7 Tips to Prepare Your Senior for the College Application Process
Mighty Mommy has been through the college application process 3 times. The excitement, the stress, the waiting – it can all be overwhelming. That’s why today, she shares 7 tips to help make the experience as smooth and painless as possible for you and your high school senior.
The new school year is hectic enough for families adjusting to new schedules, teachers, after school activities, sports, and, of course, homework. But for families who have a high school senior in the mix, this time of year is even more stressful because the majority of seniors are also starting the college application process.
With so many colleges offering applicants the opportunity to apply early, perspective freshman are required to start preparing their applications as soon as possible.
Mighty Mommy has been through the college application process 3 times. The excitement, the stress, the waiting – it can all be overwhelming. That’s why today, she shares 7 tips to help make the experience as smooth and painless as possible for you and your high school senior.
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Tip #1:Â Get Organized Early
Getting and staying organized is the key when filling out the plethora of paperwork that accompanies college applications.  Read the directions on each application. Know what is required of you and when it is required. Enter this information on a planning calendar. Record meaningful dates and deadlines you must meet in completing your applications. Decide which standardized tests you want or need to take and add the test dates as well as the registration deadlines on your calendar. Post the calendar someplace where it can be easily referenced by you and your child. I prefer the refrigerator or a family bulletin board, if you have one.
Tip #2:Â Stay Ahead of Deadlines
Help your child establish his own deadlines for sending in the materials that are at least one week ahead of the actual deadlines. Then work backwards to establish dates by which he’ll need completed essays and letters of recommendation, allowing plenty of time (6-8 weeks) for these documents to be generated. By waiting until the last minute to get things started, your child gives up control of the process, potentially allowing for an disorganized or even incomplete application to be filed.
Tip #3: Enlist the Help of Your Child’s High School Guidance Department
Most often, high schools assist students in compiling and submitting their applications, and will host a parent night at the beginning of the year that deals strictly with college preparations. I have found these to be super helpful, and I’ve utilized the support they offer whenever I’ve felt overwhelmed with the entire college admissions process. Just be sure your child becomes very familiar with how much or how little her high school will help so there will be no unexpected surprises. If your school utilizes a data management system such as Naviance, help your student learn how to use it properly.
Tip #4:Â Help Your Child Pitch Himself to a College
The application gives your child a chance to set himself apart and tell his story, conveying important things that will help an admissions director learn why he would be a good fit for their college community.
Today’s colleges want to feel a sense of passion and commitment from students who are applying for admission. This gives your child a chance to set himself apart and tell his story, conveying important things that will help an admissions director learn why he would be a good fit for their college community.  If your child has difficulty writing essays or isn’t comfortable with this part of the application process, help him make a list of qualities, personality traits, talents, achievements, and personal experiences that he can reflect on to begin with. A wonderful resource is On Writing the College Application Essay, 25th Anniversary Edition: The Key to Acceptance at the College of Your Choice by Harry Bauld.Â
Tip #5:Â Review the Common Application
Beginning the application process can be daunting; luckily, the common application can save you a whole lot of time and effort. You can click here to find out which schools will accept the common application (almost 500 schools are now members!) While you cannot begin filling out the application for the fall of 2014 until August 1st, you can preview this year’s application to get a sense of what information you will need. For example, you can plan ahead for the Extracurricular Activities page which should be filled out strategically; the order in which the activities are listed communicates to the colleges what matters most to your child. Having your child complete as much of the common application as he can over the summer can be a huge time-saver once school is back in session.
Tip #6:Â Complete the Free Application for Student Financial Aid (FAFSA)
The Free Application for Student Financial Aid (FAFSA) is something that you and your student will want to complete together—and there are deadlines involved. The federal deadline for the upcoming school year is June 30, and the state and school deadlines will vary. In addition, some types of financial aid are first come, first served, so it benefits you and your family to get the FAFSA turned in early.
Tip #7: Try to Enjoy the Process
Applying for college is a huge milestone for both you and your child. As daunting and overwhelming as the entire process can be, it’s something that you and your child can work on together, allowing for some opportune moments to spend some extra time together. Don’t let the tedious nature of the application process get the best of either of you. Instead focus on the excitement and joy that lies ahead for your child as he gets ready to begin a wonderful, new journey in life.
For more of Mighty Mommy’s tips on practical parenting, check out quickanddirtytips.com/mighty-mommy.
College application image courtesy of Shutterstock.