Many kids begin college in the fall after graduating from high school, but their planning and application process begins years in advance. Application deadlines may fall in the fall or winter of senior year, and completing each step to college may begin as early as freshman year.
This article will answer all your questions regarding when to apply to college, including how long it takes to finish each stage and your college deadlines. You’ll know when to apply to college and what steps to take after reading this
Ensure you carefully read this article to the end as it will be very informative and insightful.
Table of contents
What Makes A Good College?
There are several actors to consider when evaluating schools. The campus’s size, location, and culture are all important factors to access. In addition, you must ensure you know what you want to study as it will help you choose wisely from a wide range of schools.
Affordability is another crucial factor worthy of consideration. Now, I’m not saying you should rule out expensive schools. However, you need to consider the size of your pocket and plan in line with it. You can also look up scholarship opportunities available in any of the institutions of your choice. To solve a bit of the issue of cost, you can opt for a public school.
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When Should High School Students Apply For College?
Many college application deadlines vary based on their application procedure, making an already difficult process appear much more onerous. College preparation should be an exciting process, not one that makes you dread every deadline approaching and passing you by.
As a result, we’ve created a schedule to assist students and their families organize their applications and avoid missing important deadlines. You have a greater chance of getting into your chosen schools and receiving the greatest financial aid and scholarship awards if you stay on top of your application process.
Students must navigate a tangle of standardized tests, essays, recommendation letters, and deadlines in order to get into college. When to apply to college is one of those deadlines.
According to admissions experts, a student should start the application process at the beginning of their senior year of high school. While universities may set their own deadlines, most applications for normal autumn admission will be due in January.
Given the freedom with which institutions can design their own timetables, some colleges may stretch that date back to early spring.
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Here are a Few Things to Do Before Applying for College
- Don’t put it off until your senior year.
- Consult with the guidance counselor at your school.
The truth is that students should start thinking about college applications before their final year of high school. Hello, sophomore year! First and foremost, be aware of your most valuable resource! Your guidance counselor’s primary responsibility is to assist juniors and seniors with their post-secondary plans. Utilize them as much as possible and cultivate a positive relationship with them so that they can give you their undivided attention throughout the process, whether you’re applying to college, trade school, or entering the industry right away.
While both early action and early decision applications must be submitted by the usual deadline, the distinction between the two is that one is binding while the other is not, according to the National Association for College Admission Counseling.
In both cases, students will receive an early response from the college. In a 2018 report, NACAC notes that “students will not be requested to accept the college’s offer of admission or to submit a deposit prior to May 1” for early action. Early decision students, on the other hand, will be requested to withdraw their applications elsewhere if they accept a college’s offer and “pay a deposit prior to May 1.”
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Counselors in High School Can Assist You in the Following Ways:
- Solicit letters of recommendation and advice on the finest persons to ask.
- Register for the SAT and ACT examinations and provide study materials.
- Plan campus visits.
- Provide a list of colleges relevant to what you wish to study but may not have considered before.
- Provide constructive criticism on college essays, potential majors, and the type of fit that would be ideal for you.
- Check out this list if you’re trying to decide on a major or just looking for the bachelor’s degrees with the highest salaries. It might just help you decide what you want to major in.
Make a List of Colleges That You’re Considering
During your junior year, make a list of schools to apply to and back up schools to apply to, and begin the application process in the fall of your senior year. This is also a good time to consider if you want to attend a four-year college or a two-year college, or if you want to take classes at a community college while you sort it out. Junior year is the ideal time to begin touring colleges and universities that you are interested in to see whether they are a good fit for you. The average college application cost is $43, with $50 being the most prevalent charge. As a result, visiting schools before applying might help you save a lot of money. To avoid wasting a lot of money on applications, choose only 3-5 institutions and/or universities that you fancy.
While most institutions evaluate standard applications from January to March, other admission kinds have varying deadlines. Early action and early decision applications, for example, demand students submit their paperwork well ahead of the start of the school year, with applications frequently due in the fall. According to Kelly Fraser, owner and principal of Green Apple College Guidance & Education, early action or early decision institutions often have applications due as early as mid-October through November.
