Hi juniors (and anybody else who’s reading this, I guess). Senior year is quickly approaching, and you’re probably excited for a lot of things such as pep rallies, prom, and all the other stuff that comes with senior season. But before the fun, you gotta get through the hard part: the college application process. You’ve probably already started thinking about what you want your post secondary path to look like and that’s great. Have your fun with it now, because eventually the going will get tough. As someone who had a treacherous time with college applications, here are five pieces of advice that might help you out.
1. Look up application deadlines ASAP
Applying to college might feel far away at the moment, but those deadlines will sneak up on you. If you intend on applying Early Decision or Early Action, which I highly recommend, November 1 is the date you should have in mind. However, for some schools, it might be even earlier. Some schools have October 15 deadlines (awful, I know), so it’s important to be prepared. If you can, try to have a solid list of 10-15 schools by the beginning of the school year. You don’t necessarily have to stick to those schools, but you’ll at least have a pretty good idea of where you want to go. Most of you have probably begun doing this in your Junior College Knowledge sessions, so definitely try to capitalize on that head start. ALSO, if you haven’t already, get started on a personal essay draft! Those can actually be insanely hard to write because you’d be surprised how little you can actually fit into 650 words. You’ll likely have to rewrite or revise it a few times, and it’s better to work out the kinks early rather than figuring out that it actually sucks a week before your deadline is coming up. If you’re comfortable with it, have a friend, parent, and/or teacher read it over because an outside perspective can help. But don’t forget that it is YOUR essay at the end of the day, and it's okay to trust your instincts even if someone might disagree.
2. Explore all of your options
I feel like a lot of people tend to go into the college process with their minds made up about what they don’t want. And a lot of times that's totally fair because I trust that you know yourself. For example, I just knew that I wasn’t going to college in Texas or Florida. Like, I took that off the table immediately, and I stand by that decision, lol. However, don't be afraid to wander outside of your comfort zone a bit. Of course you’ll have your nonnegotiables, but maybe look into one of those schools that has been harassing you in your email (and yes, I’m saying this because I am going to a school that I had no idea existed before they started harassing me with emails every week). It’s fine to have your dream schools that you’ve been wanting to go to since you were in utero, but don’t let that be the end of it. Actually, take the time to research those lesser known schools or schools your counselor recommends because you genuinely never know where you’ll find YOUR school. And no, there is probably no 100% perfect match ‘I will die if I don’t go here’ school, but try to find the one that gives you the closest thing to that feeling, and don’t freak out if it’s not the type of school that you’d initially thought it would be. And as a matter fact, maybe the perfect place for you isn’t college at all. Although we attend a college prep school, maybe you don’t feel like that is the next step for you, and that’s completely fair. There is so much more out there to do, but you have to be willing to look for it.
3. Be prepared for the possibility of bad news
Let me start this off by saying that rejection is NOT inevitable in this process. It is completely possible to go 10 for 10. However, it is equally possible to not go 10 for 10. Out of my top five schools, I got accepted to three, waitlisted at one, and rejected from the last one. I won’t lie to you, being waitlisted/rejected absolutely hurt my feelings. I flung myself down the nearest set of stairs (flung is a little dramatic. It was more like a graceful melt into the floor. And I was still at school and yall know the roaches be roaching so 0/10 would not recommend). It’s fine to be disappointed, but you also need to find a way to move on. Easier said than done, I know, but that’s life. I can almost guarantee you that you’ll find another school that you can be just as happy and successful at. Throw yourself like a 24 hour pity party, and then it’s time to find out what’s next. Dwelling on it won’t change the outcome. And if that school was just super important to you, don’t forget that 1) transferring after a year is a very real and valid thing and 2) who knows, maybe you’ll end up there for grad school. Never say never.
On the flip side of this, don’t shoot low because you’re scared of rejection. If you end up getting rejected from a school, you can at least say you tried. Maybe you’ll even end up getting into a better school, and then that rejection will be a distant memory. It’s their loss more than yours anyway.
On the flip side of this, don’t shoot low because you’re scared of rejection. If you end up getting rejected from a school, you can at least say you tried. Maybe you’ll even end up getting into a better school, and then that rejection will be a distant memory. It’s their loss more than yours anyway.
4. Get used to being in The Cube
I’m not even joking when I say your counselor will likely be your lifeline throughout this entire process (shout out to my bestie Ms. Mulder). If you’re anything like me, emotionally unstable and habitually in a state of crisis, you will want to get very well acquainted with your counselor’s office if you’re not already. The college application process is actually very extensive and sometimes confusing and nine times out of ten, your counselor will know how to help you. Obviously, you’ll have your Senior College Knowledge sessions, but sometimes you might need more personalized help, so don’t hesitate to reach out and ask for it. Advocating for yourself is a life skill, so you might as well start now. Oh and you’re probably gonna need a counselor recommendation for some of your applications, and how can they write a good recommendation for someone they don’t know that well? So yeah, go see them. Even if it’s just to complain. Complaining is a great bonding tool.
5. Start scholarships like… yesterday.
This should come as a surprise to absolutely no one, but college is EXPENSIVE. Like scam level expensive. You’ll have to apply to at least three scholarships as a graduation requirement, but it’s your best bet to do more than that. And every dollar counts!!! Don’t ignore the $500 scholarship because you see a $5,000 one. DO BOTH. If you get a full tuition/full ride scholarship to your school, they might even just run you a check for the amount of the scholarship, you never know. Collect all the free money you can get because loans are literally no fun.
And while we’re on the topic of money, have an honest conversation with your parents/guardians about how you’re gonna pay for college. You don’t want to be blindsided if it turns out they can’t contribute as much as you thought they would. Go over your financial aid packages with them, talk about what is feasible, and go from there. There is always a way to make it work but it might take a little extra effort on your part.
And while we’re on the topic of money, have an honest conversation with your parents/guardians about how you’re gonna pay for college. You don’t want to be blindsided if it turns out they can’t contribute as much as you thought they would. Go over your financial aid packages with them, talk about what is feasible, and go from there. There is always a way to make it work but it might take a little extra effort on your part.
So yeah. There’s a lot more I can say, but honestly, I know you guys will figure it out. Or maybe you won’t, lol.
Love ya. See ya. Byeeeeee <3
Love ya. See ya. Byeeeeee <3
KAYLIN IVY
