You’re finally in senior year after all the work you put in the past three years. It’s our time to enjoy the last year of your high school… right? Well, now you need to apply for college. Seniors tend to stress about it heavily, as it’s a rigorous process that involves work and money for the sake of your future.
There are different applications, with the most popular being the common app. The average application includes this. First you create a common app account, and add which colleges you want to apply to. Then, list information about yourself and family, including address, citizenship, extracurriculars, sat/act test scores optional. After that, you request recommendation letters from teachers, which should be asked for early in the school year if you’re applying early. Finally, you upload a transcript which lists the classes you took and grades you earned in the class, sign up for financial aid, and submit.
What makes a strong essay? Colleges generally look for an authentic voice and specific anecdotes relating to the prompt. Your personal statement is an essay that is submitted to most common app schools. The prompt was about challenges I have faced and overcome, and I talked about a personal anecdote about almost losing my mother, and how it made me stronger academically and socially. In another essay, I wrote about helping kids in Richmond, California by passing out stockings and supplies. I wrote these about that because it’s a story that I want colleges to know about me, and my character.
Financial aid is another huge part of college applications. The FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) determines eligibility for federal aid, state aid, and many scholarships. The deadline is usually June 30. It is important that you fill this out to help pay for college.
University of California schools are the same process, however all of those applications are the same. You write four out of eight essays they give a prompt for. Making sure you know when the deadlines are is important.
If you’re applying early, most schools are due on November 1st. If not, the regular decision date is due January. With cal state applications, all you submit is some personal information and your transcripts. That application takes the least amount of time. While there are different college application systems, students in California generally use those three.
The application process is rigorous. Senior Roman Fernandes spoke about his experience with applications.
“The stress level is present knowing that there’s deadlines that I have to meet, and only meeting my college counselor once a week. Honestly, having a college counselor has helped the process so much because I couldn’t do it on my own.”
The whole process is time consuming and tiring at some points, however if you start early and you did enough in high school for you to talk about in essays, the process is much easier. I find it fun writing essays about your high school experience and who you are as a person. Students complain about applications all the time, however they stress more than they should. To all the students reading this who aren’t seniors yet, be ready early. Have a plan. At the end of junior year, ask your teachers early for a letter of recommendation. List what colleges you want to apply to and have an idea what you want to write about. Get a college counselor to help you. The process is long, but worth it, as the last click of submitting has you in for a much more laid back last year of high school. You will end up where life takes you.
