If you’re going into senior year and are still confused about how to apply to college, don’t panic! From crafting your application essays to navigating standardized tests, there’s a lot to keep track of. Creating a college application checklist is a great way to stay on top of things—and we’ve got one to help you get started.
With college application deadlines coming up fast, it’s up to you to understand what you need to do to succeed. In this article, we’ll go over everything you need to know about how to apply to college, including:
- Understanding college application requirements
- Keeping up with your college application checklist
- Building a balanced college list
- Writing standout college essays
- Asking for letters of recommendation
- Applying for financial aid, and more!
First, let’s talk about the basics of applying to college and how to get started.
How to Apply to College
Though you might not have realized it, you’ve been laying the groundwork for your college applications for years. The activities you’ve joined, the classes you’ve taken, and everything you’ve learned has been preparing you for this very moment.
However, actually fulfilling college application requirements requires some planning and forethought. So, let’s go step by step through everything you need to do to submit the best college applications you possibly can.
College Application Checklist for Seniors
Staying on track to meet your college application deadlines is easier said than done. Senior fall is one of the busiest times of your high school career, so it’s important to find ways to stay organized.
To help you through this hectic season, we’ve put together the ultimate college application checklist:
- Research potential colleges. With thousands of colleges and universities to choose from, deciding where to apply can be a big challenge. Take some time to explore different lists and rankings while you start thinking about factors such as location, cost, and size.
- Build out your college resume. Senior year is a great time to add to your resume, but that doesn’t mean joining a thousand new clubs. Instead, focus on exploring leadership opportunities or doubling down on your involvement in your favorite clubs and extracurriculars.
- Take (or re-take) standardized tests. Though some schools are test-optional, many still require or strongly encourage students to submit test scores. Taking the SAT or ACT (or both) is valuable and can be extremely beneficial to your college applications. Some students tend to prefer one test over the other, so taking both is a great way to see which one plays to your strengths.
- Research potential scholarships. Even if you’re planning to apply for financial aid, scholarships are a great way to offset the cost of college. You can use StudyLab’s Scholarship Finder to look for scholarship opportunities that suit your background and interests.
- Finalize your college list. When it comes to narrowing down your options, you’ll want to aim for a balanced list. There’s no limit to how many colleges you can apply to, but somewhere between 5-15 tends to be the norm.
- Make a list of deadlines and requirements. Be sure your application calendar includes your early deadlines, your Regular Decision deadlines, and any financial aid deadlines. This step also includes reviewing application requirements, like the number of required essays or recommendations you need for each school. That way, you’ll have an idea of what you need to do and when you need to do it.
- Reach out to your recommenders. You’ll need to ask for letters of recommendation well in advance of your deadlines. This means getting in touch with your counselors, teachers, and anyone else you might want a recommendation from. The earlier you reach out in the semester, the better, so don’t wait to ask.
- Draft your college essays. There’s no easy way around it; your college essays are going to be the most time-consuming item on your checklist. From personal statements to supplemental essays, you’ll need to give yourself plenty of time to brainstorm, draft, rewrite, edit, and polish your essays.
- Request your high school transcript. Your transcript provides schools with a record of your academic history. After checking over the application requirements, contact your school’s registrar or get in touch with your counselor to make sure your colleges receive your transcript on time.
- Send your standardized test scores. Depending on the school, you may choose to submit your ACT, SAT, or AP test scores. Some schools require official scores while others allow self-reported scores, so double-check each school’s requirements regarding score submission.
- Complete the FAFSA, CSS profile, and any scholarship applications. For many students, securing financial aid is just as important as earning admission to their dream school. Be sure to complete the FAFSA and the CSS profile accurately and on time. And don’t forget to apply for any scholarships you’ve researched!
- Submit your application. Before hitting submit, be sure to double-check your application against the school’s requirements. Once you’ve confirmed your application is complete, you’re ready to submit. From there, you can track your application status to make sure everything has been received.
As you can see, there are many to-do’s you’ll need to check off your application checklist. So, let’s talk about a few of these in more detail.
Connect with Your High School Counselors
The first person you should turn to for college application help is your high school counselor. Your counselor is a great resource for guidance on how to navigate important college application requirements. They can help you with important steps such as requesting your official transcripts, building a list of recommenders, and finding colleges that are a good fit for you.
However, if you feel like your high school counselor can’t give you the support you need, don’t hesitate to look elsewhere. You may even benefit from investing in one-on-one advising through a college counseling service like CollegeAdvisor. Their 12th Grade Program can help you narrow down your college list, build a personalized college application checklist, and write stellar application essays.
