Senior Check List
School is starting; YAY!
For this year’s seniors, school starting means it is almost time to start applying to college.
School is starting, OMG!
Here is a senior checklist of what you all should be doing.
1) Most important - stay on top of all of your classes and focus on getting the best grades you can. Senior fall grades are very important to colleges. First quarter grades, at a minimum, will be sent even to colleges where you are applying early.
2) Make sure you have asked two teachers for recommendations and that you have provided them and your guidance counselor additional information to make sure your reccs are super strong. Please read here for more details. It is VERY IMPORTANT to make sure your recommenders and your guidance counselor are aware of your earliest application deadlines. Typically high schools need to know a minimum of 2 weeks before any application deadline but check with your high school guidance counselor as they all have their system.
3) Whatever system your high school uses, Naviance, SCOIR, or College Kickstart, please stay on top of communication from your high school to make sure you do not miss any deadlines.
4) Now is the time to finalize your college list. We realize this year, with COVID, many of you are still visiting colleges. Now is the time to make your decisions.
5) At this point, you should be getting close to done or done with the main parts of your Common App. We recommend working on your activities and essay in a Google Doc and then moving them over to the Common App when you have a final version. Of particular note is to make sure your Common App Activities are in order of what is most important to you.
6) It is time to create a Common App account if you have not already done so. It is easy and does not take long. Start putting all of your colleges into your account. This is the best, most accurate place to see what application deadlines a college has and what supplementary essays they have if any.
7) Once you have entered your colleges into the Common App, you should create two Google Docs. The first should have all of your colleges and their application deadlines. The second should have all of the supplementary essays you will need to write. Look over all of your supplemental essays. You can often rework more than one of your topics to answer multiple questions. IMPORTANT: If a college has an EA deadline and you can get the application done in time, you should be applying EA. It is typically, not always, easier in the EA round, and it is always easier to get money in the early rounds.
8) Now is the time to decide if you want to ED to a college. This is a binding option. You need to be sure it is your first choice. You should not only love it but also be sure it is affordable. Many colleges will offer a financial pre-read for ED applicants. Reach out to your regional admissions rep to see if that is possible.
9) It is time to go through your college list and see which colleges interview. Here is a list, but it is always best to double-check on a college’s website. If the college interviews, you should try and interview. Interviews can be evaluative or informational; either way, they are important. If your Common App is done and you are pretty far along with your supplements, you can start setting up interview times as soon as you can get them while still allowing time for a prep session. Always book your interviews, to begin with, at a college you care a little less about. It is good practice for the colleges you like more. If you are not as far along with your Common App, also book interview appointments, but set them up for a time in the future when you feel your application will be complete. For example, if you are applying to a college with an EA deadline of November 1st, set up an interview sometime between October 15th-November 15th. It is essential to book interviews now because these times fill up at many colleges. Interviews these days are easily done virtually. Ask someone you trust to help you prepare for your interview. Do your research on the college. Even the most personable of students can use a little preparation.
8) Testing -some of you are still taking the SAT or ACT. Please stay focused and put in your best effort.
9) Parents FASFA and CSS Profile will be opening for this application season on October 1st. I will be writing a blog soon specifically about this. If you are filing financial aid forms, please make sure you and your child set aside some time to get this done at the beginning of October.
10) DEMONSTRATED INTEREST - showing demonstrated interest is important for many colleges. Here is a good list of which colleges use demonstrated interest as part of their evaluation of your application. Again it is always best to check information like this directly on a college’s website. I know everyone is super busy at this time, but here are some ways to show demonstrated interest.
You can “visit” them virtually or live by attending an information session and tour.
You can sign up on their website to receive more information.
You can follow them on social media.
You can reach out to your admissions representative.
You must open and read all emails from them.
You can sign up for an interview.
You can write great “Why Us” supplemental essays.
You can apply early.
All of these are FANTASTIC ways to show a college you are interested in them. Many students do not take advantage of one of the easiest ways to let a college know they are interested. That is when a college’s regional admissions representative “visits” their school. This year those visits will probably be taking place virtually. You MUST try very hard to attend when a college "visits" your high school. This is even more important in the world of virtual visits as there are usually very few reasons you can not be available. Many of these are after school hours, nights, weekends, etc. Also, please be PREPARED. Show you have done your homework and ask thoughtful questions. By thoughtful, I mean something that can not be easily found on a school’s website.
Good luck, everyone!