College Applications - Are You On Track?

It’s Senior September and those of you who are working to select a college or university for next year are likely working on your applications and essays. (I hope!)

A few important reminders:

1. The Common Application is open and used by the majority of colleges, so you can enter all of your information in one place and then just add individual supplemental essays for various colleges that require them. https://www.commonapp.org/

2. Have you asked teachers for a letter of recommendation? Be sure to follow-up with those teachers and discuss your interests and background so that they can write the best recommendation possible. Teachers have many requests this time of year so it’s best to touch base with each to learn their estimated timing for completion.

3. Double check the application deadlines for each of the colleges you are applying to.  Many colleges have Early Action deadlines of November 1st or November 15th and getting your application in before this date can give you more options for institutional aid or other perks.  Make a timeline of your deadlines so you can prioritize the order of your applications.

4. Looking ahead, it’s only a short time until the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) opens on October 1st. It’s recommended that every student/family complete the FAFSA in order to determine both federal aid and institutional aid. The sooner you complete it (i.e. before January 1st), the more likely that institutional aid will not be “used up” by the time your application is reviewed.

• One step you can complete now is to sign up for an account (if you don’t already have one) as you and your parents will each need your own FSA ID. Additional information here: https://studentaid.gov/resources/prepare-for-college/creating-your-account

• Look at each of the colleges you are planning to apply to and check if the CSS Profile is needed in addition to the FAFSA. If so, you can get more information on completing it here: https://cssprofile.collegeboard.org/

  
  

At Confident College Planning, we help students and families with the college selection process, using a planful approach to reduce stress and improve success. If you would like support with your applications, essay review, scholarships, or other steps, please contact confidentcollegeplanning@gmail.com – I’d be happy to assist!

Photo credit:  Colby-Sawyer College is a small, innovative liberal arts and science college in New London, New Hampshire.  The college serves approximately 750 students in over 45 academic areas with opportunities for honors coursework, study abroad, and a field studies program providing intensive experiences in the great outdoors. Additionally, every student completes an internship in their field of study.