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What is the college application process like?

A junior in High-school, worrying about the future. #college #college-advice

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Kenji’s Answer

Hi Vivian,

First, take a deep breath. You are not the first junior in high school worry about the future. The college application process can seem daunting, but I'll be hundreds of thousands of other high school students are going through it right now. You will be fine. You just need to do some homework (ugh, yes, but it's true).

First step, your high school should have counselors. Go and talk to them. They should know your academic record, so they can help guide you towards schools that might suit you. You can also check out www.collegeboard.org, and they have a sorting tool that might help you decide.

Then start to get all of your information together, like any extracurriculars you might have done, interests, job experience, etc. You will need this for your college application. You may also need references, usually from teachers. Think about who these might be, let them know you'd like to ask them for a reference.

How about the PSAT? Have you signed up for that? If not, your counselor should know. This is a great practice test. You can then take the SAT (or ACT) later in the year. Most (though not all) schools want to see these test scores.

Lastly, most schools now use the Common Application (www.commonapp.org). A long time ago, you had to fill out an individual application for every school. Now you can fill out one application and apply to many schools at once. Once you decide on which schools you want to go to, you can learn if they take the Common App or not. In the application, you will include all of the information above. A lot of schools also want an essay, but you will know that when you figure out which schools you want to go to.

Best of luck!

Kenji recommends the following next steps:

www.collegeboard.org
Thank you comment icon Thank you so much Kenji‼️ I appreciate it so much. This information helped a lot😌 Vivian
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Aubrielle’s Answer

Educating yourself with the process which you are doing right now. I agree with sitting down with your counselor, which helped me a lot. Being proactive and following up on items. As you begin your journey, keep a journal that allows you to capture schools of interest, majors, interests in outside school activities- beach, trails, malls (whatever you are interested in) and locations (do you want to be close to home or close to other family members etc). Know that you are not in it alone and you have lots of resources available. Know that you can do anything you put your mind to! Never give up. Best of luck on your journey!
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Richard’s Answer

In its simplest form, a college application is just filling out an online form. You create an account, select a university, then fill out the form with all your personal information, upload essays, and you're good to go.
There are several different types of application processes for college. They involve the exact same application, but have different deadlines and results.
Regular - This is just the normal application type. If you are accepted, you can still choose whether or not you go.
Early Decision - The deadline for this type of application is much earlier, and is binding. This means that if you are accepted you are obligated to attend that university and rescind your other applications. However, the acceptance rate for early decision is typically higher than for regular applicants.
Early Action - This has a deadline similar to the early decision deadline. The only difference is that it is non-binding, meaning if you are accepted, you are not obligated to stop your other applications or attend their university.
The results of ED and EA applications usually come out sooner than for regular decisions.

That's what it's like for the actual process of applying to college. However, your application really began at the beginning of high school, with all the activities and grades and everything you put on the application. That's the things like:
Test Scores - Most college require either the SAT or ACT. Typically, sophomore or junior year the right time to begin taking them
(you can take them as much as you want until you get a score you're happy with). Start studying through
Khan Academy or buying study books at a library to prepare.
Volunteer Hours - Colleges always look for well-rounded, good people. A key component to this is how
much of your time you spend volunteering.
Organizations, specifically leadership positions - Many universities LOVE leaders. Having leadership
positions, especially elected ones, will help you both to get in to colleges and to get scholarships.
Good grades in tough classes - Take as many AP or IB classes as you can, and always work to have as high
a GPA as you can.
Essays - The essays are some of the most important components of a good college application. During your
classes, focus on improving your writings skills so that you can craft the best essays you can when your
applications start.
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