Yesterday I received one of the highest number of inquiries in a day from families of high school seniors asking for help with college applications.
This is the moment that panic sets in. The school year has started and work is already piling up. Yet somehow seniors need to write a slew of essays and pull off applying to college amid the chaos.
Here is how to get organized if you feel behind in the process:
1. Access or request your high school transcript and review it carefully for accuracy before it is sent to any colleges.
You don't want any mistakes on the most important part of your application. You will also need your transcript for colleges that request self-reported grades/courses.2. Finalize your major choice.
And make sure you have ample evidence to support it through the courses you take, the activities you participate in, and the strengths you have.3. Pare down your college list to 9 to 12 colleges (at the most).
You should have an equal number of reach, target, and likely colleges on your list. This will ensure your list is manageable and that you aren't writing dozens upon dozens of supplemental essays!
RELATED READING: How My Son and I Are Narrowing Down His College List
4. Out of the 9 to 12 colleges on your list, make sure one of them is a Rolling Admissions college (with no set deadline) and apply to it ASAP—like this weekend.
The requirements for Rolling Admissions colleges are usually minimal (i.e. easy!). When you apply this early in the school year, you can often get an acceptance back within a few weeks. This will give you confidence you didn't know you needed.5. Write your main essay (sometimes called the personal statement).
Most colleges with set deadlines still require and read the main essay. (Still need a good topic? Download this!)6. Make an appointment or connect via email with your school counselor.
It's important to update them on your college list and to make sure they know who you are.7. If you haven't asked a teacher (or two, depending on what the colleges on your list require) for a letter of recommendation yet, this is the time to do it.
Focus on junior year teachers who taught you in a core, academic course (math, English, history, science, or world/ancient languages). If you don't have a good option from junior year, consider asking a sophomore year teacher.8. Begin working on supplemental essays.
Oftentimes the more selective colleges will require an additional essay or more. Prioritize the supplemental essays for the colleges where you plan to apply Early Action or Early Decision. Most early deadlines do not start until October 15th (at the earliest). You have time!
9. Register for the SAT or ACT if you haven't taken it yet or want to retake it to improve your score.
10. Instead of spending time on a resume (which few colleges review), invest time on the activities section of your application.
A clear, typo-free, and engaging activities list can transform your application.READ MORE: 7 Extracurricular Activities That Give Admissions Officers Pause
As much as students can get some things done over the summer, there is always going to be plenty to do once school starts. Create your own college application checklist. Cross off things when you complete them. You don't need to do everything all at once. Before you know it, you will be right where you need to be. Applying to college can feel overwhelming this time of year. Once you start submitting applications, you will quickly realize it's not as hard as you thought. Getting started is the hardest part.
