On Sept. 4, 2024, the class of 2025 gathered in the Craft Theater for their first senior meeting of the year. During the meeting, counselor Brian Williams shared a presentation providing an overview of tasks that students are expected to complete for college applications.
The meeting began by reminding students to check their transcripts. Students are advised to ensure they meet graduation requirements (4.0 ELA, 4.0 Math, 3.0 Social Studies, 3.0 FOS, 2.0 WL, 2.0 Art, 0.5 Fitness, 0.5 Health, 4.0 Electives,) and additionally, students should verify the accuracy of their credits, confirm their GPA and check their name and demographic information.
Next, the meeting covered the college search process. In September, students should start building a college list. The Common App is the most widely used tool for applying to colleges in the U.S., and students can visit school websites and attend events to see if a school is a good fit. If students can’t visit in person, online resources like YouTube videos and student perspective websites are other ways to get a sense of the campus’ vibe.
Most colleges require at least one letter of recommendation, which provides a way for colleges to get to know students from another perspective. Students need to ask their teachers in person or by email before requesting the recommendation on the Common App. Generally, students choose two academic teachers—one STEM teacher and one Humanities teacher. It is not advised to pick two teachers from the same department. Students can also use the counselor letter spot wisely by including a professor, forum leader or CR teacher.
It is advised that students set up a planner for the upcoming months, as November is the deadline for most Early Action and Early Decision programs. In September, students should create their Common App, make a college list, ask for counselor and teacher recommendation letters and learn about the colleges they might want to apply to. In October, students should draft essays, finish supplemental writing for schools and be aware of deadlines. Finally, they should submit applications by Nov.1 for Early Action and Early Decision schools (Early Action: non-binding, with admission results usually released earlier than Regular Decision. Early Decision: binding, where students are legally obligated to attend the institution if accepted).
The application season can be stressful. However, it might not be as difficult as students think. In fact, it could turn into a rewarding process by helping students understand which school they want to attend and what they need to do to get in.
“I think seniors tend to stress,”Williams said. “You’ve hopefully done some research and figured out schools you want to apply to. You get excited about that. You’re really kind of looking ahead and planning your next steps in life. So that’s what we try to do at this meeting—get that mindset that this [application process] can be enjoyable.”
