Wherever your adventures take you, we hope you have a fun and productive summer. Below you’ll find a college process checklist that we’ll work on together over the next couple of months. Our goal is to help you take advantage of the summer to complete your Common Application, work on writing samples, finalize your résumé, and make a plan to submit your applications. We want you to return to school in the fall feeling confident about the process and ready to take on your senior year.
We look forward to continuing to work with you and seeing your applications come together!
Summer Checklist
- Stay on top of SAT and ACT test dates and registration deadlines.
- SAT Registration for Fall tests is available now. https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/sat/register/dates-deadlines
- ACT Registration for Fall tests will be posted in late July. https://act.org
- Register for College Visits whether you plan on visiting virtually or in person.
- Complete your Common Application. The Common Application for the 2021-2022 admission season is scheduled to go live on August 1 but you can work on specifically the Profile, Family, and Education sections now. That information will “rollover” to the updated version of the Common App on 8/1.
- Work on your college essay and supplemental statements. The 2021-2022 Common Application essay prompts are already posted here. You can also explore the admission sites for the schools you’re applying to and GuidedPath for school-specific supplements.
- Send us your final Junior year grades so that we can note your progress and re-evaluate your chances of admission at the colleges on your list.
- Finalize your college list.
College Visits
College campuses are starting to open up and welcome on-campus visitors. Not only is this exciting news for prospective students, but for admission counselors and student volunteers who thrive on personal interactions with applicants! Many schools still have restrictions in place, so register early for visits and be respectful of all rules and regulations.
Most schools are also continuing to offer a host of innovative and convenient virtual visit options. From live chats with students to virtual campus tours in real time, these visits are great options if you can’t make it to campus or simply don’t feel comfortable doing so yet. Don’t forget to register for virtual visits, as well. Attendance can still be capped for virtual visits and appropriate links may only be sent to registered participants.
You may also want to consider in-person or virtual admission interviews. Chat with your counselor about scheduling a Mock Interview to prepare. This webinar also offers great tips and insights into the interview process: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4uV1PUlVSQ.
Summer Reading
Check out this Beach Books post from the Tulane University Admission Blog. Although already two years old, the piece offers some valuable insight (and a few recommendations) into why it might be a good idea to pick up a leisure book or two this summer, for your personal enrichment AND in preparation for the admission process.
http://tuadmissionjeff.blogspot.com/2019/06/beach-books.html?q=admission+interviews
Between summer assignments, jobs, vacations, and well-deserved time with friends, it might be difficult to find time to dive into a book, but it’s also worth your time. In addition to college interview questions, you might be asked to discuss a book you’ve read in a supplemental statement. Mentioning a recent book or article you’ve read might also add depth to a statement on a related topic. If you’re not much of a reader but you care about the stock market, pick up the Wall Street Journal. Ask a teacher for a scientific journal recommendation if you’re interested in research. If you’re commuting to an internship or have a plane ride to an exciting vacation planned, download an audiobook that sounds interesting to you. The key is to find something you care about. That way, you’ll stick with it to the end and be able to address it in an interview or written statement with genuine passion.
Wishing you a wonderful and productive summer! It’s so rewarding for us to see the college planning we’ve done come to fruition!