"Dear High Schooler,"

By Ella Stevens

Dear High Schooler, 

   Navigating the college process was one of the most stressful experiences of my life. I felt like I never knew what I should be doing, when I should be doing it, and how I could do it best. Now, as a second-semester senior committed to her dream school, I feel like I conquered it. But I didn’t get to this place without many detours, roadblocks, and setbacks. Looking back, I wish someone would have given me a simple checklist of what and when I should be doing the big things so I didn’t have to rush or scramble to try and decode this mysterious process. That’s what I tried to put together in this article. My checklist obviously should not be used as a guiding light to inform your college journey, but hopefully it will help calm your nerves slightly. You WILL get through this, and the work will be worth it in the end! Here are a few checkpoints to keep you on track:

Freshman year: Start thinking about life after high school. No need to stress out or start doing frantic research, but just have it in mind. Consider what you are passionate about, what you like to learn about, how you learn best, where you might want to live, and if college even sounds right for you! If you think college is the right path for you, now is the time to have it in your mind because your vision for life after high school could inform what kind of classes you take, how you spend your summers, and what the rest of your high school experience will look like.

Sophomore year: This is the time to really start thinking about what colleges interest you and how you can become a competitive applicant. Are you involved in clubs? Are you taking classes that challenge you? Are you pursuing your passions in and out of school?

Hot tip: Maybe try out a pre-college summer program in a field that interests you! These programs not only help you stand out to colleges, but they are a chance to explore your passions and get a taste of what college could feel like, making the transition out of high school a little bit easier.

Summer of Sophomore year: Consider what standardized test you might want to take, like the SAT or ACT. If you want to take one of them in the fall of your Junior year to get a head start, you could study over the summer so it doesn’t creep up on you!

Junior year: Okay, now it's time to buckle down. This might mean meeting with your guidance counselor or seeking out a more specialized guidance counselor who may suit your interests better. This year is critical for grades, so take your classes seriously and schedule your SAT or ACT. The earlier you do this, the less stressful it will be in the coming months. 

Hot tip: Ask your teachers for letters of recommendation by the end of your junior year so they have all summer to write them. That way, you’ll be able to secure their support before they get a slew of requests in the fall. 

Summer of Junior year: Start your applications! It may seem very early, but you will be so thankful you got a head start. Start putting together a list of schools you like, researching their stats and looking at how you compare to their student body. Open up a Common App account and make sure you know your Naviance login information. Start to get organized in the best way for you. Everyone’s mind works differently, so whether that means making a notebook and folder for all of your college notes or creating a master excel spreadsheet, just make a system that you know you will be able to keep track of. But enjoy your summer; you have plenty of time. 

Hot tip: Your college essay will be best if it is about something you actually care about. Don’t stick to the prompts too much and stay open to inspiration! Maybe get a little notebook to carry around with you to write down ideas or even words you like. Don’t rush it.

Fall of Senior year: This is grind time. Start your applications way ahead of the due dates because they always take longer than expected. Make sure you know when all of your applications are due and what you need to do for each of them. Note this in a clear and organized way so you can refer back to it easily. It's going to feel overwhelming, but don’t be afraid to ask for help! Your teachers, guidance counselors, and parents have been through this and know how tough it is. Don’t try to make yourself seem like something you aren’t in your applications. If you are genuine in your essays, interviews, and applications, it will show and colleges will respond to that!

Winter of Senior Year: Yay, you submitted your applications! Unfortunately, you’re not done yet. Try not to obsess over decisions and definitely give yourself a well-deserved break, but then get back to the books. It's scholarship time. This may seem like too much to handle at this point, but there is a ton of scholarship money up for grabs out there that you could have! Talk to your guidance counselors about scholarships (Nyack has a huge number offered), and look at websites like Scholarship Owl and Fastweb for more.

Spring of Senior Year: You made it to the end. The grand finale. Now it is all out of your hands and the most important thing to do is remember that the decisions colleges make do not define you! I know a rejection might feel like the culmination of all of your efforts was worthless, but that isn’t true. Writing essays, working on applications, and studying hard made you a smarter, stronger, more resilient person, a college acceptance is just a bonus.  Whatever happens, you made it through high school! That is such an amazing accomplishment, and you have the rest of your life in front of you. Transitioning into the adult world is daunting, but you can do it! You are enough! 

This checklist was definitely more long-winded than I anticipated, but if you made it this far, kudos to you.

Wishing you all the best in your college process,

Ella Stevens