Nothing has impacted college admissions more in recent years than the pandemic has. Most schools have gone test optional. Teens have had less opportunities to be involved in activities and sports or have jobs, which are often ways colleges can better understand what matters to a student and how that might be involved on campus.
But one thing that remains constant is the need to write college essays. Beyond lists of achievements and activities on a college application, the essays allow admissions officers to get to know a student and view further into the type of person they are and want to become by pursuing a higher education degree.
Many students opt to use the summer months when they are not in school and have more free time to work on their essays. The summer is also a good time to narrow down the list of schools a student is considering applying to and identify other tasks that need to be completed for the application process. However, not every teen is motivated, knowledgeable, and confident about the application process and may need extra help with planning and applying.
Sometimes, getting organized and taking the first step, even knowing what that step should be, can be the hardest part. Here are a few ways teens can kickstart their college application processes:
Review the Common App website. Over 900 schools now accept the Common App and using it can help streamline the application process. Some students don’t realize it’s also a robust search engine. You can search colleges by location, size, setting, or even by requirements (like ones that don’t require essays or standardized testing). There are also free resources and advice about applying to college, financial aid, and scholarships. And pro tip: while the essay prompts are available, we don’t recommend writing an essay specifically to fit those prompts (unless one prompt really does inspire you!). Why? There’s always a catch-all prompt as the last option (“share an essay on any topic of your choice.”). So, instead, start with your best story, then see which prompt works best. If none does, just check that last one.
Demonstrate Interest in Top Choice Schools. Showing interest in top choice schools is one of the most important things teens can do. Word of warning:, this needs to be authentic interest. Just opening emails and registering for virtual events is not enough. Beyond signing up for mailing lists, participating in virtual webinars and information sessions, or taking virtual tours, teens should engage with admissions offices, ask questions, and get to know more about the school, campus life and opportunities. And let us be clear: this doesn’t mean emailing an admission counselor every day with a question. If you have a question, ask it. Otherwise, remember your job isn’t to overwhelm (or stalk) an admission counselor. It’s to show up, show interest, and (most effectively) demonstrate that interest through a thoughtful application. And while this all may seem tedious, it comes back to the authenticity piece. If the interest is genuine, demonstrating it shouldn’t be hard.
Use Free Guidance Tools. Created by former college admissions officers and essay readers, the Collegewise Runway program offers underclassmen and seniors a variety of tools that can help with the journey leading up to college. From how to create a school list to a guide to completing the Common Application, testing strategies and information on filing FAFSA, Runway covers all the basics. Learn more and signup to access these resources for free at http://go.collegewise.com/runway.
Finally, this tip is for parents. Remember that you cannot manage and control your teen’s college application process. Provide guidance and advice when you can, but pressuring a teen to follow a certain plan, timeline, or checklist will only amplify the stress of applications.
Casey Near is Executive Director of Counseling for Collegewise. After transferring from the University of Pennsylvania to Scripps College, Casey caught the college admissions bug and hasn’t turned back. She started as a professional backwards walker (tour guide) at Scripps, then helped run visit programs for the admissions office. After graduation, she returned to her Bay Area home to work as an admissions counselor at Mills College, where she ran the tour program, assisted with transfer admissions, and convinced people that women’s colleges are indeed a wonderful idea.
In 2013, she opened the first Collegewise expansion office in the Bay Area and found her true professional fit. After a year of backpacking and working around the world in 2016 (and collecting a few stories along the way), she returned to her counseling roots to work from the Newton office.