Dec 22, 2016 04:34 AM EST By Chris Brandt, UniversityHerald Reporter

If there is anything much more stressful than holiday shopping, it is none other than college applications. If you are a parent with a child going to university, here are some tips to help your child polish his or her application.

Be Early

Preparing early keeps you out of stress and gives you more room to double-check everything. Make sure that essays are done, forms are filled, and all recommendations collected a few weeks before the deadline. Check the colleges you are applying to what their deadlines are. After completing all requirements, mail them as early as possible to allow time for delivery and processing.

Make The Personal Statement Unique

The personal statement in your child's application form can make or break her application. Give careful attention to this to help make your child stand out. Make sure that the letter shows the value, maturity, and perspective of your child, which are important assets an admission officer is looking for. One of the best strategies to communicate value is through self-reflection of a situation related to your child's future college plans.

Inform Your Child's School

Inform the school officials which college or university your child is applying so that they can send the transcripts to those institutions. Moreover, those you asked to write recommendation letters from should also be informed, especially if they are mailing the letters themselves.

Doublecheck Everything

Overlooked errors will reflect on your child's application; thus, you have to proofread and doublecheck everything to make sure all mistakes are corrected and all requirements are accomplished. If it's possible, have a teacher go over it as well. If you are applying online, save the application first and go over them again before hitting the sent button.

Keep Copies

Keeping copies of everything will save you a lot of hassle in case some problems arise during the application process.

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