As 2017 draws to a close, so does the college application process for the majority of seniors. Now,  universities do their part and make admissions decisions by looking at their talented applicant pools. This is where everything comes together for seniors- they finally get to pick where they will be spending the next stage of their life! Seniors have spent portions of their summer and a significant part of the first semester perfecting their applications to send out to colleges for review. While some seniors have heard back from their early action or early decision schools, the majority of the grade anxiously awaits their regular decision notifications.

For those unfamiliar with the college application process, it is quite easy to become overwhelmed with waves of new but serious information. How do I decide which school to apply early decision to? When should I start working on my applications? How do I know which school is right for me? Stay tuned, for all of these questions will be answered!

The college application process is cumulative; ever since you set foot at Ridge, all the academic courses, extracurriculars, summer experiences, and awards have been accumulating for you to organize on your resumes and college applications. The college application process at Ridge High School officially starts as early as the second semester of junior year. Counselors make senior packets available to students in May so that they can start formatting their resumes, answering personal questions to aid counselors in writing meaningful letters of recommendation, and finally compiling together a list of colleges who will be lucky enough to receive your application. Of course, this college list in only preliminary, which means it is subject to change. Before junior year ends, students need to decide which teachers know them best to write a letter of recommendation. Usually, the teachers have their own forms for students to fill out so that everything that the individual strengths of the student are embraced and highlighted for colleges to note.

Lucy Wei ‘18 describes her experience asking for a letter of recommendation: “I picked my AP Macroeconomics/Government and Politics teacher to write my letter of recommendation because I had a high interest in the subject and I felt I excelled in the class. I believe my contributions expressed during class discussions further allowed me to engage and comprehend current economic policies and aspects of our government. I think it is always a good idea to ask the teacher in person, because it shows them respect and gratitude for giving their time to you.” After paperwork on the student’s end for the letters of recommendation is finished, the student has to end junior with strong final grades and, if applicable, AP scores.

Now, it is primarily the student’s decision on what application plan to choose and when to start working on applications to have them submitted by the school’s deadline. Early decision is a legally binding agreement that usually boosts the student’s chances of being accepted. If accepted, the student must enroll at that institution. Early decision suits students who feel they have a top choice, meet or exceed the average GPA and standardized test scores for the school, and are not using financial aid as a primary way to distinguish schools. (If a student is accepted early decision, they are bound to the financial aid package the school gives them unless they make a claim that the school is unaffordable for them. However, this is very difficult to prove.) If a student is still deciding between schools, but still wants an advantage, early action is the next best option. It is non-binding, so a student is not required to enroll if accepted. Some schools are rolling only, which means that the application can be submitted whenever and there is no specific deadline. However, to guarantee yourself a spot and a chance at scholarships, it is best to apply early. The most common way to apply to a school is through regular decision, in which the student submits their application around January and hears from the school around March. Like early action, regular decision is non-binding.

Alex Sharma’ 19 expresses: “I want to apply early to schools that I really want to get into. But I don’t know when exactly to start working on my application. I don’t want to feel rushed and make a mistake anywhere. It’s definitely going to take a lot of planning.” Sharma is not alone in his concerns about when to allocate time to such a lengthy process. The best advice to give to students approaching the college application process is to start as early as possible and be organized. Be sure to do substantial research on any school that you decide to apply to and consider all the negative and positive aspects of the school. Be sure to keep a track of all the due dates and specific requirements of all the colleges you apply to.  Naviance is an excellent tool to find out what your school of choice considers most important in their applicants, as well as their average GPA and standardized test scores. In particular, the Naviance scattergrams are highly effective because they plot your GPA and standardized test scores on a graph so one can see students who got accepted, rejected, or waitlisted with respect to average student statistics.

As a student would (hopefully) do for a big test or presentation, it is essential to start planning and outlining early. Choosing the best school should not be based upon where your peers are applying, but instead which school offers the best quality programs and education for your prospective career or academic area of interest. Communication with admissions counselors and college tours are an excellent way to express interest towards a school’s admissions committee and write about in your supplemental essays to that institution.

The college application process can be menacing, but with a positive attitude and meticulous grit, the beast can be easily tamed. Good luck to the Class of 2019!