The finish line for your furious fall is in sight! You have accomplished so much and your application look great. Keep up the great work - you’re almost there!
The last day to have any essays or applications reviewed is Dec. 21st. All application, portfolio, and essay work must be completed and ready for review by this date, even for applications with early January deadlines. Final fall application review meetings will take place on the 21st and 23rd. Incomplete work will not be reviewed after Dec. 21st - no exceptions.
As we are knee-deep in the application process, I thought this quote might resonate with you -
“Determination is doing what needs to be done even when you don’t feel like doing it.” – unknown
Complete the FAFSA! The FAFSA is live now and anyone can complete it as of this week. I encourage you to wait a week or two just to give time for any issues to be worked out now that a large volume of people can file the form. Reports have said that there are far fewer issues with the form this year as compared to last year. But waiting until Dec. 1 or later may help you bypass some heartache as traffic on the website ticks up these next couple of weeks.
Interviews! Have you registered for an interview with a college or scholarship committee? Please let me know! We’ll talk about how to present your best self in the interview and go through a mock interview together. If you have registered for an interview with a college, read this: College Interview Tips and Strategies: The Ultimate Guide
Keep Copies of Your Applications! If you have not already done so, download copies of your applications for your records. The copies serve as a back-up of your work and proof that you submitted your documents on time.
Check Applicant Portals and Email Accounts Often! Be on the lookout for an email from your college within 48 hours of submitting with information on how to set up your portal. Check your applicant portals and emails: Portals are the place where colleges keep applicant information and where you can update contact information, monitor application status, upload and track documents, and view the final admission decision. If you miss a request for more information or a document, it could jeopardize your admission chances, so make it a habit to check regularly. If your portal states that supporting documentation is missing, take swift action and reach out to me or your high school counselor for assistance.
Mid-Year Grade Reports
Keep your grades strong! Each year I hear about students having their admission decisions changed or rescinded due to low senior year grades. Don’t let this happen to you! Colleges admit students based on the assumption that you will continue to perform well in your classes.Be sure to communicate with your school/college counselor about any mid-year reports that will be required. You can see if a mid-year grade report is required by looking at the College Information in your CommonApp account or by asking your admission counselor directly.
Give Thanks! Share gratitude with your teachers, couselor, and any others who wrote letters of recommendation for you. Here is a great blog post from Hallmark about thank you note ideas.