Guest Blogger - Franca Rawitz

Getting Through College Applications

Written by:  Franca Rawitz is an independent college counselor with a proven track record of guiding students through all of the steps of the college journey with precision and care.  For assistance with any part of the process, contact  franca@readysetcollege.nyc  (917.693.2702) and visit readysetcollege.nyc

Crunch time for college applications has officially set in for high school seniors.  There are many pieces to juggle and confusion often arises.  Here are some tips to keep students organized and on track.

• Prioritize deadlines: Early Action and Early Decisions applications are due November 1, so these must be close to complete at this point in time.
• Make sure the college counselor at your high school knows which colleges you are applying to early so that he/she sends the school’s portion of the application in due time.
• Don’t forget to order your score reports from the SAT or ACT to the “early” colleges; there is a processing lag of 2-3 weeks. You don’t have to send all of your scores so be selective.
• Finalize the personal essay for the common application. Make sure the essay truly represents your personality.
• Be certain that the colleges you apply to accept the common application, some still have their own school-specific application.
• Proofread, proofread, proofread!  Before you hit that ‘submit’ button, print out your application and have at least two people proofread every page.

Each year, students begin the college journey earlier and earlier and they are right to do so.  The admission process becomes more complex with more and more “hoops to jump through,” so to speak. High school juniors should already be engaged in a number of college bound activities.

• College fairs are a terrific way to learn about schools.  The Big Apple College Fair is coming to the Jacob Javits Center in NYC on Saturday, October 25 from 1 to 4 pm.
• All juniors should be working on SAT or ACT preparation and registering soon for test dates.
• Campus visits have become a critical piece of college admissions so it is never too early to begin campus tours.
• This is an important year to improve upon grades (and GPA) as colleges scrutinize the grades from junior year.
• Keeping up with extra-curricular activities and community service is also key.