By Paula Steers Brown, August 2007

• Introduction
• Meet your match
• What do they have to offer you and what can you offer them?
• Standardized test savvy
• The application: narrow the focus
• Your essay: extract the unique
• Show your passion
• Finding funding
• Download the full article as a

The application: narrow the focus

Don’t apply to a long list of schools. Apply to five or six, and treat each college individually.

Customize your application. Show them that you are their match. This takes time but yields positive results. If a faculty member has written a book that has captured your interest, discuss it in your application. Show them you care enough to delve beneath the surface.

Use this rule of thumb for the five to six applications: one or two “safety” schools, two “reality” schools, and one or two “reach” schools. Timetables for applications vary, so check the options and formulate a checklist of deadlines. “Early Decision” is binding, so be absolutely certain of your choice if you apply early. Have a viable Plan B in case your first choice does not work out.