D. KEEPING TRACK OF ALL THOSE FORMS & LETTERS TO MAKE SURE THE COLLEGES RECEIVE THEM
It would be such a shame if you filled in all of the forms, wrote your essays, paid your fees, sent the application packages in, and asked all the appropriate people to write letters on your behalf, and then find out after the college selections have been made that you were turned down because the college did not receive a required recommendation or form. Believe it or not, this does happen.

To make sure that it doesn’t, a couple of weeks after you send in your application, call each college to which you sent an application, to see if anything is missing from your file, including letters of recommendation. If everything has been received, relax and enjoy the feeling that all is done.

If, however, the college indicates that a recommendation is missing, act quickly to get them what they need. Immediately inform the counselor and/or teacher whose form is missing and ask him/her to fax or FEDEX the form. Check back with the college in a day or two to make sure that it has been received.

adMISSION POSSIBLE® TIP! Because counselors handle hundreds of college forms, and perhaps thousands of pieces of paper, sometimes things get misplaced or lost. Therefore, it is absolutely critical that you make    photocopies of everything you give to the counselor and teachers.

Endnote
Many letters of recommendation end up being generic, bland letters filled with clichés. What you want is positive, spirited recommendations that are filled with details and special knowledge about you. They must also be believable, realistic and honest. You can do a lot to make that happen by wisely choosing who you ask to write recommendations and also by providing these people with excellent information that will help them do a great job for you.