Getting a Jumpstart on College Applications
Sydney Corley '22 Staff Writer
As the college application season begins to peak, underclassmen may begin to feel the weight of college pressure on their shoulders. When asked if she’s already stressed about the college application, Emily Huang, a junior at Howard High School, states, “Of course I am. There’s so much you don’t think about the first two years [of high school.]” Seniors especially are feeling the brunt of the college process, almost playing a catch up game from treating college as a foreign concept in the first two years of high school, as Huang states. Bri Duffy, a senior at Howard High School, claims, “I knew where I wanted to go, but I didn’t know all the pieces of the application that needed to happen.” To prepare underclassman for the college application process, the following list, in chronological order, details the most important aspects of the college application:
There's no denying the college application process is stressful. However, following these 7 tips can drastically improve the experience making your college application ready for success. Remember to focus on grades, volunteer, join activities, prepare for standardized tests, and work on the college essay before senior year!
- Pay attention to your grade point average (GPA). For frame of reference, unweighted GPA is calculated from the sum of all your grades divided by the number of courses. An A gets 4 points, a B gets 3 points, and so forth. The highest unweighted GPA possible is a 4.0. Weighted GPA, however, takes into account the level of your classes. AP and GT classes receive an extra point and honors classes receive an extra half point. Weighted GPA is determined on a 5.0 scale. It may seem obvious to strive for good grades, but oftentimes as a freshman, GPA is the last thing on your mind. While college should not be a prevalent thought this early on, your freshman year grades will impact your overall GPA. To improve grades, take notes in class, participate, and be prepared, whether it’s by completing homework or studying for a unit test.
- Volunteer. It doesn’t have to be every weekend, but participating in a community service project once every month for each year of high school is more impactful than one would expect. For example, Happy Helpers for the Homeless in Glen Burnie allows students to volunteer by packaging food for the homeless. Other volunteering opportunities can be found through the Howard County volunteering website.
- Participate in an activity freshman through senior year. Whether it’s a high school sport or the baking club, getting involved early on will not only look good on your college applications, but foster relationships with teachers and peers. It’s important to only join clubs you’re interested in as those will be the ones you can put the most effort into. Check out the HoHs student community canvas page to get a list of clubs you can join.
- Assume leadership in your activity. You don’t need to be the president of five different clubs, but assuming leadership in one activity you’re passionate about will look good on college applications. For example, say you’ve been in the environmental club since freshman year and you’re now a junior. Consider running for secretary and then vice president senior year.
- Study for the SAT/ACT. While freshmen don’t need to be cramming for the SAT, starting earlier with small increments of studying can alleviate stress that comes with studying last minute. The test-optional policy may not be in effect for some colleges in the following years, making standardized tests just as important as they once were. The two tests cover relatively the same topics, however, the ACT has the addition of a science section. The SAT questions are knowledge based and the ACT tests your application of knowledge. In addition, the SAT math section varies with difficulty level whereas the ACT remains the same difficulty level throughout.
- Brainstorm for the college essay. The summer before senior year is a good time to consider ideas for the college essay. If you’re applying through common application or the coalition application, the college prompts usually remain very similar. Matching your idea to a college prompt will likely not be an issue, therefore feel free to write the essay before the applications open!
- Write your college essay. Complete this before you enter your senior year. Bri Duffy claims the college essay to be the most challenging part, especially “getting it to sound exactly how I want.” Starting it in the summer will give you plenty of time to make sure your essay sounds exactly how you want it to.
There's no denying the college application process is stressful. However, following these 7 tips can drastically improve the experience making your college application ready for success. Remember to focus on grades, volunteer, join activities, prepare for standardized tests, and work on the college essay before senior year!