The Ultimate Checklist

Checklist Explanation:

Double Check Requirements

Think you know all of your college’s application requirements? Check again! Better safe than sorry, trust me. Visit the college’s website and make sure you’ve completed every requirement for application submission. Here’s a comprehensive list of helpful articles about completing these requirements.

Now List ‘em Off

If there’s anything you don’t already see on this list, make a checklist of all the requirements you know you need to complete for each college – it will help you stay organized when you’re submitting your materials later on.

Test Again!

If you realize you’re missing test scores or your current scores don’t meet the college’s minimum requirements, take the test again! This includes paying any late registration fees, getting any fee waivers from your counselor, and allowing time to fill out detailed personal information before being able to register for tests.

Know Pointless Facts

Applications have some of the most seemingly pointless questions. Make sure when you’re asked the year your grandfather was hired for his first job, you at least have someone like Mom around who can provide an answer.

Order Your Transcripts Early (Plus an extra!)

If the application requires you to self-submit your transcripts, make sure you have a copy of your OFFICIAL transcript (plus one extra copy) ready to be mailed/faxed/scanned at least a week before the deadline. You don’t want to be denied admission for late submission of materials – believe me, it happens.

Send Test Scores Early

The same rule about transcripts applies to your test scores. Almost every college requires that your ACT and SAT scores be sent to them directly from the College Board and the ACT, not from you. Surprisingly, it takes anywhere from 1-3 weeks for them to actually send your scores to any given college after you order them. This means you need to order your scores to be sent as early as possible! If they aren’t postmarked before the app deadline, the college will usually not accept them.

Get Letters of Recommendation Early

If there’s any less than a month between now and the application deadline, make sure you talk to your teachers and – if the application permits it – other mentors about letters of recommendation ASAP. Not only do you have to depend on them to get the letters submitted on time, but the less time you give them, the less happy they’ll be in their recommendations.

Retrieve Financial Documents!

I cannot stress this enough. If you’re applying for a need-based scholarship or your colleges require financial information in any way, shape, or form, tell your parents to find their recent relevant financial documents right away! For most parents, finding last year’s W-2 and 1040 forms is like trying to find the Hand-Traced Paper Plate Turkey you made in 1st grade. It might take a little longer than you think.

Complete CSS/FAFSA Early

Applications for financial aid through the CSS Profile or the FAFSA are incredibly detailed, long, and time-consuming, so if your college app requires either of these, be sure to finish it way before the application due date. These applications require so much time and attention that waiting to complete them at the last minute is virtually impossible.

Retrieve Community Service Records

Volunteer work and community service are great additions to any application, but they aren’t very meaningful unless you include the amount of time you’ve dedicated to these activities. Go to your advisors for NHS, Student Council, Key Club, FBLA, and DECA and get your records ahead of time. If anything, try not to ballpark your time commitments to community service – colleges may ask for proof later on.

Be prepared to write. A lot.

Once you’re done providing all the necessary technical information for the application, remember you probably still have an essay or two, plus a few short answers, to complete. Give yourself enough time to complete all of these to the best of your ability – they’re what make you stand out the most.