Students are less than a month away from the Early Admission deadline for most colleges and universities, November 1. This time period can be stressful and can leave most high school seniors feeling helpless. As the deadline continues to approach, here are some resources that can aid you in your application process.
There are so many moving pieces that go into the application process. From finding the right college to applying for scholarships, the following list breaks down some of the most important aspects of the application process.
Finding Your Fit
Are you still unsure of where you want to end up after high school? Are you thinking about just applying to a bunch of schools to see what sticks? Trying to figure out where you want to apply can be the most stressful part of applying to college because it is the first step. It may seem like everyone around you has it all figured out, but it’s important to remember not everyone knows exactly what they want to do. Keep in mind that your goals are entirely different from your peers, so your selection process will also be entirely different.
If you want to find a school or program that suits you, it’s important to remember three key aspects to college life. According to College Data, those factors that play a key role in your college experience are: academics, extracurricular activities, and social life.
When considering academics, think about the programs you want to pursue. What colleges have the best programs for your interests? What opportunities do colleges provide that fulfill your interests? Do they have undergraduate research? What do their study abroad programs look like? At this point it’s very important to consider what you want out of your undergraduate experience, and match that with colleges/programs.
Of course, you have to supplement your academic experiences with extracurriculars and your social life. Your standards for extracurriculars and social life are just like academics in the sense that everyone is looking for something different. Do your research to learn about the overall “vibe” you get from the colleges you’re looking at. Find out if there is a club that you’re super interested in that only exists at a single college. What kind of initiatives do colleges put out to enhance the social lives of students?
At this point, ask as many questions as you can! College Data breaks down all these sections on their website, making it easy for you to compare colleges. https://www.collegedata.com/resources/the-facts-on-fit/what-makes-colleges-different
Remember to use colleges’ websites as resources in this process. You can find a lot of information on their sites, that’s what they’re there for,
Essay Writing/Common App Resources
So, you know where you want to apply but now you have to tackle the Common Application and the essay writing process. What is the Common Application (popularly known as the Common App)? The Common App connects thousands of institutions of higher education. As its name suggests, it is the common application that allows you to apply to most colleges and universities. You can start the application process here: https://www.commonapp.org/
The Common App can be daunting to navigate, but thankfully there are plenty of resources out there for students to utilize when starting the application process. You might be wondering what colleges are expecting for your application. Here is the Common App’s collection of application resources to answer some of those “unknowns”:
https://www.commonapp.org/counselors-and-recommenders/common-app-ready
The bulk of the application process is the Personal Statement. Although it might seem impossible, don’t let the Personal Statement cast a shadow over your application process. There is a vast collection of essay resources on the internet. Here are just three sites that can help you tell your story in a compelling, unique way:
- https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/plan-for-college/your-college-application/write-your-essay
- https://www.collegeessayguy.com/college-essay-resources
- https://www.princetonreview.com/college-advice/college-essay
Scholarship Resources
Once you’ve completed your application and hit “submit,” you might start questioning how you’re going to pay for college. The answer is in scholarships! There are millions of dollars of scholarships generated each year (many of which will go unused). College Data’s Scholarship Finder is designed to help students find scholarships based on their demographics:
https://www.collegedata.com/scholarship-finder
Of course, there are programs similar to this across the internet. Don’t forget to check our college/major-specific scholarships offered by your preferred university.
Check out our list of scholarships exclusive for military kids/dependents:
https://u.osu.edu/ohiomilitarykids/2023/09/07/10-scholarships-for-military-kids/
College Confidential
It’s completely normal for students to be left with questions unanswered. The hub for all-things college is College Confidential.
https://www.collegeconfidential.com/
Here you’ll find parent forums, statistics, and all the things mentioned in this article. College Confidential is a great resource to help you narrow down your search and can aid in all the steps that follow!
References:
“Applying to College 2023.” College Confidential, www.collegeconfidential.com/. Accessed 5 Oct. 2023.
“Find Scholarships for College Students.” CollegeData, www.collegedata.com/scholarship-finder. Accessed 5 Oct. 2023.
Musico, Matt. “5 Free College Admission Resources Every High Schooler Needs.” CollegeData, 1fb.net inc., 14 Sept. 2022, www.collegedata.com/resources/explore-your-options/5-free-college-admission-resources-every-high-schooler-needs.
