College Application Tips

Liliana Macioce, Entertainment Editor

Senior and junior years are the most stressful in high school. All of your junior year, you spend your time getting your grades together, focusing on your SAT/ACT’s, as well as getting a general idea of what you want to do in the future. Your senior year, however, is when you make your final decision on what college you want to attend and what major you would like to study. Deciding on colleges and sending out your applications doesn’t have to be stressful, though.

First, apply early. Applying to schools early is the best thing to do, even if you don’t exactly know what you want to major in while you go to college. The earlier you apply to the school, the more likely you are to get in. Your application will be one of the first ones being looked at, which is what you want. It’s okay to apply undecided because you are able to decide on a major before you go to school in the fall. The most important thing is applying and getting your acceptance letters. However, if you want to do anything in the medical field make your decision early because schools normally stop accepting people into those majors early.

Second, apply to as many schools as you can. There’s no harm in applying to as many schools as you can because most applications are free. Applying to a variety of schools can take the pressure off of you because you’re bound to get into at least one of them. Apply to some harder schools or your dream school, then some other schools you might be interested in, and some back-up schools that are easy for you to get into. Applications don’t take a long time to do and you can use commonapp.org and use the same application for multiple schools if the schools accept The Common App.

Third, take the time to tour the schools. Touring the schools can be a hassle, but it’s worth it. You never really know how you feel about the school until you go there. While visiting the school, you get to see the dorms, campus, professors, and even sometimes the student body there. Your opinions on certain schools will change. Always tour the school, though, before you commit.

Last, don’t stress about making a decision. There’s no rush to decide on your school. Some people don’t decide until the spring. But the earlier you apply, the more time you have to decide, since you’ll hear back faster. This is one of the biggest decisions you’ll have to make, so put a lot of thought into the schools. If you can’t decide, make a list of pros and cons between the schools and the school that has the most pros is obviously what should be a top choice for you.

Don’t get stressed out when it comes to college. If you have no idea where to even start when it comes to colleges, there are websites you can go to that help you find schools that have what you’re looking for. You could also talk to your guidance counselor.