People believe many myths about admissions, often without knowing any better. One of the most popular admissions myths is that grades are the most critical factor in getting into college. This isn’t always true and can be damaging to a student’s chances of getting in.
Joint admissions myths include believing that family connections are critical or that being well-rounded is advantageous. The truth is that many different factors go into who gets accepted to colleges, and it’s best to do your research before applying.
Admissions Myths Might be Fooling You
Myth #1: There Are Only a Few ‘Correct’ Essay Topics
Many students believe that they know what essay topics are “correct” to write about. However, this belief is inaccurate. In reality, many essay topic ideas are suitable for any student’s essay. The following six tips will help students find more essay topic ideas:
- Take a look at the events and trends in your community or world. What are their implications? How do they change the way we view ourselves or others?
- Analyze literature from different cultures and eras to better understand how people think, feel, and behave. How have different authors shaped our views of the world?
- Consider personal experiences that have shaped who you are today. What has been your most challenging experience? Why was it so important to you? What did you learn from it?
- Consider the different ways people have reacted to events in their lives. What did they feel? How did they express those feelings?
- Watch television programs or films relevant to your topic and analyze them for evidence of how people think, feel, and behave.
Myth #2: You’ve Got Plenty of Time
There are a lot of myths that people believe. One of these is the myth that you have plenty of time. In reality, time is slipping away from us, and we’re not even aware of it. We tend to take things for granted, assuming that we’ll have enough time when really, we don’t. Here are six ways in which you can start using your time more wisely:
- Make a to-do list every day and stick to it. This will help you prioritize your tasks and keep everything organized.
- Set up a system for tracking your finances to see where your money is going and whether you’re spending too much or not enough on specific items.
- Set up regular goals for yourself and reach them each month or quarter. This will help motivate you to work hard and achieve something important.
Myth #3: You Have One Shot at Your Dream School
The high school years are a time for growth and change. They are also a time of exploration and discovery. This means looking at hundreds of schools to find their dream school for students. For others, it might mean taking a chance at a school that they had never considered before. Whichever route a student takes, there is one thing that is always true: their high school experience is unique and will be remembered for the rest of their lives.
Myth #4: ‘Safety Schools’ Don’t Have to Be Schools You Want to Attend
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, more than a million people are injured each year, and almost half of these injuries are sustained by people aged 20 to 24. As a result, many companies have turned to “safety schools to reduce workplace accidents.” These schools seemingly offer a haven from the dangers of the workforce,
but is that really what they provide? A recent study by The Huffington Post found that only a third of safety school graduates were employed in jobs requiring their certification level. In other words,
three-quarters of safety school graduates were working in positions below their certification level or not related to their field of study. This raises questions about whether or not spending money on a safety school is worth it for workers looking to avoid injury.
University Magazine is part of the 
