Navigating The College Application Process

It’s July, and school might be the furthest thing from your mind, but if you’re in high school or are the parent of a high schooler, now is the perfect time to start thinking about college.

While it’s never too early, Tracey Churchman, a former high school counselor turned college application consultant, says that the summer before the junior year is the best time to start. “This allows the student and their family to make college visits during their junior year of high school. Students can create their list of schools to apply to based on research and visits. Don’t wait until senior year!”

Churchman emphasizes the importance of campus visits, especially in this modern era, as understanding a school’s on-campus culture and evaluating the living environment can be integral to a student’s success. She also recommends doing on-line research on colleges of interest as well, using not only the school’s website but other resources such as US News, Niche, and Forbes to get the best overview of the college.

“Remember facts like campus size, academic majors, extracurricular activities, financial aid—all of that information is available on the internet and will allow you to come up with questions for people on campus such as admissions officers, faculty members, and even current students.”

If some colleges are too far away or there are too many to physically visit, students can seek alternate ways to tour campuses, such as virtual tours or finding videos on YouTube.

A student’s ACT score can also be a factor. Churchman recommends taking the ACT early, if not during freshmen year, then by the end of a student’s sophomore year. “This allows the student to have a baseline score and make plans for ACT improvement. Students should do their best to attain the desired ACT score before their senior year.”

When it comes to applying to colleges, Churchman stresses organization and adhering to deadlines. “The application process can be overwhelming, so start early. Set deadlines for completing essays, collecting recommendations, and filling out forms.”

Most college applications are done online and tend to be standard to make the process more streamlined for students. They also usually have built-in checks to ensure that all the necessary information is being submitted, which can make things less stressful.

Students should be aware of how each college accepts transcript submission as well as how they handle letters of recommendation. These tend to be online as well, but some colleges still prefer paper documents for certain things.

Churchman recommends not only submitting things early when possible, but also saving a copy of each piece of the application in case a problem arises. And if a student is unsure of anything, they shouldn’t hesitate to call the admissions office for help. “Monitor your email. Check it regularly so you don’t miss anything important regarding your applications.”
The number of colleges a student should apply to varies, with some places recommending upwards of 20. Churchman says 8-10 is more realistic, and the students with whom she’s assisted over the past few years average around eight schools.

Scholarships these days are tied to college applications, with some schools adding additional major-based scholarships into the student’s admission portal once it is set up. Otherwise, Churchman points out, there are tons of outside scholarships that are available. “It just takes time and research to find them.”
As they say, it’s never too early to start, so now’s the time to get looking into your college future.

Tracey Churchman is the owner of Churchman College Consulting. For more information, find her on Facebook.