Craft your college essay
The chances are that writing your essay will take you much more time than the application itself. And because it is essential, I advise that you do research and give yourself some time to think about what you want to write for your essay.
Prepare letters of recommendation
Like I said above, recommendation letters have become part and parcel of every college application in most schools, so you should get the best recommendation letter. My advice remains the same – approach your teacher early enough, so that they can have adequate time to write you a thoughtful recommendation letter.
Apply
You need to be mindful of deadlines. That’s why you need to have a calendar to guide you when you should apply to every college of interest. Additionally, you will need to pay the application fees if you haven’t qualified for a waiver.
Complete FAFSA
FAFSA is an application that is usually filled on 1rst October. You should complete this application as soon as possible because some colleges will offer funds depending on the first-come basis.
Give the necessary information
It will help if you have ideas or information set aside before the interview. This will enable you to focus on the topics of interests, thus maintaining relevance.
Review your letters and take action
Depending on the time of your application, you may start receiving your letter of acceptance or rejection in the early semester of senior year.
If you receive an acceptance letter, you’ll be required to attend the school in early May to give your consent and listen to what the institution has to say.
Usually, several decisions are based on financial capabilities, so make sure that you have your facts right before you can finalize your decision.
College Admission Timeline (for seniors)
During summer
It will help if you make good use of the summer months to visit some of the schools you had previously outlined in your list.
Alternatively, you can do some online research by reviewing the institution’s website to obtain information. However, visiting prospective institutions will provide you with the best insights to help you leverage on your interests. Note that this is only necessary when you receive a bunch of acceptance letters from institutions that are within your interests.
Map it out in August
Like I mentioned earlier, knowing the testing date will be of significance, and as such, you need to review the deadlines for prospective institutions and make a calendar for yourself. Meanwhile, seniors hoping for early acceptance should also do some online research if any special requirement is needed for such admission.
Get your essays done in September
Senior students tend to write a variety of essays, depending on the number of applications they intend to make.
It is worth noting that the same essays revolve around different schools, and as such, you need to make sure that each of your essays is exceptionally tailored to the prospective school.
It would also help if you review the essays earlier enough and outline their answers before writing the final copy.
Take your tests in October
Depending on the students’ geographic location and that of the school, the testing date may vary significantly.
Usually, students who tend to achieve exceptional grades in the field of vocabulary, as well as writing are tested for the SAT examination. Meanwhile, seniors who are more into scientific and analytic are often examined for the ACT.
Even so, students are advised to set their priorities right before they can decide on their perfect fit.
Make your inquiries and ask for recommendations in November
The number of recommendations needed will depend on the college you want to join. Still, in most cases, colleges will require at least two recommendations – a character recommendation and an academic recommendation.
The most important thing here is to identify people who know you quite well and can write positive statements about you. In other words, look for referees who have interacted with you most often to write your letter of recommendation.
Send out your applications in December
If you are applying for an early decision, you should apply by December. On the other hand, you can submit your application by January if you are applying for a regular choice.
In case the college you want to join uses a rolling admission policy, be sure to apply as soon as the acceptance period is open.
Expect interviews in February
Like I mentioned before, interviews are not very common, but there are a couple of colleges that still conduct interviews. These interviews are usually meant to help the college know more about you. That said, do your homework and know which colleges are likely to conduct an interview and prepare adequately.
Choose your college in March
Many colleges make their decisions on whether they will accept students in March and April, so you should keep an eye.
The moment you start getting responses from colleges you applied to, it’s time to begin choosing the colleges you are most likely to join.
You will have to go through all the letters and determine which colleges are worth it. You may want to filter out colleges based on their academic excellence, location, cost, alumni success, etc.
Consider the financial aids
Once you have settled with some colleges in mind, you need to know how you will finance your studies. Check out the available financial aids and see how they compare with the total fees you will be required to pay at the college.
Just to be safe, compare several financial aids and see which one will help you the most. Some colleges offer financial aid to international students, and I’m sure you’d want to keep an eye on this kind of financial assistance.
Revise in May
Here, you want to complete any unfinished business so that you make sure that everything is set. Maybe you’d want to secure your housing at the college or near the college, or you want to send any documents you didn’t submit yet. And because you don’t want to miss out on any college, make sure that everything is set.
Transfer Colleges
The transfer can occur in various backgrounds. For example, you could be transferred from your local college to university or from university to university.
And honestly, the transfer in colleges is very crucial because the admission process for transfer students is different from the standard admission processes.
So I thought it wise to list down some differences between a transfer student and a freshman student. Let’s dive in.
Head to Head Comparison Between Freshman Student and Transfer Student
Applications
In Freshman, seniors are required to present written essays, gain recommendations, and provide certification of diploma ACT or SAT grades. On the other hand, Transfer lets you apply with the same Freshman details along with your college transcript.
Evaluation
Freshman evaluation is exclusively based on high school grades, recommendations from school counselors, and co curricular activities. Transfer in contrast, evaluates students on their level of education, with addition to their college syllabus.
Familiarity
Being a first-time applicant, Freshman students find the application process overwhelming. However, Transfer students are familiar with the entire application process, and as such, they understand what’s required of them for a successful application process. This is because they have a higher inner-confidence compared to the Freshman students.
Need Assessment
While Freshman students are assessed based on their gathered information, they still need some time before they can get used to the school ethos and the community as well. Meanwhile, Transfer students fit into the surroundings quickly, thus opportuned when it comes to selecting their optional school.
Additional Expert Tips
Secrets of getting your applications accepted
Now, there is no common secret as to how your application can get accepted, but one thing for sure is that colleges are looking for well-rounded students who can work hard and make their college name great.
For example, Forest University once disclosed that they were not just looking for smart students, but they were also looking for renaissance students. That’s kind of unique, so the bottom line is to be a smart thinker who’s ready to take challenges and explore opportunities.
In Breakfast Club, things are quite different. Instead of looking for smart students, they are looking for athletes, popular students, the nerds, the anarchists, among others. In my opinion, these people are looking for individuals who are driven by passion. Is that you?
How to make yourself stand out
You can stand out from other students if you present your application in the best light while making sure that it is as thorough as possible.
Usually, most college applications lack cohesion and this should be your ace in the hole now that you know that most students don’t leverage it.
And to make sure that you include all these, take time with your application and fill your activity list with all the things you managed to do while in high school or your previous college if you are a transfer student.
What’s the most overlooked admission tip?
Now, most students think that it’s always the scores and grades that colleges look to accept applications. While this is an important factor, take note that it is not always the bottom line of everything. Colleges are usually looking forward to getting the right fit. In other words, they look at a variety of things to consider your application.
The mistakes you should avoid
There are a ton of mistakes you can make during your application process, but I’ll highlight the most critical ones that may cost you. For example, you’d not want to submit your essay without having a senior go through it to identify grammar and spelling mistakes. Additionally, you should make sure that you align yourself with the college you want to join.
The Bottom Line
Let’s face it. Applying for colleges that are within your interest can be a daunting prospect. As such, you need guidance from your school counselors, as well as parents for an effective application process. Most importantly, you need to set your priorities right and implement these strategies to meet all the essential requirements.
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