If you’re a high school senior, with hopes of attending a great college in the fall, all is not lost if you have not yet applied to, or gotten accepted to, your dream school.
Although the application deadline has passed for all of the Ivy League schools, and many other elite institutions, there are several hundred colleges whose application deadlines for the 2021-2022 academic year fall on or after January 15th.
While this is not the ideal time for college-bound students to begin the application process, those who find themselves in this boat – due to procrastination or any other reason – should follow a few guidelines.
1) Be selective. Don’t waste your time applying to schools that you have no interest in attending, or those whose application deadlines have already passed. Identify colleges that offer the major of your choice and meet your other requirements, such as location, cost, on-campus housing, and any other qualities of importance to you.
2) Make a list of the application requirements for each of the schools on your list. The majority of colleges accept the Common Application, which you can fill out online. So, do this application first. Advise you guidance counselor (through Naviance or whatever system is in place) of the colleges to which you are applying, as your counselor will need to submit your transcripts and recommendation letters.
3) Write a solid essay. The Common App requires one essay of 250 to 650 words, and literally allows students to write about anything as one of the essay prompts reads, “Share an essay on any topic of your choice.” Students should write an essay that depicts a personal quality or accomplishment of which they are particularly proud. The essay should not repeat information that appears elsewhere in the application, such as GPA, SAT scores, or a list of activities. Frequently students can use this essay even when applying to colleges that do not take the Common App.
4) Proofread and submit to colleges still seeking applicants. Ask someone you trust to proofread your applications, and then promptly submit them. Remember, there are many great schools that are still accepting applications. Universities popular with New Jersey students that have January 15th application deadlines include American, Bucknell, Case Western, Colgate, Emory, Fairfield, James Madison, and Villanova, as well as the University of Delaware, Denver, Georgia, Richmond, and Vermont. Colleges with January 15th deadlines include The College of New Jersey, Franklin and Marshall, Haverford, Holy Cross, Lafayette, Mount Holyoke, Oberlin, Providence, Smith, and Wellesley.
Susan Alaimo is the founder of Collegebound Review. For the past 25 years, Collegebound Review's Ivy League educated tutors have prepared students for the PSAT®, SAT®, ACT®, Subject Tests®, AP courses, and all high school subjects. Visit www.CollegeboundReview.com or call 908-369-5362
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