It’s Fall…pumpkins, Halloween decorations, and homecoming games! But for students with an eye on college, it also means completing applications, essays, the FAFSA, and college tours. Not to mention all the high school activities and academic demands you have in order to keep your applications strong!
Here are some steps for staying strong this fall:
The Early Action and Early Decision deadlines are fast approaching. They are the beginning of November at most schools. To reign in the anxiety, make a list of your colleges, their requirements, and the application deadlines for each.
Finalize your college essay if you haven’t already. Each college has its requirement for submitting essays. Some require them, some don’t, and some have their own questions (Ex. Why us? Or Why this major?)
Now, tackle each college application one at a time. The Common App offers a spreadsheet format to track all the college applications that you have created. If you don’t have a tracking method, you can create your own.
You will need to request Letters of Recommendations and Counselor Letters too. The Common App will send emails to recommenders and counselors for each college, or they can mail them to the college directly. Remember to provide an addressed, stamped envelope for each recommender!
Whew! This process can be a lot for many students, so working with a school counselor or an independent educational consultant like Beth can help keep you on track during this very hectic time.
