Well, seniors, it’s everyone’s favorite time of the year: College Application Time! Now, next year’s college freshmen partake in long and stressful late nights, slaving away entering demographics and trying to use every bit of creativity to write the most intricate essays possible. Yes, this is an irksome and difficult time for most seniors, but El Cid has some tips and tricks to get through the application process in a quicker and less agitating way.
Many have participated in an interesting group meeting with counselors about the three-month application process and its rules and regulations. Seniors became aware of general statistics and requirements that certain schools call for to be considered for admission. A great piece of advice that counselors offered was to take advantage of the visits made by the college admissions counselors on behalf of numerous schools. Each student is limited to five visits for the year, and visits provide a wealth of information. It is a great way to get a feel for a school that you are interested in.
According to The College Board, there are numerous questions to ask the admissions counselors to get a better feel for your school of interest. Some great questions to ask about would be how high the retention rate is, what test scores are necessary for admission, why is the institution unique and so on. No one wants to go to a school where there is no faculty available to help you when in need, or a place where there is little contact made between the students and advisers. It is important to ask questions, so you can become better informed as well as use the information to decide how much you would like to attend each school.
Counselors gave a solid presentation on choosing schools and gathering general information about the schools, but nothing specific about how to approach completing applications in a stress free and productive manner; however, counselors are beginning to pull students out of class, a handful at a time, to give their input and advice. They are there to assist seniors and answer any questions.
The first thing you should do is make a list of schools, including a medley of “reach” schools and “safety” schools, and order it in its level of importance. When creating a list, you should be practical, not choosing schools that are completely out of your GPA or test scores range; it will just be a waste of valuable time that could be devoted to another, realistic application.
Another helpful hint would be to set up a calendar and assign dates to complete each application. Make sure your top school corresponds with the earliest date on your calendar so that you can thoroughly complete the application to the best of your ability. These methods keep you organized and on track, so there will be no cramming the night before the application is due.
One final tip would be to ask for your letters of recommendation far in advance. Your junior and senior teachers have plenty of students to write letters for, so it would be beneficial to get ahead of the game. Also be sure to send them a thank you note for their kind words and the time they have put into your letter. Procrastination can be the worst thing a student can do around this time of year. It is a stressful time in the life of students, but if you use the advice of counselors and The College Board, El Cid guarantees it will make you feel better in no time!
Good luck, Class of 2012!