As juniors and seniors prepare to throw their graduation caps and head to college, they should know how to prepare for the stress and excitement of applying for colleges. The logical first step is to meet with a campus counselor.
“College applications can be a stressful time for students so during our meetings we go through each application and see what is needed to complete it,” College and Career Counselor Jennifer Shock said. “We take one application at a time so that the whole process doesn’t seem so overwhelming, I also remind them to keep a calendar for deadlines to help manage their time and hopefully it prohibits them from waiting until the last minute to complete their applications.”
With so many opportunities and paths to choose, just getting started and making a decision can be one of the hardest parts.
“We have a conversation about what they are looking for in a college with questions such as in or out of state, major, size of school,” Shock said. These are the types of questions that will help me gather a list of schools that may fit into their criteria.”
First, students should figure out what type of college they prefer and what they want to study. Speaking to your counselor can benefit you and leave you knowing answers to questions you didn’t even know you had.
“What colleges are looking for changes every year depending on the applicant pool and the needs of the university,” Shock said. “I will continue to stress to students to do your research and ask questions.”
Seniors have the privilege to receive two days of excused absences to attend college visits as long as they provide documentation proof of the visit to the school. Getting a feel for the campus can greatly influence a student’s decision with this being their future home. If you can’t make the trip personally, many colleges have virtual tours on their website.
“I always remind students that you want to do as much research as possible on your universities. Just because something is popular, doesn’t mean that it is going to be the best fit for you,” Shock said.
