Senior year is full of exciting events such as senior sunrise, prom and senior skip day. It is also the time for college applications. College applications can be a daunting task, but by taking the right steps it can be easily accomplished.
Make sure to start your applications early. The process is tedious, and it is not a good idea to wait until the last minute. Before you start your application, decide which schools you would like to apply to, request your transcripts from your high school, and decide what teachers you want for your recommendation. Choose the teachers that know you the best, not necessarily the ones you have the best grade in. When deciding what schools you want to apply to, it is recommended to apply to at least two schools. Research these schools and decide if the culture, traditions and campus is right for you.
“I am applying to Texas A&M, Cedarville, Texas Tech and North Texas,” said senior Chloe Moore. “I love the traditions and campus at A&M, but I am interested in Cedarville because of their Christian representation.”
Next, start on your personal essay and short answer questions. Some schools will require short answer questions and some will not. Every school requires one long personal essay. In your essay, explain who you are and what makes you unique.
“My best advice for writing your college essays is to show on your application who you are and not who you think the admissions counselors want you to be,” dual credit teacher Mr. Andrew McCorkle said.
Once your essays are done, your application is almost complete. Make sure to include a brag sheet or extended resume. This tells the admissions counselors about the interests and hobbies that are not on your transcript such as leadership positions, extracurricular activities and accolades. You can also include your indicated major.
“I have always enjoyed science,” senior Connor Wharton said. “I want to study Geology at BYU.”
Now, your application is complete. McCorkle reminds students to, “Put your heart and soul into the application but once it’s done you can’t stress over it anymore.”
