As you consider the next stage in life, you may be interested in enrolling in higher education. This process can be confusing and bring up a lot of questions. Please remember, however, college is not for everyone, so do not feel pressured to attend college. For those you are interested, I have personally gone through the college admissions process. Join me as I share my advice to guide you on this process. Even if you are a freshmen or sophomore, it is important to look ahead and prepare for this upcoming change.
Considering
Leading up to your senior year you should begin to consider which schools you may want to apply to. There are thousands of colleges in the United States, with over 100 in North Carolina alone. Utilize this time to decide what you want in a college and which schools you may want to apply to once application open.
Deciding Preferences
Before googling different colleges in North Carolina or asking friends and family, decide what you want in a school. Though loved ones want the best for you, they do not always know what you may be best for you. Topics to consider include available majors, difficulty, distance from home, housing types, and student body size. Make sure to also consider the price. Price is often the determining factor when making your final decision. The public price, however, can often be decreased with scholarship and financial aid (which I will discuss later). With these personal guidelines, you can begin finding specific schools.
Looking Ahead
As you look to apply to college, it is important to build your resume. You should enjoy high school, but also seek opportunities and clubs which will allow you to stand out to college admissions. These activities should reflect your interest and enhance your high school experience. They should not be completed solely for your resume. As you understand what may be required for schools, it is also important to prepare other related aspects. This includes achieving a good standardized test score. These tests will seem daunting at first, but they will help take a lot of stress away from your senior year.
College Fairs and Visits
Now that you have a general idea of college admissions, you should begin exploring individual schools. I think the best place to start is college fairs. These events allow you to talk to admissions representatives from multiple colleges at one location. Your high school may provide a fair or notify you of fairs at other schools. If you are more interested in a specific school or desire to learn more about meeting them at a fair, you can schedule a college visit. These tours allow you to experience the campus and see if it may be good fit for you. If you would like to know how to schedule a tour, you can read this previous blog article. To allow visits to provide the biggest impact, however, they should be completed to earlier than your junior year.
Applying
During the summer before your senior year, colleges will begin opening their application portals. This can vary based on the school and their application software, but most will start on August 1. Once this period has started, you can begin addressing the following topics.
Application Types
When you search up the application of any college, you may be presented with different application types. Most schools will give you an option of early decision, early action, or regular decisions. Early decision is a binding application where, if you are accepted, you are required to attend the school. Early action is just general application, but allows you to receive your decision earlier than regular decision. In general, I would recommend early action as it gives you freedom to choose and may provide additional benefits (which I will explain later). Through each of these methods, you should write down the latest date of when you can submit your application. If not, you may not receive all necessary application components and be forced to apply in regular decision.
Application Components
Alongside filling out the application form of a school, you will be expected to provide additional documents depending on the requirements of the college. This tends to include test scores, letters of recommendation, and essays. As I shared previously, you should complete all standardized testing during your junior year or the summer leading to your senior year. It is generally a good idea to attempt the test multiple times as you may be able to super score it. This means your college will create a score that combines the highest individual section scores into an overall higher test score. As you enter your
senior year, you should begin approaching related individuals for letters of recommendation. Colleges will use these documents to determine your character from teachers, counselors, employers, and more. If you need letters from teachers, make sure to request them weeks ahead before the deadline as you will not be the only student who asks them for a letter. Then, yes, you will likely be expected to write one or more essays for college applications. These can be seen as dauting but the general 200 to 300 word requirement will not seem as bad after writing your first couple essays. Use those words careful, however, as they allow you to share your intellect and personality to the admissions team.
Institution Scholarship
Before and after you submit your application you will be able to apply for scholarship given by the college. Some of these scholarships are given based on aspects of your general application, such as activities on your resume or standardized test scores. Others are awarded based on separate applications which can require additional material such as an essay or interview. Through both of these methods, your application type can affect how much scholarship you are awarded. In its most basic sense, scholarship is meant to attract you to a certain school. If you apply early decision, it is likely you will receive minimum scholarship as the school will know you are already attending their institution. If you apply early action, however, you allow the school to consider your application before any scholarship deadlines. If you apply regular decision, you can still receive scholarship but it can be unlikely as most funds will have already be given to early action students.
Committing
After waiting weeks to months, you will eventually receive a decision from every college. Some, but hopefully all, will accept you. It will now be your decision to choose from these schools where you desire to spend the next four years of your life.
Making the Decision
As you consider your accepted schools, it may be difficult to decide which college is best for you. For me, as I pondered my final decision, I went back to my original preferences. Use these concepts to see which aspects are necessary in a college and others you are willing to comprise. I would also recommend creating a pros and cons list to write out any features which could be deal makers or breakers. Then, as with all major decisions, seek guidance friends and family. They know your strengths and weaknesses so they can help point you to a community which best fits you. If possible, you should also speak with current students who can provide insight on the school. Lastly, I would recommend reviewing my common mistakes section below. Once you know where you want to go, log into the portal and pay the commitment deposit. At some schools this is a binding decision so only make it when you are use it is the right college for you.
Outside Scholarship
Alongside applying for any of the college's scholarships, you should seek out any scholarships being awarded by outside individuals. You may be intimidated by your college's final price, but you can still bring it down with these outside scholarships. The best way to discover these opportunities is by first asking your counselor and then searching online. Throughout your senior year, you high school counselor will likely share different scholarship opportunities which apply to your fellow classmates. They may only award a couple thousand dollars to a few students, but every amount counts when funding college. Then, with all things, you can search online for various scholarships. There are many websites you can sign up for which will notify you of scholarships which align with your college plans and resume.
Common Mistakes
Before you make your final decision, it is important to look back on the college experiences of others. Each person is different, so these concepts may not apply to you. They are, however, general actions I have seen students make can slightly hinder their college experience.
Committing Before Receiving Institution Scholarship
At some colleges, you may not receive your final scholarship amount (other than outside scholarship) until weeks after you receive your decision letter. It is important to wait for this amount as scholarship is used to allure you to a school. If you are already going, the school does not need to offer you any additional funds.
Committing Near the End of the Admissions Period
While it is important to consider your final decision, you should not wait until last available day to commit. Schools will often allow already committed students to choose roommates, housing preferences, and first semester classes well before the commitment deadline. If you make your decision near the end, your choices could be made for you or rushed with very limited available options.
Following Your Best Friend
Though you may be close, this does not mean the same college is best for both for you. Truly consider what each of you want before forcing your friend or yourself to go to an unfavorable school in favor of a friendship.
Following Your Boyfriend/Girlfriend
Not all relationships will last, especially those formed in high school. As you enter college, you will become a different person and likely break up with your boyfriend/girlfriend. You do not want to make it an awkward four years as you try and constantly avoid your ex and their friends around campus.
Staying Near Your Home
While attending a school near your home can have its perks, but it can take away from the community aspect of college. You may be tempted to go home over the weekends or to live at home rather than in the dorms. These can prevent you from hanging out with friends and make college feel more like a job than a stage of development in life.
Now, this all seems like a lot of information to know and consider. College admissions will be overwhelming at first, but just remember to take it one step at a time. Do not become obsessed with a single factor but rather have peace as you give your best effort and consider your final decision. Above all, enjoy high school as you move into your next stage in life!
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