It’s easy to be overwhelmed by deadlines, especially during senior year. Many college application deadlines are approaching soon.
These deadlines vary by school, according to FRC coordinator Lara Lindersmith. “Most are November, December, January … sometimes they’re later in the year.” Some colleges also use a technique known as rolling admissions, where they accept applicants without a preset deadline, “until [the college] run[s] out of room.”
For seniors, one of the most important things to remember about application season is that you should never procrastinate.
In Lindersmith’s words, “Procrastination, I would say, is the biggest problem … [students] don’t have enough time to really put their quality work out there.” Seniors should start early so they have enough time to “make sure they’re doing everything carefully and completely.” THS senior Audrey Menghini, who has applied to multiple colleges, shares similar views. She recommends “starting early and being on top of applying on time.”
For non-seniors, taking steps to prepare for college applications is still important. Researching colleges is an important factor in deciding where you want to apply. Lindersmith stated that “spring of junior year” was a great time for college research. In a similar vein, Menghini suggested, “Your junior year, look and research colleges that might interest you in certain majors.”
However, majors are not the only factor when determining which colleges to apply to. Lindersmith lists campus size, distance from home, and costs as important pieces that can help students make application decisions.
Once students identify the colleges that best fit them, they need to look into the admission requirements. “Some schools require a letter of recommendation, many do not”, said Lindersmith. “Some colleges require a SAT or ACT score, but many do not, especially in Washington state and on the West Coast in general.”
Information about colleges may seem confusing at first, but Lindersmith notes that it is usually easy to find by doing research on the internet.
“It’s always okay to come to the Future Ready Center, but the information is usually out there.”
