College. The word alone gives most people anxiety. However, the whole college application process does not have to be stressful.
Many people begin their college application process with college visits. College visits are vital because they allow students to get a feel for what types of schools are best for them. Before visiting a college, College Board suggests that students should have the following questions answered to help them decide where they should visit: Big campus or small campus? Two-year school or four-year? Rural, suburban or urban community? Close to home or far away from home? Once these questions are answered, the college visits can begin.
On a college visit, students should try to picture themselves attending that college, while at the same time getting educated on other aspects of the college such as: finances, academics, extracurricular activities, athletics, etc. “Check out the gym or the theater. Ask an admission officer if you can tour a dorm and a classroom,” advises College Board. Additionally, “Find the spots on campus where students gather; hang out there and get a feel for the character of the college.” Even if students don’t visit a college they’re applying to, they should most definitely visit that college before they officially enroll.
The next step in the college process is the actual application. Applications are typically more stressful for students than college visits are, but they don’t have to be. In order to have a stress-free application process, it is important to “start early, start early, start early,” says Christel Milak-Parker of College Connections. It’s also important to stay organized. Students should construct a list of colleges they’re applying to or thinking of applying to. They should organize them in order of their highest priority to lowest priority and know the college’s application deadlines.
In order to maintain organization more efficiently, the school guidance department suggests that students should take advantage of online resources such as Collegeboard.com and Connection.naviance.com/hhsnj. College Board offers a questionnaire to help you find the best college match for you and also offers multitudinous amounts of articles regarding college, SATs/ACTs, scholarships, and financial aid. Also, College Board is the website students have to use to send out their SAT, SAT subject tests, and ACT scores electronically. Through Naviance, students create a personal account that they and their guidance counselor and parents can access at any time. On Naviance, students can create a list of colleges they’re applying to and Naviance will show the colleges’ deadlines and whether they accept the Common App or not.
Another online tool students should utilize is The Common Application, which can be accessed at Commonapp.org. It is a time-saving website that allows students to apply to most colleges electronically. Instead of filling out various papers that could get lost or damaged, the Common App permits students to send in their applications stress-free. It is easy to navigate the website and it saves a lot of time and paper. However, not all colleges accept the Common App or they require supplements in addition to the Common App, so students need to be sure what the colleges want.
“Waiting for that thick acceptance envelope can be agonizing, but if you have spent the time and effort to approach the process in an organized way, you can rest a little easier,” states NextStepU, a website dedicated to answering all college questions. Once all applications are completed, students can finish out the rest of their senior year stress free and fun filled.