Seniors, this one’s for you. It might very well be a tribute. This year marks the beginning of a great transition in our lives. Applying to colleges. There’s so much to do, and we’re here to help you sort out all of the quirks. If you haven’t started the gruelling process of applying and crying and stressing, do not worry about it. Many haven’t.

The first thing to do is figure out if you are trying to apply early action to prospective colleges. Early action can begin as early as November 1st. If you’re pretty confident about where you would like to go, early action is a great decision because on average the acceptance rate is higher than normal application times. For many colleges, they will prioritize early applications for scholarships. Another key thing about early applications is eliminating the stress earlier of if you got in or not. It makes everything less pressuring.

To apply, key things to have in advance are recommendation letters. So, pick your teachers, counselors, or advisors and email them or talk to them personally. Most teachers will ask you questions or have you submit the letter request through your counselor. But, it’s always good to ask them directly beforehand. Rec letters help colleges see you as a real person. Teachers will ask for the deadlines of these letters, so it’s worth knowing that information in advance. Also don’t forget letters can be from coaches or bosses!

A last ‘good to know’ piece of applying is the Common Application. This application is what some colleges use instead of having a personalized application for just their college. This is a great tool for us applicants because it greatly reduced how many times we have to fill out our address, our number, our classes, etc. Before you begin your applications check to see if they accept the Common App! It’s super easy to get started, just enter your email and start. When you look at it as a whole, it is a scary process. But if you focus on the individual parts, it really isn’t that bad. We’ll get through this. Good luck, everybody!

Schools on the common app: https://appsupport.commonapp.org/link/portal/33011/33013/Article/999/Live­Common­App­Mem ber­Schools­A­M

Common Application website: https://www.commonapp.org/