College Tip of the Week #11: Starting Your Applications

The college application process can be very daunting. From the various applications you will complete on different websites (such as CommonApp and ApplyTexas) to financial aid, scholarships, standardized tests, recommendations, and interviews, there are many things to get done throughout your senior year.

Throughout the next few weeks, we will go in-depth on each of these topics to provide you information to help you be successful, but for this week we want to start general.

Start early! What may seem like an obvious tip is very important. Though many of the aforementioned college admissions materials do not have their first due dates until November, you will want to provide yourself enough time to complete them to the best of your ability (and avoid rushing and causing yourself stress).

Make a schedule. With the many different dates for each college’s application and supplemental materials, in addition to your immense schoolwork, you may feel overwhelmed and miss certain deadlines unintentionally. This is why you must create a schedule and set reminders in your phone for each college and scholarship application deadline, so that you give yourself the best chance for finding the college that is right for you.

Be yourself. As cliché as it may sound, you must be honest and genuine about who you are in whatever you do. Whether writing a college essay, attending an interview, or filling out a financial aid form, you should not try to paint a picture of the person you think a college wants you to be. Instead, you should be your interesting and unique self, because that is how you will set yourself apart from other applicants.