{"id":30655,"date":"2015-09-24T04:25:10","date_gmt":"2015-09-24T11:25:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/2015\/09\/college-application-planning-tips-for-high-school-seniors\/"},"modified":"2015-09-24T04:25:10","modified_gmt":"2015-09-24T11:25:10","slug":"college-application-planning-tips-for-high-school-seniors","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/college-application-planning-tips-for-high-school-seniors\/","title":{"rendered":"College Application Planning Tips for High School Seniors"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"College<\/figure>\n

At the start of your senior year, you should already be well into the swing of college applications. We\u2019ll cover the non-application topics like grades and leisure time later. For now, let\u2019s break down the application, piece by piece:<\/p>\n

TRANSCRIPT:<\/h3>\n

Hopefully you\u2019ve maintained a rockstar GPA from freshman through junior years. Because all you can do now is make sure your official transcript is included in your application package. Moving on\u2026<\/p>\n

ACTIVITIES: <\/h3>\n

We\u2019ve said it before and we\u2019ll say it again \u2018til our faces are blue: activities are really, really important. You can\u2019t try and kickstart some monumental activity now; admissions committees are wise to that. What you can do, however, is organize your activity history in a concise and meaningful way. <\/p>\n

Ideally, all of this information will fit nicely onto a single page in Microsoft Word\u2014without tiny fonts or fudged margins! Resist the urge to go all Melville with your descriptions. Keep everything brief and to-the-point. Convey what the activity entailed, how long you\u2019ve been doing it, the average hours per week\/month, and any special achievements. That\u2019s it. If you need a lot more space to really address what a certain activity means to you, then you should probably write an essay about it! Need some essay inspiration? Check out our Essay Analyses<\/a>.<\/p>\n

STANDARDIZED TESTING:<\/h3>\n

It\u2019s the bottom of the ninth here, so your standardized testing at-bat opportunities are limited. <\/p>\n

SAT\/ACT<\/strong>
\nYou can take the SAT and\/or ACT in October, but if you take it anytime after that, your score will most likely have to be reported directly to the schools, which isn\u2019t ideal if you unintentionally botch a section or two. By the end of October, you\u2019ll want to have your SAT\/ACT superscore lined up and ready to go. You\u2019ll also want to have at least two solid SAT II scores, meaning 700+ for those applying to top-tier schools. <\/p>\n

AP Tests<\/strong>
\nYour AP scores from last May should have arrived a long time ago (obviously), and we recommend reporting scores from all AP tests you\u2019ve taken. Not taking an AP test or reporting a score needlessly raises AdCom eyebrows. <\/p>\n

TOEFL<\/strong>
\nFinally, international students can take the TOEFL one more time in September or October, if necessary. <\/p>\n

ESSAYS:<\/h3>\n

You should start drafting your personal statement in September, at the very latest. Allow us to repeat ourselves because this is a crucial piece of advice. You should start drafting your personal statement in September, at the very latest. <\/p>\n

Writing is a process that benefits from time and reflection… and rewriting. Lots of rewriting. Rushing to complete an essay at the last minute and submitting a working draft is not recommended for obvious reasons, not least of which is maintaining sound mental health. Also, you\u2019re going to want to have your personal statement locked down as early as possible so that you can devote meaningful time to application supplements, some of which are quite lengthy (check out UChicago and Columbia\u2019s apps for prime examples). Finally, you shouldn\u2019t write your essays in a vacuum. The opinions of others are invaluable\u2014parents, teachers, mentors, friends, and even your friendly neighborhood admissions professionals (cough, cough). <\/p>\n

RECOMMENDATIONS:<\/h3>\n

If you followed the advice from our junior year planning tips<\/a>, then by now you\u2019ve locked down three potential recommenders. If not, what are you waiting for?! For those who have, now begins a twofold process of gentle reminders and abundant gratitude. <\/p>\n

You should lay out all the instructions for submission in the most straightforward way possible and not just assume that your recommenders can figure it out (old folks with technology, I\u2019ll tell ya\u2026). During the process, gently remind them of impending deadlines. When it\u2019s all over, express your undying thanks for their help in the life-altering admissions process. For those of you raised with texting\/Facebook\/Snapchat as the sole methods of communication, this means penning a heartfelt handwritten letter. Kids with their technology, I\u2019ll tell ya\u2026<\/p>\n

THE INTERVIEW:<\/h3>\n

Some schools try to interview as many applicants as possible. Others don\u2019t care much about interviewing at all. No matter, you should be prepared to be interviewed at least once. What constitutes a good interview? Dialogue. It\u2019s a bad thing when an interviewer has to probe you with question after question because you\u2019re only giving one-word answers. A great interview is a conversation between two intelligent adults\u2014you being one of those adults, obviously. <\/p>\n

Whew. That\u2019s a lot of info to process. So here\u2019s some more! Good thing this stuff is less consequential than your applications\u2026<\/p>\n

GRADES:<\/h3>\n

Don\u2019t get senioritis now, Spicoli! Your grades still matter, especially because most schools request a mid-year report and some even request a final transcript after you\u2019re accepted. We\u2019ve never personally heard of a student getting his or her admission rescinded based on a bad end-of-year report, but do you really want to test fate and find out? The point is that you should keep your grades up, not because Big Brother is watching you, but because you\u2019re a studious individual who cares about education. <\/p>\n

TIME FOR YOURSELF:<\/h3>\n

While the above advice about grades still holds true, once you finish and submit all of your applications\u2026 you should let loose and party and like totally forget all of your responsibilities because wahoo you\u2019re done done donezo done!!! <\/p>\n

Obviously we\u2019re kidding, but you should definitely celebrate and reward yourself for completing your applications, since it\u2019s truly a gargantuan, once-in-a-lifetime feat. Seriously, go have some fun. You deserve it.<\/strong> <\/p>\n

One final piece of advice: once your applications are in, STOP WORRYING ABOUT THEM. Except for acing your interview, there\u2019s nothing else you can do to influence admission decisions. Don\u2019t compulsively check your application status online. Don\u2019t troll the toxic college admissions message boards, asking a bunch of knuckleheads to \u201cchance\u201d you. Don\u2019t call or email admissions offices, and definitely don\u2019t allow your parents to do the same, no matter how pushy they are. <\/p>\n

So go ahead\u2026 Relax! (Easier said than done, we know.) <\/p>\n

Not quite to senior year yet? Check out the rest of our College Application Planning Tips Series for high school students.<\/p>\n