Build your College List
Before worrying too much about how to apply to college, you’ll first need to decide where you want to apply. In fact, building a balanced, well-thought-out college list is key to setting yourself up for success down the line.
Now, what do we mean by balanced? To keep it simple, you’ll want to have three types of schools on your college list: safety, target, and reach.
- Safety: Safety schools are schools you’re confident you’ll get into based on your academic credentials and the school’s acceptance rate. For many students, a safety school might be your top choice public, in-state university.
- Target: Your target schools will likely have more competitive acceptance rates. However, you should still feel confident about your admissions chances based on your candidate profile.
- Reach: Where your safety and target schools are about being realistic, your reach schools are about aiming high and dreaming big. This category is for your most selective schools, including those with low acceptance rates and competitive GPAs and test scores.
Whether you have your heart set on your dream school or have no clue where to start, make sure you end up with a mix of each type on your list. If you’re just starting your research, check out StudyLab’s College Finder to explore schools by location, size, majors, and more!
College Visits & Campus Tours
Visiting a college in person is a great way to experience the campus culture and learn more about specific programs. In addition to traditional tours, many colleges offer opportunities to connect directly with faculty or current students.
Depending on your circumstances, visiting colleges in person may not be a part of your college application checklist—and that’s okay! There are plenty of amazing virtual college tours and resources you can explore online on your own schedule.
Filling out the Common Application
One of the benefits of the Common Application is that it simplifies the steps on your college application checklist. Instead of having to input information separately for each college on your list, you can submit all of your information at once.
The Common App’s first-year applicant guide provides detailed, step-by-step instructions for how to use their application platform. You can learn how to add colleges, where to find writing requirements, and how to go about requesting letters of recommendation. Basically, it’s everything you need to know about using the Common App, from creating an account to submitting your final application.
How to write a College Essay
As you might have already guessed, one of the most important college application requirements is your college essays. Before you start writing, it can be helpful to read completed essays, like these short essay and Ivy League essay examples. Looking at these samples can help you identify the characteristics that create engaging and memorable essays.
Coming up with a strong essay topic can be tricky, but using reflection exercises can help you brainstorm effectively. But don’t stress about finding the “perfect” idea. How you approach a topic is what will ultimately set your essay apart. Remember, the point of any college essay is to tell a compelling story in your authentic voice, while still answering the prompt. So, don’t worry about writing about what you think an admissions team wants to hear. Instead, try writing about something you genuinely care about.
To transform your first draft into a polished final piece, dedicate time to editing, revising, and rewriting. As you review your essays, focus on the “why.” Consider what you want your reader to take away: Why do you want to attend college? Why do you believe you’re a good fit for this school? Why are you sharing this particular story? Go through your essay sentence by sentence and evaluate how each line supports your answers to these questions.
Ask for Letters of Recommendation
One of the most simple tasks to check off of your college application checklist is asking for letters of recommendation. In addition to your school counselor, you may be asked to submit 2-3 letters of recommendation from the teachers that know you best.
In most cases, it’s best to focus on your junior or senior year teachers, especially if you’ve previously taken a class with them. Their familiarity with your academic abilities and growth can lead to more personalized and meaningful recommendations.
As a general rule, you’ll want to get recommendations from teachers in different subject areas, including whichever is most relevant to your major. However, when it comes to letters of recommendation, less is more. So pay attention to each school’s individual requirements and don’t send more than they ask for.
Additionally, be sure to ask for your letters of recommendation at least four weeks in advance of your college application deadlines, if not sooner. That way, your recommenders will have plenty of time to sing your praises and get their recommendations submitted before your deadlines.
Complete the FAFSA
The FAFSA, also known as the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, is used to help determine your overall financial aid package. It determines your eligibility for federal, state, and even institutional aid.
Completing the FAFSA requires you to gather important information, such as your social security number and records of your parents’ tax returns and income. Similar to the FAFSA, the CSS Profile is another important financial aid application that requires similar information.
If you don’t think you’ll be offered much financial aid through FAFSA, don’t forget you can also apply for outside scholarships. Just be sure to add any financial aid application and scholarship deadlines to your application calendar.
College Application Checklist Takeaways
If you want to meet your college application deadlines, you need a solid game plan. Creating your own college application checklist is a great way to keep your applications organized and your stress levels down.
The college application process can be complex, but it doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. Just focus on completing each item on your checklist, and ask for help when you need it. By taking it step by step, you’ll not only stay organized but also feel more confident throughout the process—and don’t forget to celebrate your achievements along the way!
