It’s October, which means it’s time to work on college applications! Since the process can be long and complicated, it’s a good idea to start early and become familiar with the resources you can use to help you finish before the deadline.
If you haven’t already, talk to your counselor about what schools you want to apply to, what you want to study in the future, and what your goals in life are. Remember: they are here to help you! Once you have a list of schools- including a range of reach, target, and safety schools- you can begin to research what each specific college requires as part of the application.
Some schools use the Common App, which is a universal application you fill out one time and send to each school that uses it. Some schools, do not use the Common App; it’s important to know what application your college uses, it will save you time, energy, and pressure as the deadline approaches. If you’re not sure which application your school uses, visit the college and career center, or your counselor to find out.
Essays are a huge part of any application, and they can also be the most time consuming. While you may not have time to write multiple drafts, getting them reviewed by your peers or teachers can help you write the best essay possible! Each school has different prompts they want you to write about, so do some research and make sure you know what your college wants.
Letters of Recommendation are supplementary and crucial pieces of every application, and it’s important to get them as soon as possible. For a letter from your counselor, ask them in person, then use the Google Form on the school website to give them information about yourself that they can write about. For letters from your teachers, once again, ask them in person, and give them a completed paper recommendation form, available in the counseling office. Give them at least two weeks to write your letter- quality takes time! Your teachers and counselor will appreciate it.
Lastly, while not part of the college application itself, scholarships and financial aid are critical to apply for. Many scholarships are available throughout the year, and applications are always available in the College and Career Center. Also, every Wednesday after school in the College and Career Center the counselors host scholarship workshops, where they can answer your questions and help you find and fill out applications for scholarships. Applying for financial aid is another huge part of applying to college; the FAFSA and ORSAA become available in October, so fill those out online with your parents to make college more affordable.
Our counseling department is also putting on Application Week, during the week of October 23 – 27. Every senior will get the chance to fill out an application. This is an invaluable resource to all students, whether applying to a community college, trade school, or four year university, for practice and assistance.
In the coming months, there will be a lot of work to do to take the next step in your education. Stay on top of it, keep track of deadlines, and remember to ask for help when you need it; every staff member at school wants you to succeed. Good luck!