices
• A computer
• Email
• Telephone

1. Beginning 2 to 3 years in advance of the starting academic semester, identify 3 colleges or universities that admissions acceptance is desired. Within those universities, locate 2 tenured professors who do research in your area of interest.

2. Search the Web for all the information you can find about the professors you've identified-what they do, where they are from and their publications recent and past. Make it your business to know their business. The more you know about that professor, the easier it will be to speak to them authoritatively about your reactions to their work and why you are looking forward to them serving as your teacher and mentor.

3. Start your communication relationship with an initial phone call of introduction. State clearly that you are interested in their area of research, casually mention some of their work you are familiar with, and just have a short friendly conversation. Careful that you don't give the impression that you are buttering them up-they can smell a snow job a mile away! Thank them for their time, ask them if it is OK if you communicate with them again via email, then let the professors know you know they are busy and will let them get back to their research.

4. Email the professors with questions and comments about their work and your work at least once a month over the next 2 years. Every other month, make it a phone call. At least twice a year, get to campus and meet with the professors personally. Over the time period, try and get involved with their research and seminars. Send them your own papers and thoughts on the topic that you both are interested in.

5. Make it clear to the professors 6 months before you submit your application for admission that you intend to attend school there and ask if they can work with you towards any research assistantship or employment with them of any type. Work on getting actively involved with the professor and their department of research, including work, apprenticeship and assistantship.

6. Seek the professor's counsel, advice and mentorship as you prepare your application for admission. By this time, they will want you to join them there at the university nearly as much as you want to be there. It is now about the tenured professor and you, together, strategizing to ensure that you are admitted smoothly, that any financial aid is correctly applied, and that you start on time. The question at that time is not IF you get a "yes" from admissions, but how you will serve the professor, department, college and university once you are there.

Tips & Warnings

• Follow all steps with TWO professors at THREE top university choices.
• Be sincere by choosing areas that truly interest you and may be career paths.
• Ensure that you are not seen as pandering to them but instead admiring of their work and accomplishments.
• Make 90 percent of the communications about THEM and THEIR work, not all about you.
• Always have a backup plan in case this one does not work.
• Do not procrastinate: Apply to financial aid early.

Resources

• Consider using a mentor for admissions