While summer is a great time for relaxation it is also a time for juniors to get ahead in the application process. It can be hard to find the motivation to do anything school-related during your break, but getting ahead on college applications is a great way to reduce the stress of senior year.
One of the most important parts of your application is the Common Application essay. This essay is 650 words and forms the backbone of your entire application. Getting an early start on this essay is a great way to ensure that the writing will be your best work possible. As a chronic procrastinator I thought starting an essay this early was ridiculous, but by the time August rolled around and I was on my third rewrite, I was glad I had started in June.
To start writing your essay you first need a topic. While many of us have heard that your college essay should be about the most traumatic experience in your life, that is not necessarily true. I started the process of writing entirely unsure where I would end up, as I could not think of a topic. As days passed and I remained stuck I decided to write a list. This list consisted of all of the things that had ever happened in my life that I would write more than a sentence about. While that sounds like a lot, I started with only 15 things. This list contained topics that ranged from running over a friend’s finger with a hockey skate to not being able to swim, some being much more personal and serious than others.
After I completed this list I picked my strongest five topics and wrote at least a paragraph on each. As I wrote these paragraphs I was then able to see how topics linked together and then from there landed on my final essay topic.
While the essay is possibly the most important thing to complete over the summer there are other things you can do to get a head start. The next step is to create your Common Application account. While the actual application will not open until the fall, you are able to create a practice account which allows you to select schools and begin answering the general questions. Once the actual application opens you will be able to switch your application from a practice account to an actual account.
The final step to complete as soon as possible is seeking out letters of recommendation. Most schools will allow up to three teacher recommendations. Asking your teachers before summer will make it more likely they will say yes. Most of the teachers you want recommendations from, will be asked by many other students and may even have limits on the number they will write. It is important to ask much earlier than you need the letter as that they will have as much time as possible to write it and you will have time to find someone else if they are unavailable. Be polite when asking teachers and remember they are doing a favor for you, it is not required of them to write these letters. The better impression you leave, the more likely you are to receive a quality recommendation.
In every step of the college application process it is important to keep in mind that every step you complete prior in the summer is one less thing you will have to do during the year. This will leave you time to focus on school work and extracurricular activities which are also important parts of your application. For those that are fellow procrastinators, set self imposed deadlines and find someone to help you stay accountable. The earlier you finish your essays, the more time you have to edit which allows your writing to be the best it can be.
The college application process can and likely will be stressful, but staying on top of deadlines and being proactive will ensure that your application is a representation of your best work.
