By Sevanah Sandoval
Happy October! As we near the holiday season and some long-awaited school breaks, we get to enjoy the cozy autumn aesthetic during this time of year. Relaxing, right? Well, kind of. As the class of 2024 knows very well, the beginning of October also marks a stressful time of year. As of October 1st, Cal State Apply has opened, and UC and Common App applications can be submitted. Everyone planning to apply to college for the Fall 2024 term is left with a mountain of essays to write, lengthy applications to fill out, and potentially letters of recommendation to ask for, not to mention starting to apply for scholarships. With such a huge workload, October can be overwhelming. Here are some tips on how to get on top of your college applications, whether you’ve been planning for years or are just now realizing graduation is around the corner.
Know Your Deadlines
Perhaps the most crucial tip is to know when your applications are due. UC and CSU applications are all due on November 30th, although application deadlines for other school systems vary. Additionally, some schools offer early action or early decision, in which applications are due early. In exchange, you will receive your admissions decision early. It’s important to note the difference between early action and early decision. Though some colleges use different language than others, early action is typically non-binding, while early decision is typically binding. This means that if you apply for an early decision for a school, you must attend that school if you are accepted. If applying to a dream school, I’d recommend early decision. If you want more freedom, however, early action is a great option.
Pace Yourself
Even if you’re only applying to a few schools, you still have a good deal of work in front of you, from filling out applications to writing essays. To stay on top of your work, write down everything you have to do and spread out the work. Don’t let the long list stress you out– it’s not to make everything seem like too much, it just helps you know what you have to do and by when. Make sure you also give yourself plenty of time for each task and put good effort into describing your extracurriculars and writing your essays.
Ask for Help!
The college process is intimidating, and it’s easy to get lost. To spare yourself some frustration or potential mistakes when applying, ask for help when you’re confused. Talk to your peers and make use of the College and Career Center. Mrs. Marwick is here to help us, so make good use of all the resources and effort she puts into us!
Speaking of the College and Career Center, I recommend keeping an eye on the Counseling Google Classroom. Mrs. Marwick and Mr. Greene consistently post information about scholarships, college presentations during Access, and field trips to visit different college campuses. In addition, you can also sign up for the College Application Labs held every Wednesday during Access to keep yourself on schedule.
If You Need Letters of Recommendation, Ask ASAP
If you’re only applying to UCs or CSUs, you will not need letters of recommendation. However, other school systems and scholarships require letters of recommendation. Since the season of college apps is officially in full swing, it’s no surprise that many teachers are getting asked for multiple letters. In order to ensure you get good letters from the teachers you want, ask as far in advance as you can. Typically, last minute requests aren’t fulfilled.
Research the Colleges You Apply To
This is common knowledge, but how to research the colleges you want to apply to might not be. Personally, I researched the major I intended to apply to for multiple colleges, the tuition, and the acceptance rates, for example. Keeping a few notes on each school you consider is helpful in getting an overview of the school and deciding if you want to apply.
Balance Reach, Target, and Safety Schools
While anyone would love going straight to a super prestigious school, it’s important to make sure your application list has a range of Reach, Target, and Safety schools. Not every school you apply to should have acceptance rates under 10 percent! Try to apply to schools with a range of acceptance rates to ensure you have a fallback if your first choice school doesn’t send an acceptance letter.
Submit Your Applications at Least a Little Early
It’s no secret that overly-trafficked websites crash. Do you really want to be stuck trying to submit your college applications ten minutes for the deadline, only to be met with an endless loading screen? Probably not. Try to submit your applications a little early, just to make sure you don’t find yourself in this nightmare scenario.
Don’t Panic
It seems like a lot, I know. It’s perfectly fine to be stressed when applying to college. Don’t let the stress dictate your actions, however. This is something in which avoidance will only create more stress. Just do your best, and trust that things will work out. You’re going to be okay!
Conclusion
College can be scary, but just take things one at a time. I know the initial realization that college is so close can be terrifying– I’m a first generation college student, and when I was hit with this realization, I panicked because I had no idea where to start the process. Make use of your resources, stay organized, and stay calm. We’re all in it together. Best of luck applying!
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