Junior year summer, do the following:
- Make a list of all your ECs, when you did them, about how many hours a week, and descriptions.
- You only get 10 slots for ECs on common app, so start categorizing them. Like you may want to categorize all music ECs together, or split them up somewhat.
- Make sure to mention what leadership you have in those ECs, even if not a formal position…and talk about what you did as a leader.
- Choose a Common App essay prompt
- Write a draft of your essay this summer. Give it to your GC/English teacher to review in the fall.
- If you haven’t already, choose who you want to ask to write recommendations for you. If your major is STEM, ask a Math and a science teacher.
- See what your HS Guidance office wants you to do for college apps…(look on their website)…Do they want you to complete a brag sheet or something else to help the GC?
- Visit some local colleges if you haven’t already…
- Find out from your parents how much they can spend on college each year
- Run the Net Price Calculator on those colleges to see if they are affordable
- If not, look at colleges that give automatic scholarships and see if they are good for you http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1348012-automatic-full-tuition-full-ride-scholarships.html#latest
- Try to visit some of those colleges over the summer if possible if you haven’t already
- DO NOT APPLY TO A SCHOOL YOU WOULDN’T ATTEND. Also known as “Love thy Safety”. Pick your Safety first. I don’t know how many stories I read about people who didn’t get into an of their reaches and what they thought were matches and are only accepted to the safety and have a fit…find one that you like.
Yes this seems like a lot of work…but imagine doing it when you have classes and ECs too!