Calling all High School Seniors!
It's almost time for you to finish one journey and start the next. College Application deadlines are rapidly approaching and they may be here in the blink of an eye. In fact, some deadlines are November 1st! The college application process may seem like a daunting task, but it doesn't have to be. We are here to help guide you through the process so that you can feel better about the application process and showcase what you are truly capable of!
Starting the Application process
The start of the college application process begins with your dreams. What are your dream colleges/universities that you wish to attend? Gather a list of all these colleges/universities before you start doing research on each of these colleges/universities. The researching process is important to find out how they rank compared to other colleges/universities, what classes and majors they offer, tuition costs, etc. in order to see if that college/university would be a good fit for you!
After finishing your research process, you can now choose which colleges/universities you would like to apply to. There is no shame in trying to go big if you believe you can make it! Make sure to fill out the application as specified, checking to make sure there are no errors when you submit it. It is important to accurately reflect yourself, as falsifying information not only fails to tell others your true story but it can also result in bad consequences. Letters of Recommendation from people you have worked with can help bolster your application by having a professional share their experience working with you.
College Essays
College essays are also a crucial component of many applications. They typically provide the college/university with a sample of the type of person you are, some interesting experiences in your life, what your goals are, what your perspectives are on certain things, etc. It is an essay that embodies who you are, so it is important to put a significant amount of effort into it. If you would like help with your college essay, feel free to check out our College Advising Services at https://www.stepseducation.org/services.
Getting Financial Aid
Once you have finished and reviewed your application(s), you are almost there! The Free Application for Federal Student Aid(FAFSA) is free for all students in the United States to apply for financial aid to help with tuition costs! Find out more information and simply fill out the forms every year at https://studentaid.gov/. Make sure you check the deadline for submitting the FAFSA to each college/university you apply to. You can also apply to a variety of scholarships offered by different sources, sometimes including the college/university itself.
End of the Journey(and onto another!)
Finally, you can submit your application(s) once you are confident that you have completed them to the best of your ability. After that, you can’t do anything more as it is no longer in your hands. Try not to dwell or stress over your application, as you have done the best you possibly can! Dwelling or stressing over it may harm your mental health and it is important to always keep your mental health in check.
We’ll be back for more blogs in the future. Stay tuned!
