How to Start the College Application Process

Your high school junior or senior year may have just started, but your guidance counselors, parents, and peers are already looking to the next phase of life: college. The more you have prepared for the college application, the smoother it will be for you. However, it’s understandable if you don’t know where to start – or what to do next. After all, you’ve never actually applied to college.

The College Application Timeline

We’re the experts when it comes to the college search, financial aid application, and scholarship search processes. By following our advice on completing your college applications, you’ll be better equipped to make a decision that is right for you and your future.

Deciding Where to Apply

High School Juniors: Research Colleges

It’s time to start thinking about your future college experience. What majors sound interesting to you? Do you want to attend college in a rural or urban setting? Which extracurriculars sound appealing to you? What’s your budget for paying for college? Do you want to study abroad? These are just a few of the questions you should be asking yourself now to create a list of colleges that interest you. Once you have a list of qualities you’re looking for, talk to your guidance counselor about colleges that meet those requirements. Check out websites of colleges that you’ve heard of – but maybe don’t know too much about right now.

High School Seniors: Create Your College List

Experts recommend applying to two Safety, three Targets, and two Reach schools. It can be easy to get carried away and apply to 20 different colleges, but it’s not necessary. By strategizing your college search and applying to a range of colleges, you’re almost guaranteed to get into at least one school. The Common App makes it easy to apply to multiple colleges because you only have one "form" to complete. However, many colleges have supplemental forms in addition to the Common App, so keep that in mind. Finally, consider whether or not you will apply by the Early Admission or Regular Admission college application deadlines.

Prep Your College Application Components

High School Juniors: Creating Your Student Profile

You may not be applying to college right now, but you’re technically working on your college application. How so? What you’re doing now in and outside of the classroom will be reflected on your admissions applications. Make sure that you’re working hard academically, asking for help where you need it, and getting involved in extracurriculars at school as well as volunteering in your community.

High School Seniors: Preparing Your Application Materials

It’s time to put all of your hard work down on paper. Your application will consist of the form itself, test scores (if required), and an essay. If you haven’t already, you need to ask teachers, coaches, and mentors for letters of recommendation. You also need to request transcripts from your guidance counselor. The standardized testing landscape has undergone many changes since 2020. While many colleges were test-optional for a few years, many are once again requiring SAT or ACT scores. If the colleges you’re applying to are requiring test scores, it may be a good idea to take the test one more time if you’d like to improve your score. Lastly, the college application essay has become more important than ever. It will supplement your application by allowing the admissions committee to get a sense of who you are as an individual. As you work on your college essay, avoid certain topics and write in a way that makes your college essay effective.

Discuss How You’re Paying for College with Your Family

High School Juniors: Start the “Paying for College” Conversation

It’s best to have this conversation during your junior year of high school. This way, you can clearly identify which schools your family can afford, and which will be a financial stretch. Students and their families are all over the spectrum when it comes to paying for college. Some parents pay for all college expenses, while others pay for nothing at all. Knowing what to expect from your parents or guardians will help you strategize for your financial aid and scholarship applications. Now is also the time to start maximizing your aid eligibility.

High School Seniors: Financial Aid Planning

If you haven’t already discussed finances with parents or guardians, time is of the essence. You don’t want to receive your financial aid package and then have these discussions. Knowing what your family can afford – or what your family is willing to borrow now – will make decisions easier in the spring. Here are just a few things to consider as you plan to pay for college.

Financial Aid and Submitting the FAFSA

High School Juniors: Learn About the FAFSA

Don’t worry; you don’t have to submit your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) until your senior year of high school. However, start researching the form now and make a plan for filing it as soon as possible when it becomes available in your senior year.

High School Seniors: Submitting the FAFSA

The FAFSA application becomes available on December 1 this year. Many states distribute financial aid on a first-come, first-serve basis, so your odds of qualifying for aid are higher if you submit it as soon as possible after its release date. If you need help on the FAFSA, you can contact the Federal Student Aid Center or find a FAFSA workshop near you.

Reviewing Your Financial Aid Package

High School Juniors: What to Expect in a Financial Aid Package

Again, you are about a year and a half out from receiving your financial aid packet, but you should still know what’s inside one. Students who have filled out the FAFSA and met state deadlines, as well as completed supplemental forms from their college, will receive a financial aid package that consists of some or all of the following: grants, work study, and student loans.

High School Seniors: Evaluate Your Financial Aid Package

When you receive your financial aid award letter, you’ll finally have a better picture of how you’ll be paying for college. It’s possible that your financial aid package covers all your college costs, but most students will find that there is still a gap between what they can pay and what the college costs. If you think that the financial aid package does not meet your need because of difficult circumstances, now is the time to request a financial aid appeal.

Make Your Final College Decision

High School Juniors: Being Prepared for Decision Day

The pressure is off – for now. Hopefully, though, you can see that preparing for the college search and application process will enable you to be better equipped to make a final decision on May 1 of your senior year of high school. It can be a lot of work to find and apply for the right school, but it is a lot easier when you are prepared.

High School Seniors: Committing to a College

The moment is finally here! May 1 marks National Decision Day, the day by which high school seniors need to make a commitment to a specific school. This is usually accompanied by a deposit to secure your place at the college. From this point, you’ll begin making final preparations for your move to college!

Month-by-Month Planning for College Applications

Once you become a junior in high school, you will need to start making progress on your college search. Being prepared ahead of time will make senior year less busy and stressful. If you have spread the process out over two years, you will be more engaged and make decisions with real clarity, which is the best place to be when making the decision on where to attend college. If you would like a more detailed look at both the junior and senior years of high school, we have those too: • Planning for College as a High School Junior: Month-by-Month Guide •  College Admission Planning for Seniors in High School