The 2022-2023 college admissions cycle has come to a close, and with its conclusion comes a reflection among all seniors on the application process as a whole, including the advice that worked, the advice that didn't, and the advice they wished they had. After completing this process myself, I have put together a list of tips geared specifically towards juniors who will be entering into the process this fall but that can be heeded by any student in any grade.
My first tip is to use the summer before your senior year wisely. Senior year will likely be your busiest year of high school, so take advantage of the time on your hands in the months before it commences to begin work on your applications. Use the summer months to get your ACT and/or SAT test scores where you want them, to do research on the schools you want to apply to, and to work on your Common App essay. If you enter the school year with a tentative list of schools and a first draft of your Common App, you will be set for success. It is also a good idea to start thinking about the supplemental essays for any of your chosen schools that require them—most schools release the prompts for the current application cycle on or around August 1, but the prompts tend to stay the same from year to year. Look at sample essays and begin planning out your own responses to ensure that you submit your best work.
When the school year starts, one of the first things you should think about is which teachers you would like to write your recommendation letters that are submitted with your application. Most schools require that you have two recommenders. As soon as you have your recommenders picked out, ask them face-to-face if they would be willing to write for you; teachers have a ton on their plates as it is, so be respectful of their time by letting them know about your desired letter as soon as possible. If they agree to write for you, make sure to give them a thank-you note or a gift to express your gratitude.
As I mentioned earlier, senior year is extremely busy since the application process is added on top of your standard academic coursework and extracurricular activities. Because of this, it might be a good idea to pull back on a couple of extracurricular activities or to be mindful of your course rigor so that you don't feel overwhelmed. Another tip for protecting your mental wellness is to utilize the early action application option for any of your schools that offer it—the more applications you submit during first semester, the less stressed you are during second semester. Similarly, do not procrastinate on your applications—this is a mistake that I made, and it caused quite a bit of stress. By putting just a couple of hours into your applications each week starting at the beginning of the school year, you will feel confident and prepared when the deadline rolls around.
One final tip that I found helpful during this process was something I learned from Mr. Sinnott. When filling out an application to a competitive school, it can be difficult to stand out from the crowd. To try and overcome this problem, Mr. Sinnott stated that your application should "be like an ice cream cone." Basically, this means that you should have a well-rounded application with strong numbers and solid extracurricular involvement, which is just like the top of an ice cream cone, but you should also have a "pointy" part of your application that reflects what makes you unique, just like the bottom of an ice cream cone. This uniqueness can come from a passion that you have, a weird hobby you enjoy, a special skill that you have, or whatever truly shows your personality and who you are.
The college application process is a grueling one, but it is also an exciting process that encourages you to reflect on your past three years of high school and how you have grown as an individual throughout that time. It is the culmination of all of your hard work, so make sure you take the steps needed to ensure that you show those admissions officers all that you have accomplished and all that you have overcome to get you to where you are today.
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