Dear Severely Stressed-Out Seniors,
It’s the time of year where stress and anxiety levels of 12th graders across the nation to sky rocket. Don’t worry, take a deep breath, believe it or not, it’s going to be okay! Millions of students have been in your position before and have all made it out alive. Lucky for you, you have their mistakes and experiences to learn from while embarking on your college application process. I was just as stressed, if not more so, as you are in this very moment, but here are some tips that I wish I had known when I began this torturous yet inevitable process.
1. Start as early as you can.
If you haven’t done so already, check out your perspective school’s applications. Once you finalize your list, go to the school’s website to find out what kind of application awaits you. Then, see the requirements for each application. Some schools will require just an application, some will ask for an essay, some will ask for several supplemental essays. The more you know about your application, the more prepared you will be. You would rather feel overwhelmed with information than be pound out six supplement essays the night before the application is due.
2. Reach out to trusted teachers about editing your essay early.
As busy you think you are, your teachers are just as busy during the beginning of the school. Not only are they getting ready for the upcoming year, they are also writing letters of recommendations in addition to many students asking them for essay help. That being said, you want to be one of the first students to ask teachers for essay help: brainstorming, editing and everything in-between. The sooner you ask for help, the more time you have to improve your writing, and the less of a line you’ll have to wait at your teacher’s door as deadlines creep up.
3. Apply to places where you can see yourself.
Apply smart. I filled out several applications to school’s that I applied to just for the sake of applying. It was a giant waste of time, money and chipped away from my sanity. So when you are finalizing your list, take a second to ask yourself, “Would I actually go to this school?” Think of what you want out of your future university and make sure that where you’re applying possesses all those characteristics, and more! If you’re looking for a school with nice climate, there is no reason for you to apply to a school in upstate New York, vice versa. If you are iffy about whether or not you would have an amazing four years at a certain institution, reach out to an enrolled student, visit campus, take an online tour, do some research- do whatever it takes to get a feel of what that school is really like and if it’s for you!
4. Figure out which of your schools are/are not on the Common Application.
The term “Common Application” is a bit deceiving. While a decent amount of schools are on the Common App, there are still a majority of schools that have not jumped on that bandwagon. On August 1st when the Common App was released, I spent hours filling it out and editing my essay. Little did I know, none of my schools were listed. Take my advice and just shift through your list and identify which schools, if any, are on it. If not, identify what kind of applications await you and get a head start.
5. Have one place with all of your information.
My saving grace during the hectic two or so months of applying to schools was something as simple as an Excel sheet. As juvenile as it sounds you need to lay out all the information: university name, deadline, Common App (yes or no), type of application (rolling or not), date decisions are released, etc. If you make all of this available to you in one place, I assure you it will help you remain sane. It is a luxury to have everything you need to know about all of your schools one click away.
Take it from someone who has been in your shoes, these five, seemingly simple, tricks will save you during this crazy time. That being said, remember that this is only a three to four-month time period of your life. Soon you will be overwhelmed with joy stemming from acceptance letters proving that all your hard work has paid off! Remain calm, take it slow, and just know that you will end up at the school where you belong at the end of all the madness.
