After completing my first round of early action college applications, one thing I can assure you is that it is not as hard as it seems. All it takes is preparation, determination and some great tips to make your senior year as successful as possible.
Tip #1: Start Simple in Junior Year
Junior year is where you should start, but do not worry if you are already in it and you have not began. You should not be stressed out about your college applications or applying for scholarships just yet but, instead, start with the small things.
I began by researching colleges I wanted to go to. It was not a chore or an obligation, but it was just a fun pastime to envision myself on these campuses. I looked at the majors that they offered and the price of attending. I then began to research about each of them. I attended College and Career Night at Golden Gate High School and got business cards and pamphlets from schools that I was interested in.
I made Excel sheets and Word documents that held information from these schools about the major I would have or the scholarships I would qualify for. It helped because I could easily compare schools to each other and see what would be a better fit for me.
When it came to my senior year, I did not have to research any colleges. I already had my list picked out. When college applications began to open, I already knew the schools I was going to apply to. Making a list of colleges helped me easily eliminate schools I would not be able to afford or did not have interest in.
In addition to making my college list in junior year, I looked at summer camps at colleges I wanted to go to. Going to summer camps at these campuses allows you to see how the campus operates and how it looks. Furthermore, if it is a camp that requires you to live on campus, you can see how the dorm layout can be. Summer camps are a good way to build your resume and show colleges that you can take the initiative and have leadership skills.
Tip #2: Write Your College Essay In the Summer
Summer is your vacation from school and what is more relaxing than writing an essay? During the summer of my junior year, the only work I did was additional college research and my college essay. Doing this gave me plenty of time for me to edit my essay and change the topic if I wanted to.
It might seem irritating to spend some of your vacation writing your essay, but if you sit down and really focus then it can easily be done in an hour or so. Try setting a personal deadline of when you want your essay to be done so there is some pressure to finish it. I was able to quickly add my essay to my Common App and did not have to add it to a long list of stuff to do.
For the content of your essay, one tip I can offer you is write about who you are. This is not an essay about your greatest achievements or how busy you are during the week. It is not an essay about how good you are at your sport or how a mission trip has changed you. They have read lots of essays about sports injuries, championships and difficult classes. They do not want to hear about how another person is your hero or the first person to break your heart. They want to know more about you, so write about you.
Tip #3: SAT and ACT Testing
For testing, I started in the second half of junior year. This allowed me to have more time to achieve that score that I wanted. I took my first SAT March 4, and the day before, I only started a couple hours. I ended up getting a 1150, which is good but not what I wanted. I learned from the people around me who got higher scores that they had used Khan Academy for their studying.
When I had studied, I had tried to use an SAT book from the library, but I found myself distracted easily and not understanding the material. However, when I started studying with Khan Academy my score rose quickly. My next test was in May, and I got a 1250 followed by my June test where I got a 1280. My final SAT test was in October. I studied using Khan Academy for about two hours a day for a week leading up to the test. Overall, I ended up with a 1360 superscore.
I cannot give you specific advice on what you should study on Khan Academy to get the best possible score; however, 35% of the questions are usually advanced math and algebra. For me though, the most difficult sections were the geometry and trigonometry. When I studied, I focused on this subject.
For ACT testing, I used the Official ACT Self-Paced Course. I was able to use this because I had access to the ACT fee waiver ;otherwise, the cost would be $159. This course was extremely useful giving me access to five full-length ACT tests, 30 short videos and nearly 2,000 practice questions. The most helpful thing from this course was the 2,000 practice questions. It gave me a time limit a little less than what I would normally be given, and I was able to practice my timing and learn the style of questions that they ask. The most important thing when practicing for either the SAT or ACT is understanding the type of questions they ask and preparing yourself on how to understand and answer each question.
I only used the Self-Paced Course and ended up with a 27 for the first time I took the ACT. I then took it two more times and received a 25 and 27. I ended up with a 28 superscore. In my opinion, taking the ACT is better than SAT with the style of questions they ask. However, this is entirely up to preference. My best advice is to take both at least once, so you can see which test you scored better in and what would be best for you to retake.
Tip #4: Appreciate Your Time
Senior year is the final time you will be considered a kid, so take advantage of it. You will not be able to go to football games as a high school student. There is no more dress up days after you graduate, and you will not see the same people that you have grown up with. Take this time to treasure your friends and relationships you have made in high school because once you graduate, it will not be the same.
