Attention all seniors! This is a very big time for anyone starting their last year of high school. Students are excited about becoming a senior, enjoying time with their friends, and looking forward to college. Although thinking about the future and college can be exciting, the actual college application process can be stressful. I am here to share some personal steps I took to organize and complete my application that just might help you too!
Narrow down which colleges you want to apply to
The first thing you should do is pick out what colleges you want to apply to. While this does seem like a simple step, it is still important. You don't want to have to pay the application fee and do a whole lot of extra work on the application for colleges you just think are okay. You should try to pick a solid few colleges that you really like and maybe a couple of backups.
Chose application method
There are 2 main ways to apply for colleges: through their individual websites or through the Common Application. While I would advise applying through the Common App, applications can be done either way. The Common App is a website where you can apply to multiple colleges at once; you only have to write one main essay and fill out one general information section. You also have to fill out an information section for each individual college but overall it is a lot less work than going to each school's website and applying there. Applying to each school individually will take a lot more time and effort and it may be hard to organize all of those applications.
Organize application deadlines
After figuring out what colleges your applying to, you want to figure out whether you're applying early decision (a binding agreement if accepted), early action (a sooner version of regular decision), or regular decision. The deadlines for each are different with early decision being around October or November and regular decision being in December or January. Make sure you know what application time you are going for and when you need to have your application submitted.
Ask teachers for recommendation letters
Most colleges will ask you for teacher recommendation letters. It is best to ask for these early on in the fall semester. The general rule of thumb is to request the letters around 20 business days before your application is due; this gives teachers enough time to complete your request. I would personally request the letters as soon as you can, just in case. Every school has a different method of requesting recommendation letters, so just follow whatever steps your school has.
Start working on your main essay
The main essay is an important part of college applications. This is your opportunity to show the admissions committee who you are as a person outside of school. Your essay can really be about anything you chose, so long as it is loosely related to one of the Common App or individual school writing prompts. When writing your essay, try and get as close to the word count as possible without going over ( you aren't allowed to go over the word count for this) and make sure this essay shows you. You want this essay to demonstrate some aspect of your personality that you want to show to colleges. Make sure that your essay focuses more on you and your growth and achievements rather than someone else's (talking about your mom's personality in a 'who do you admire most?' essay instead of focusing on how your mom influenced you).
Fill out personal information for schools
All college applications will have a lot of information for you to fill out. It will ask you about your academic and family history while also inquiring about your extracurriculars and life outside of school. This information may take a little while to complete for every school, but it is relatively easy to fill out. Make sure to proofread all of your information before submitting your application.
Fill out fee waivers and additional forms
One of the last things to do is fill out forms. There really aren't that many forms that need to be filled out but you should still check nonetheless. Fee waivers can be filled out to get your application fee waived, if your family applies, and the FERPA form allows for parents to have some rights in regards to their children's education records. These are the two main forms that you need to be aware of.
Submit your application!
After you have gone through and filled out your whole application, it is time to submit! Just make sure that everything is filled out on your application and that all of your information is correct. You got this!
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