College Application Process — Get Organized!

You are about to get overwhelmed with information. It will come in the mail, by email, and through meetings you attend. You will have calendar dates to keep track of, deadlines to meet, and more information to go through than you’ve ever seen.

First off, you need to find a place to keep your college information. This could be a bookshelf, a drawer in a desk, or even a cardboard box. As mail comes in, you want a place to keep it so that you can find it again! You may also want to get at least one (if not several) college guides (more on that later), and be able to look at the guides whenever you want!

You also need a calendar. It might be like your Agenda at school, or a wall calendar. You need to make note of when to register for college entrance exams, and of course when to take them. Later on, you will need to keep track of when applications are due. You may also want to set goals for yourself for doing different parts of the preparation process or the application process.

As you start writing out applications (even if you do them on-line), you want to keep a copy of your work. A good idea is to keep a notebook or folder specifically for your application materials. Of course, you may also want to keep this information on your computer, but it’s always a good idea to keep anything you’ve written in both printed and electronic form.

Finally, remember to look at your calendar! The dates are important, both for registering (and taking) the various college entrance exams, as well as getting important forms into the colleges you are applying to (the application itself, as well as your test scores, transcript, and teacher recommendations). It is surprisingly easy to lose track of time, and you won’t get any slack if you miss deadlines!

College Checklist

__1. Begin by prioritizing which criteria are the most important to you in the selection process. (Size, Location, Majors, Finances)

__2. Start dialoguing with your parents about the selection process and financial issues, and request their input.

__3. Learn about, register for, and take the standardized tests appropriate to your college interests. This may include the SAT I, SAT II subject exams, and ACT. You may also want to spend time preparing for these exams, and you can re-take the SAT I or ACT.

__4. Start researching colleges on the Internet using college search programs such as collegeboard.com. You may also find it useful to get a college resource book that profiles most colleges, such as Barron’s, Peterson’s, the Princeton Review, or the Index for College Majors.

__5. Discuss with your counselor ideas you have about college. Use your counselor as a resource. They are available for individual appointments. It is a good idea to meet with your counselor to discuss college issues by the winter of your junior year, if not sooner.

__6. Start getting more direct information about the colleges you are interested in by attending meetings with college representatives (at Marple, or elsewhere) and by visiting college campuses for information sessions and tours. You can also learn about a lot of colleges by attending one of the local college fairs (for example, at Penn State/Delaware County and at Villanova, both in the spring).

__7. Familiarize yourself with the financial aid process. Learn about the deadlines for the application process. Get started with writing your college essay at least several weeks before the application is due. Narrow down your list of colleges by the fall of your senior year (with help from your counselor and parents). Then make sure you carefully complete your applications, and supporting information (transcript and teacher recommendations), and get it sent before the deadline.