Our colleague and college planning specialist Donna Cournoyer contributed the following article.
Summer before senior year for a high school student is often filled with good times, maybe a summer job, and also great anticipation of the final stretch of the college planning process with fall college applications looming in the coming weeks.
For families of college bound students entering their final year in high school, the end of summer is a great time to ensure most of the preparation is done, and that you’re organized and ready for application season this Fall.
Focus Items for Being Well-Prepared
- Narrow your school list and decide on a final list for applications (for all criteria including costs)
- Have accurate estimates for out-of-pocket costs for each school; either by working with a college planner, and/or using the Net Price Calculators on each school’s website for financial aid and merit scholarship estimates
- Make a list of deadlines and choose your application timeline (early action, regular decision, etc.) for each school and list any materials needed for your applications
- Finalize essay or essays for your applications
- Have your list of extracurriculars, achievements, and awards up to date and ready
- Have any personal statements and teacher recommendations ready
- Start the Common App soon after it opens on August 1 to be sure you stay on schedule
For high school students heading into senior year, here are a few things which are important to keep in mind:
High School Courses and Activities
Keep up focus on grades and activities. Admissions will require final transcripts and may question if your student’s grades suddenly dip after the application has been submitted.
Do not make significant changes to your curriculum, or switch from AP and honors to all regular courses. Again, keeping up with your plan is important so that you will maintain your status as a highly focused student.
Admissions Process
If the schools on your college list heavily consider demonstrated interest in applicants, be sure to reply to requests for communications and attend events in the fall during the admissions process. Interact with your admissions counselors when they reach out.
Some schools weigh a student’s engagement and interest when reviewing applications. However, if you contact the school, be sure to have specific questions and make it a productive call for both you and the admissions staff.
You should be assigned an admissions counselor at each school. Be sure to reach out to them if you have important questions, especially if it affects your decision about where you will be attending, such as costs, or any other key factors in decision making.
Finally, get organized for your senior year and create a plan for applications so you can balance completing applications with your senior year coursework and activities. This will also help to keep the stress to a minimum. Reach out for help from parents and school counselors when needed.
Remember: most of the hard work is done!
Head into fall organized and prepared with enthusiasm to complete college applications. Before you know it, the holidays will be here, and your students may soon know where they’ll be headed off to college next year.
-DC