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As you may have heard, and as many seniors have had indented in their brains, early decisions and applications are due next week! This is the time for you to showcase yourself as a student, athlete, and character of the colleges you want to attend. Here are some important pieces of information and key tips to take away when you apply early!
NOTE IF IT’S A RESTRICTIVE APPLICATION
For those of you applying early, you might be wondering about the differences between “early action” and “early decision.” Early decision is a binding contract with a school, where you must go to that school if you get in. However early action is not restrictive and allows you to apply to other schools, no matter if you get accepted or not.
That being said, early decision is a choice that many students are wary of, which is reasonable.
Applying to an early decision college is much like getting married (as far as I’ve noticed):
You heard about this college and get this amazing idea of what it is, so now you want to go there. You picture the experience that everyone reminisces of, excited that you’ll be able to get that too. But wait… what if? Then you get cold feet just as you sign the papers and picture the future again ahead of you. A long-term relationship with a school and everything it holds; so you question yourself, what if this isn’t the one for me?
Of course, as the saying goes, people don’t go into marriages planning to be divorced, so don’t assume that just because you might be too cautious to apply early, you shouldn’t apply at all!
Students can always transfer–which I draw parallels to an annulment, which is “quiet” compared to the stigmatization that surrounds students who drop out of college or don’t go (college isn’t for everyone!)–and it’s suited many students who now can have the education they wanted in the first place. The transferring process offers many new opportunities your previous school did not have and the benefit of starting over.
Alongside this, if you don’t have a top college you’ve wanted to go to since you were four, you can always apply early. Early action increases your chances of getting into that school without having the stress of a binding contract.
Regardless, just ask yourself why you want to apply ED or EA, and if you believe it’s right.
Everything counts
Being a student implies that you must get the best grades possible all the time. Many people I know strive for that recognition of the hard work they put in; the kind that your mom would have by hanging up your grades on the refrigerator as a kid that you’d walk past with pride.
Spoiler alert: grades aren’t everything and they don’t define you.
And yes, you’ll mature and realize this later on but truly, not every single grade matters. No one is going to reject you for a singular bad test grade. On the other side, you can be top of the class, but what else?
And that does not go to undermine all the hard work you’ve put in regardless of the grades you get–that’s incredibly important too and congrats that you work as hard as you did!
But colleges look for “well-rounded students”, someone who will do as much in school as they do out of it. So if you have a talent or awards you want to showcase, write that down! Many colleges offer on their Common App applications the option to submit things like portfolios or videos of talents like art and singing. (Even then, add a link in your resume just in case they don’t)
As I’ve said, write down any awards you may have received or any recognitions, no matter how small you think they may be. But keep in mind that all of these should be in your high school years only, because no one cares that you answered that one test right in the second grade (sorry to tell you). These important titles of recognition highlight the best qualities other see in you, therefore some of the many colleges will look at and be amazed by as well!
However, especially at Winthrop High School, there are numerous ways to create an astounding resume! Things like clubs, sports, and community service all show the characteristics of a principled student. All of them require perseverance, dedication, communication skills, and many more skills all pertinent to a student, as these are skills you will need as you grow up.
Organization and Outreach are the key
The application process can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re applying early and have a lot of schoolwork clouding your mind. So I find it very helpful to have a checklist of things I need to get done before a certain time.
As someone who is applying early, I recognize the importance of building a strong foundation in my essays, short answers, and resume, so I focus a lot of energy on those. That said, it is very overwhelming to focus on applications when there are a lot of other things to do. So, to counteract that, set a time for yourself to work on those three things every day or every week (and this goes for all application deadlines as well).
This can range from any time you want–maybe you just want to edit some answers for a few minutes or maybe you want to rewrite your essay. But any effort will lead to progress.
Alongside this, always reach out to your teachers family, or friends for help; they have gone through the same thing you are doing now and know exactly how you feel (for better or worse). So asking them will only help you as you apply.
Good luck to everyone applying early and regularly!