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Before Senior Year, Summer
Summer is the ideal time to begin the preliminary stages of college admissions before the turmoil of September arrives. Schedule tours of any college campuses you have not seen, and take notes to help narrow down your options later. Start thinking about which of your teachers might make an excellent recommendation letter for you. Take some time to read through the Common Application and start brainstorming ideas for your personal essay or personal statement. Once you’ve narrowed down your options, visit their websites to discover more about their admissions policies and to request an application. Check to see if your senior class schedule includes all of the essential courses for enrollment.
From October Through January
You’ll finish the majority of the college application process in these four months. To keep on track, speak with your school’s guidance counselor for help in constructing a chart of crucial deadlines. An incomplete application can hurt your chances of being accepted, so make sure your college essay is perfect, seek your high school transcript, and return your ACT or SAT results as soon as possible. If you’re applying for an early decision, you’ll almost certainly need to finish your application by November. If not, you’ll have until the end of December or the start of January to apply for regular admissions. You should also submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as early as January 1st in order to earn the maximum amount of financial aid.
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From February to April
Now that you’ve completed all of the paperwork, maintain your grades up to avoid developing senioritis and having your admission offers revoked by institutions. Acceptance letters may start to arrive in February, but don’t get too excited because many decisions aren’t sent out until April. Record all acceptance, rejection, and waitlist letters you receive. As a courtesy to your fellow applicants, contact them if you gain admission from any universities you do not wish to attend as soon as possible. Compare financial aid programs, campus amenities, and academics to help you decide where you want to go to school. Most schools have a May 1st deposit deadline, so make the proper decision on time or request an extension.
When Do The Vast Majority Of Students Submit Their College Applications?
In their final year of high school, the majority of students apply to colleges. They graduate in May or June and begin college the following September. Most colleges give you several alternatives for submitting your application. Admissions plans are the names given to these various possibilities, and each plan has its own set of deadlines, requirements, and limits. Early decision, early action, regular decision, and rolling admissions are some of the admissions plans you’ll come across as you investigate different institutions.
Most colleges will need you to submit early action or early decision applications by November of your 12th-grade year (senior year). You’d apply a few months later, in January or February, to meet a standard decision deadline. Let’s take a closer look at each deadline, starting with the early decision and early action deadlines.
Conclusion
College application is a very delicate procedure and it needs concentration and care. Now that we’ve taken time to let you know when to apply for college as a high school student, please do well to follow our advice. We hope you found this article very helpful. Please let us know what you think.
FAQs On When Should High School Students Apply For College
Because candidates may email transcripts and test results to all potential colleges with minimum effort, students frequently use the same materials for several applications. Some universities, however, have specific requirements that candidates must meet on their own, so always double-check any personal essay questions to ensure that your essay meets the question.
Students can benefit from applying to college early for a variety of reasons. Early applicants may find it easier to meet the admission standards. They can also expect faster responses, allowing them to apply to additional institutions if necessary.
Applying to college with lower-than-required grades is a dangerous proposition since you may lose your application costs, but it can pay off. Grade ranges are a guideline rather than a requirement at many colleges; candidates with lower grades but extenuating circumstances, good test scores, or a diverse portfolio may still be accepted.
Students can begin preparing their application materials as early as the summer before their senior year, but the process officially begins in the fall of their senior year. The majority of deadlines fall between January and February, so students should plan ahead to submit their applications.
Candidates must provide high school transcripts, recommendation letters, and ACT or SAT scores for most college applications. In addition, they may be required to make personal statements or respond to essay questions.
To find out which is preferred, contact the college. Most colleges prefer online applications because they are easier to evaluate and complete; in fact, some colleges even provide a discount if you apply online. Applying online is also easier because it’s easier to submit information and correct mistakes. Whatever method you use, make sure to inform your school counselor about your applications so that your transcript may be submitted to the appropriate universities.
References
- When To Apply For College: Complete Timeline
- Everything you need to know about how to apply to college
- When Should High School Students Start Applying to Colleges?
- When to Apply to College
- When to Apply for College: A Complete Timeline
