When you are graduating from high school and ready to select a college or university to attend, there several steps you will want to be familiar with in this process.  It may seem daunting, but there is no need to get overwhelmed.  Just take things one step at a time, and before you know it, you’ll be all done!

Researching the college applications process is a good idea to start with so you know what is involved.  There is muh information online that can teach you all about it.  You can also talk with your school counselor and teachers who can offer you a lot of good insight as to how the process works.  They may also be able to offer you some extra tips and advice that you may not find elsewhere.  You can also speak with current college students you know who can explain the steps to you and also maybe offer you some valuable information as to things they wish they would have done differently etc.  All of these resources can be very helpful to you in going through college applications.

Applying to College

The college applications process may vary from one educational institution to another.  Some colleges or universities may allow you to apply online.  There are actually getting to be more and more of the institutions adopting this method.  This is a much simpler and quicker application method for you, and the college can receive your information immediately this way without having to wait for the mail system.  Some of the colleges have very brief forms for you to fill out to apply for their school while others have much more comprehensive documents that can take a lot more time.

Some of the components of the college applications may include up to three letters of recommendation.  These can be obtained from teachers and counselors at your high school.  These letters can be very important when the college is deciding between you and another applicant, so you want to make sure they are quality letters.  One or two essays on a topic the college assigns you may be required.  This is to help the college learn more about what the students are interested in as well as their quality of thought and writing.

Criteria for a Successful College Application

Students will be asked about non-academic activities including clubs, sports, community service and jobs.  These factors are usually secondary, however, to one’s academic record, which will definitely make a difference in whether you get accepted to a particular school.  SAT or ACT scores are almost always required by the college admissions office.  How you did academically in school is surprisingly more important than these test scores, however.

There are deadlines in the college applications process.  You will want to find out what those deadline dates are for each particular college you want to apply for.  They usually run between Dec 1 and February 1 for the next fall semester.  Some colleges accept applications these days even as early as the summer before you start your senior year,  but you don’t want to miss the application deadline to be given the best chance for admissions and scholarships.  The schools will usually notify you within about 2-3 weeks after the admissions deadline and let you know your status.  Then you just have to decide which you will accept and where you want to go to college!