What to Expect When Applying to College

The process of applying to college involves many key steps. It’s crucial that you don’t forget any of these steps, as forgetting to submit one single application might honestly change the trajectory of your future. Now, that’s a little dramatic, but you want to be sure to jot down all important dates and be sure to keep track of everything you have due. Spend time exploring what schools you want to apply to, what they look for, and if you’d be a good fit. If so, research more into what they require for applications and when the due dates are. Be sure you have all the test scores needed and ready to send, and the same goes for essays. It seems like a lot when you begin applying, but don’t procrastinate, keep track of your deadlines, and you got this!

RESEARCH AND PLANNING

The first step in applying to colleges is the research and planning that goes into it. Before applying, be sure to spend time researching various colleges and schools to find ones that align with your interests, goals, and values. Be sure to look into factors such as the location of the school, the size of the school, what kind of financial aid they provide, etc. Different schools have different deadlines for applications and different times too, such as early action, early decision, regular decision, and rolling admissions. Consider what extracurricular clubs and other things they provide for students!

APPLICATION COMPONENTS

Next, you have to focus on what components you need for your applications after narrowing down the list of schools you want to apply to. Applications usually require multiple things. Some of these include: personal information, academic history, essays, letters of recommendation from high school teachers or other individuals, standardized test scores, high school transcripts, extracurricular activities, and more! 

FINANCIAL AID

Another key component of college applications is financial aid! You need financial aid to get you through college, because for most people it is impossible to spend their own money on four years of tuition. Fill out the FAFSA (the Free Application for Federal Student Aid). The FAFSA looks at your eligibility for federal grants and financial aid by looking at information that you must provide about your family’s income, assets, household size, number of kids in college, etc. Gather important documents like tax returns and other financial records to help you correctly and accurately fill this form out. Be sure to also check when the FAFSA opens and closes so you don’t miss any deadlines and are able to get the financial aid you need! 

DECISIONS, DECISIONS, DECISIONS

Now comes the worst part, the waiting. After submitting your applications, there will be a waiting period before you receive your admission decisions. This might not be the most stress-free time, so keep yourself busy with school and other activities to forget about the big decisions ahead. Once acceptances and rejections have been released through the college portals, it’s time to make a decision! Weigh all the different factors of going to a certain school, and once you are happy with your choice, commit! And remember, just because you got rejected the first time around doesn’t mean you aren’t able to transfer to that school in the future. In fact, transferring to a new school is usually much easier than getting accepted the first time around!