Whether you’re a freshman still trying to navigate high school, or a junior getting ready to enter your senior year and apply to colleges, there are important things to note before you get to your senior year. As a senior, I have many pieces of advice that I wish I knew before applying to colleges and making my class schedule in general. Now I am going to pass this advice onto you so you can have the most successful and stress-free year possible!
Things to do before senior year:
My first piece of advice is to fill out the Common App ASAP. Do not wait until you are in the middle of your first quarter of senior year to start your application. This will add so much stress to an already stressful time in your life. Starting it over the summer and getting the most done before school starts is the best way to make sure everything is completed.
Many English teachers will have you start your college essay at the end of your junior year. Do as much of your essay as you can during that time because it will give you a good start for when you do the full application. You do not need to keep the same essay, however writing one during junior year allows you to create a foundation for the final essay you will send to colleges.
To go with that, take the SAT (or any other standardized test) as early as possible. That way, if you do not like your score you have time to retake it and prepare further. Also, completing the SAT early allows you to submit your college applications at earlier deadlines (most colleges do not require test scores but some do so make sure to check the colleges you want to apply to for their policy).
For colleges specifically, plan your list and visit colleges throughout your junior year, that summer, and even early senior year. This gives you time to think about what schools you like, what areas you want to be in, etc. Do not wait until the last minute to build your college list. Think about majors, what part of the country you want to be in, the size of the school, and all of those little details that you might not think are important.
Finally, make sure to try your best beginning freshman year. High school is a fresh start, so any grades you had before are no longer counted. This is a great time to create good work habits and make sure you are doing your best. Colleges look at grades from all throughout high school, not just junior or senior year, so everything that you do in high school will be important in the future.
Things to do during senior year:
First of all, take classes in high school that can help boost you forward in college. AP and Dual Enrollment classes are a great way to get ahead in high school and give you a headstart on college credit. College is VERY expensive, and the more you can get done in high school, the better off you will be in college (I have an article on the differences and benefits of AP and dual enrollment classes). Not only do these look great on transcripts (which colleges love), but they also help give you college credit which can sometimes be transferred over!
Conversely, do not pile on the most difficult classes your senior year. This is a time to take classes that you find interesting and that you think will be necessary for you in the future. Taking AP classes looks great on applications, but if you are thinking of taking a super difficult class that you don’t know if you’ll need, don’t add on that extra stress. If you don’t know what a class will entail, ask an upperclassman who has taken the class! That is the best way to decide if a class is the best fit for you, or if you should not bother taking it.
My next piece of advice during senior year is to fill out the FAFSA when it comes out (FAFSA is Free Application for Federal Student Aid which is government assistance to help pay for college). You do not want to be going through senior year with the FAFSA application looming over your head. Sit down, spend the hour it takes, and fill out the form. It is tedious and annoying, but it will be helpful in the long run because as I said before college is EXPENSIVE.
Going off of the financial aid idea, during (and even before) senior year, look up scholarships in your area, from big companies, or even just on scholarship websites. Places like Niche, Bold.org, and many others have great scholarship opportunities that you can apply for. Every little bit counts when it comes to paying for college so applying for as many scholarships as possible is a great way to get a head start.
Additionally, when looking at/picking a school don’t be afraid to go in undecided. There is nothing wrong with not knowing what you want to do, picking a major can be very stressful. If there is a school you love, but you do not know what you want to major in, that is perfectly fine. All you have to do is pick a college, if you have no idea what major you want, go in undecided and learn more as you go.
Another piece of advice is to talk to your guidance counselor. Any questions you have about scheduling, Common App, Scoir, transcripts, or anything at all, guidance will have answers. This may be your first time doing all of this, but they have done it a million times before so do not be afraid to reach out and ask questions whenever you have them.
Finally, this is a more personal opinion, but if there are schools/programs that you know you like and want to attend/get into, apply early action. This is a non-binding application method that allows you to send your applications to colleges early and gives you a somewhat better shot at getting in. However, if you are not sure about a school, do not feel pressured to apply early. Applying regular decision is a perfectly acceptable way to apply.
(Side note: early action is applying early and hearing back early but if you get in you do not necessarily have to go there. Early decision is applying early and hearing back early, but if you get in you do have to go there because you will have already technically committed there. Regular decision is when you apply on the normal date, usually in January, and you hear back with all of the regular applicants).
Overall, senior year and applying to colleges can all be very stressful. However, there are some things you can do to take some stress off of yourself and make the process at least a little easier. I hope this advice will help you and make your senior year as smooth sailing as possible.
