Tips on the College Application Process

By Lily Bozenski

When I was a Junior, just thinking about college applications made my heart rate spike. Everyone else seemed to know exactly where they were applying already and had been going on tours for months. I barely had a list of colleges I was interested in, so I panicked that I might fall behind. Now, having made it through the college application process and committed to my college, I realize all that stress was unnecessary. Many of my friends currently in their Junior year are having the same stress I did, so I’d like to offer some tips to make the process feel a bit more manageable.

Make your college list based on what matters most to you in a college

Things like programs, location, rigor, and campus life are all key things to consider when applying. Figure out which few matter most to you, then work from there to make your list. I knew I wanted to stay in New England, so I only looked at colleges in New England, which narrowed down my options and helped it feel less overwhelming. Then I decided I wanted a college with a lot of writing programs, which gave me an even more specific selection. I even made a spreadsheet to help me organize every factor I wanted to consider, but that isn’t a necessity for everyone. Just be sure to evaluate each college based on what factors matter most to you. Generally it’s a good idea to have around 4-6 colleges on your list, but that’s not a defining number. You can apply to as many colleges as you want, just bear in mind how much work you can handle if you apply to so many.

Don’t worry about deadlines until you know what they are

When I was thinking about colleges, I was so stressed because I knew I needed to apply by a certain deadline, but I didn’t know when it was. It feels like it might sneak up on you and suddenly be tomorrow, but in reality the deadline to submit applications isn’t until Senior year. Most colleges continue accepting regular decision applications until January or February of your Senior year. Early action and early decision deadlines are typically in October or November of your Senior year. All of those deadlines are much further away than I thought they’d be in my Junior year, and it gave me a lot more time to really think about which colleges I wanted to apply to without the panic that I’d miss a deadline.

You don’t need to tour every college on your list

There were some people I knew who toured colleges in sophomore year, and just hearing about that made me feel like I was falling behind in the process. I didn’t start touring colleges until the summer into my Senior year. It didn’t put me behind at all when it came to applying because I didn’t even start working on applications until some time into my Senior year. Once I started touring, I found it unnecessary to tour every single safety school on my list; I only needed to tour the ones I knew I really wanted so I could get a better feel for how life was there. The tours themselves aren’t stressful, if anything it’s very fun to get to explore the campus of where you might be going. 

The Common App is not as difficult as it seems, so don’t stress about it

I thought filling out my application would be hours upon hours of hard work and dedication. I was surprised to find the majority of the Common App is actually much more simple. Most of it is filling in factual information, like what school you go to and what your grades are. Whatever you are unsure of you can ask your guidance counselor about. The most difficult part of the Common App is the essay, which has a word limit of 650, so it’s not too long. There are prompts the College Board publishes every year, but they’re typically very general so you can write about nearly whatever you want. If you’re stumped and need help, a great resource is your English teacher. I got help from both my Junior year and Senior year English teachers on my college essay, and it turned out to be one of the best parts of my application that helped me stand out and get into my top school.

Trust that you will be happy wherever you go

Regardless of where you apply to or get accepted to, you will find a way to be happy. You will find joy, independence, and beautiful new experiences regardless of what you do after high school. The positives in your life aren’t dependent on getting into the highest college on your list; you will experience fulfillment at any college. The process can be overwhelming, but it will work out and you will end up somewhere you’ll be happy. So good luck, take breaks when you need them, and don’t be afraid to ask for help.