The step from high school to college is a very important one in many students´ lives. The student gets to really decide how they want to live their life and make an impact in the world. The parent gets to see their child grow up and blossom into something that makes them proud. The student gets their first real idea of independence, the parents get to rediscover their freedom! Whether applying to a D1 college of 70,000 students, or a tiny community college of 700, the process one takes must be carried out to a high degree of accuracy. This is so that it is easier to gain acceptance to the desired institution, some of which have very low acceptance rates. In this article, the process will be detailed out so that each and every student has the information and opportunity needed to apply and get accepted to the college or university of their choice!

Many people believe that they cannot apply to college until they know which career path they wish to take. They also think that the whole process is long and extremely difficult. This is certainly not the case. While important, one can change majors once in college, so being sure that one subject is what you want a degree in is not as crucial at the time of application. Moreover, there is plenty to do before even taking pen to paper, or these days fingers to keyboard, and filling out applications. Depending on the college of choice, as part of the application, an essay may be required to see how well one articulates themselves. It is important to fill these out early, as to save time senior year when physically applying. Examples of these are available on college websites such as CollegeBoard. At the same time, why not send these essays to your English teacher. As Kelley Pitzer, a long term English teacher, explains “Depending on grades and the college in question, the essays can make or break the application. In my junior classes, we have been writing practice SAT essays and college application essays. When it comes to writing the real application paper, I am sure all of the English department at Melissa will happily read them and offer pointers as to how to make them stronger”. By making these essays stronger, a student may gain acceptance to a college easier, putting less pressure on test scores.

Research is key when searching for and applying to college. It is great to have as much information as possible in order to complete the process well, and increase the chance of being accepted. Especially when popular colleges such as Baylor and UT Austin only accept 44 percent and 39 percent of applicants respectively, it would be awesome to be ahead of the crowd. As Melissa High School counselor Karen Gracy went on to suggest, “The scholarships section on the school website counseling and guidance page is a great place to look when first starting out the process. Each college is so different so it is difficult to explain what exactly is on the application form for each college; some will have an essay, all will have a section for housing so that’s something that families need to work out early. There’s a scholarship section too, which can help with money”. By finding out key information a long time in advance, there will not be as much last minute plans such as not having enough time to study for the SAT or ACT; a key part of the process.

Most colleges require applicants to take either the SAT or ACT test. This is a long exam, around five hours to be exact, testing college readiness in classes such as English and math. As Ms. Gracy explains, “Early admission for most universities is Nov. 1., and I suggest that everyone takes and completes both the SAT and ACT by August of senior year in order to be capable of applying early”. Obviously depending on class rank, the type of college one is applying to and so on, the required score varies, however it is important to always try and achieve the highest score possible. Senior August Greer says “I have applied to USC, UCLA, UT Austin, and Texas A&M. I might apply to Stanford. I started the application process early September and I took the ACT late last year, and in September this year as I wanted to try and better my score”. Not all colleges require both the SAT and ACT, however it can be helpful to take both, especially if you are still deciding where you want to go, as this way it will be easier to apply to multiple universities. The process is lengthy, so ensure that there is enough time to complete the paperwork to a high degree of accuracy.

Once all of the tests have been taken, it is now time to sit down with family and fill out the application. Take time and do this well, as any missed information may result in the application process being slowed. Be sure to fill in the job and extra curricular sections, as these will show colleges that you are punctual and able to handle multiple things at once, such as school work, regular work, sports, band or theatre to name but a few. This may increase the likelihood of being accepted as colleges are always looking for stellar citizens to add to their ranks. Greer added, “The application asks for everything you have done since high school in terms of extracurricular activities, awards received, and classes taken. You usually have to write 1-2 essays or answer a few short answer questions.” As Pitzer suggested, get teachers to read these articles so that they can be perfected; for some students, these will make or break applications.

Arguably the most important piece of advice, is to start the whole procedure early so that you do not have to rush. 2016 Melissa High School graduate Damian Paton told The Red Banner “I thought I started the application process with plenty of time to spare, but I could have saved my parents a lot of stress if I had started sooner, I encourage everyone to start applying as soon as they know where they want to go, or have a group of colleges being considered; you can´t exactly start planning too early for your future”. It is wonderful to get the opinion of someone who already has applied and been accepted, and they can offer advice as to what they would have done differently, and later on give advice about college life itself. Paton went on to say, “Don´t be afraid of not jumping into a four year university straight away, I´ve chosen to go to Collin College for a while in order to save money and start my independence closer to home. I can join my friends at UNT or Arkansas at a later date, when I feel ready, plus, saving money is smart!¨

College is not compulsory; if you would rather jump straight into the workforce, all power to you. However many people take the more traditional path of attending college. It is one of the best experiences of a person’s life, however the experience cannot begin unless the right steps are taken in high school when applying. Planning and preparation are key. As Ms. Gracy always says, “Start planning today for tomorrow’s future”!!