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As a senior in high school, juggling college application deadlines with your social calendar and your exam schedule can be overwhelming. Rather than getting swept away in all of the commotion, follow this advice so that you can be prepared for everything you need to do when applying to college.
Visit some schools
In the fall of your senior year (or even earlier) you should visit some of the colleges and universities you’re interested in attending. This is one of the best ways to narrow down your list of prospective schools. It can be fun to spend a weekend at a college or university to check out the social scene, but it may also be a good idea to schedule an official campus visit to learn about programs of study, athletics and dorm life. Talk to your parents, friends and guidance counselors about scheduling campus tours so that you can find the school with the right features for your future.
Make a calendar of important dates
Before you can submit applications to the schools which you have selected, you will probably need to write some personal essays and ask some trusted teachers and advisors for letters of recommendation. These things, in addition to the applications themselves, cannot be done overnight, so it essential that you create a calendar system for managing all of your deadlines. Mark your calendar for information sessions and early decision and regular admissions dates. (Most early decision deadlines fall in November while most regular applications are due in January or February. Check your prospective schools deadlines carefully.) Also be sure to keep tabs on scholarship and financial aid deadlines, as well as when you should take the SAT or ACT so that you can have your finances and test scores in order before your deadlines to apply.
It can also be a good idea to mark your calendar for when your prospective schools are sending out their acceptance letters so that you know when to look forward to opening the mailbox!
Look into financial aid
Depending on your list of prospective schools, you may need to supplement your college savings with financial aid and scholarships. Do some research so that you what kind of financial aid packages are available to you, as well as when you must submit your applications for loans, grants and scholarships. The first day that you can file the FAFSA (the Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is January 1st. It’s recommended that you file as close to that date as possible.
Be in touch with your schools
When your acceptance letters start rolling in, you’ll need to make some important decisions. After you examine the financial aid packages that are available to you and you choose the school that is the best fit for you academically and financially, you can be in touch with the university you choose and tell them that you plan to attend. There is usually a deadline by which you must accept the offer of admission. Make sure you are aware of the date and that you don’t miss it! Also be sure to send in the appropriate paperwork and checks regarding your housing, medical records and roommate preferences.
You will also probably need to decline admission at the universities you don’t want to attend. Be sure that you send in the appropriate paperwork as soon as you make your decision so that you can give other students the opportunity to go to the school they want. If you get waitlisted at a university but you are accepted at the school of your dreams, go ahead and have your application at the other school cancelled so that another student might have a fair shot.
Published on May 23, 2007