From essay prompts and looming deadlines, the college application process can be overwhelming, especially if it’s your first rodeo. Whether you’re a parent preparing to send your student off to college or an independent student figuring things out on your own, there are several tasks you can do before narrowing down your list of schools to apply to that could make the college application process smoother.
Let’s address something first. You, the applicant, or the applicant’s family member, are not a bother for having questions and wanting answers from colleges and universities. Reaching out to colleges and universities is simply you doing your due diligence. You and your family will bear the burden of college tuition. You, the student, must deal with the pressure of starting a new, more challenging curriculum. You, the student’s loved one, must grapple with the stress of sending the student off to college or university. The least a college or university could do is be as clear and forthcoming with information as possible.
Secondly, getting ahead of the college application season will reward you, the student, with the time and luxury to make unrushed, informed decisions. Thoughtfully plotting out a timeline that includes deadlines and unique application materials will make the college application process smoother and mitigate stress, raising your confidence and the quality of your application materials. The fall semester of your junior year is a great time to start seriously exploring colleges and universities because application materials, such as test scores, are being planned for or finalized by colleges, universities, and related institutions. We’d even go as far as to encourage incoming juniors to start formulating a plan with their families and academic consultants. The sooner, the better!
A third point to remember is that this process is about YOU, the student. The school you choose to apply to should align with your values and goals rather than you molding yourself to fit any given school. YOU matter! Never forget that you have a say, and a powerful one at that, in your college education, blossoming career, and experiences.
You could email the admissions team, but I suggest calling first. I have worked with students in the past to contact admissions officers and found the school website could very well have an incorrect or outdated email address. Have your list of questions ready (such as what the benefits of early decision and early action to your desired program are) and connect with an admissions officer to ensure a human directly answers your questions. (Virtual advisors or automated chat boxes tend to redirect you to a different page on the college or university website.)
I always implore students to be “visible.” Following the official social media page of the university, major-specific school, or niche on-campus club you hope to join could offer more insight into life at the institution you want to attend. Equally important, commenting, liking, and engaging with the posts and stories of the college or university of your dreams could help you become visible to the respective social media managers, who are often members of the organization you wish to join. When you eventually tour a top campus of yours and meet with the university staff and social media managers in person, doing all the steps recommended in this bullet could mean integral figures in the college or university you want to attend will recognize your name (and your genuine interest). In other words, following the tips above will help you build rapport with the school’s faculty and staff and stand out in the large pool of applicants.
Get the contact information of seniors at your school before they graduate and go off to college or university. Connect with them on a platform they’re most active on and check in with them later when they’re starting their higher education journey. Ask them questions about the list of schools they applied to. Remember, you are not aiming to mirror their exact college or university trajectory; the goal is to collect relevant information to make the best choice for you. For example, if hearing why your friend chose that small, East Coast school doesn’t resonate with you or doesn’t help you define what you’d like in a school, it could clarify what you don’t want and highlight your need for a larger college or university community.
Reach out to your family and friends to ask about the parts of the higher education experience not advertised on university websites, such as which city is the safest, where the best on-campus professors are, or what undergraduate programs you should tap into for your professional career. Doing so will give you a better idea of the college and university landscape and help you determine where you want to go and what matters most to you. Also, sit down with your parents or guardians to list the schools they attended. Keep note of this information as college or CommonApp applications want to know the degrees your parent or guardian earned from their respective schools and when.
Although it may not get the same traction as sections like Community Life, the news section of a college or university website houses a wealth of information. This section will answer questions you might have never considered, such as, “What kind of research is being conducted at the university?” “What are the recent accomplishments of faculty and alumni?” “Has the university received any funding awards to invest in research or growth?” “Are there new buildings or laboratories being built?”
Let’s say you want to major in the technology field. Looking through a university’s news section could lead you to an article about a professor working on their third publication on the exciting use of technology in the armed forces and help you cement where you want to enroll. Likewise, scouring a college’s news section could mean discovering a school of architecture with an ongoing program with a local nonprofit that builds shelters for unhoused individuals and finalizing your list of institutions offering the academic enrichment and service you seek in higher education.
There are several avenues to collect information and derive value from when exploring colleges and universities. If you, the student, your friend, or anyone you know cannot confidently answer why they want to apply to a school, please share this blog post! Deciding what school to apply to can be a grueling experience. Cram Crew is here to support you in defining and fulfilling your College Readiness needs.
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