College Admission Guide 2022
Hello, Class of 2023.
Are you nervous yet?
Of course you are; you wouldn’t be here if you weren’t.
But because you’re here and you’re on top of this situation, it’s going to go well for you.
One year from now, your applications will be behind you. You might even have acceptance at your first-choice school already! The way that will happen with the least stress and the most chance of success is to begin now with a plan.
There’s plenty of great advice out there on applying and preparing to apply, but reading great advice and implementing it are two totally different things. So I’ve gotten you on the right track with a basic, easy-to-use month-by-month College Admission Game Plan. (Download it right here.) I’ve mentioned once or twice how much I like the free organizing app Trello (I even got to talk about my college app organizing system this month with fellow Trello aficionado Cara Harvey on her awesome podcast.) This game plan gives you an overview of the year to come and a simple, visual reminder of everything that needs to happen. Each month is given its own list to which you can add as many individual “to do” cards as you like. I’ve given you several cards for each month to get you started, including reminders of the major dates you should be on top of (Common App opens, FAFSA opens), and a few things you might have overlooked (like planning for this upcoming summer). You might add more specific ideas like “Sign up for college courses for fall semester” (if that’s a program your high school offers), “Apply for summer internship at hospital” (or whatever your dream internship might be), “Ask Mr. Smith for recommendation” (make a card for each teacher you’re asking), “Find ten possible safety schools to investigate” and “Complete virtual tour of …” I think you get the idea. I’ve put a card for “Start your College Research Trello board” in February, but who am I kidding? I know you’re starting that right now, too, so go ahead and download it right at that same Subscriber Hub where you found your Game Plan. Sign up for a free Trello account on your computer and then save a copy of each template to your account, then download the Trello app on your smartphone to keep your reminders at hand.
If you wait until the fall (or even summer) to consider what you’re going to be asked on your applications, you might not like your answers—whether it’s what book you’ve read that inspired you or what you did with your summer break. Consider what a picture of you taken today would look like: What would your grades show? What would your activities history demonstrate? Then ask yourself what you’d like to change, and how. This isn’t just about getting into college—at least, it shouldn’t be. It’s about becoming the person you want to become. If you don’t stop to consider whether you’re moving in the right direction, you might stall, or even head in the wrong direction completely. If you aren’t happy with your grades, what can you do to show improvement this year? Yes, your earlier poor grades “counted”—but colleges notice an upward trajectory, and more importantly—you’ll start learning more and developing strong work habits that will lead to success no matter where you go to college. What about your activities list? Is it thin? What can you add that might show colleges what you love—and get more of what you love into your life right now?
It may be cliché, but I don’t think many teens believe it: Life is not a dress rehearsal—not even high school. So start today to make your life what you want it, first in high school and then with a college application process that is exciting and successful, not frantic and stressful! Here’s to a joyful 2022!
(Photo by Katie McNabb at Unsplash)
