Kayla Saunders (284)

It’s no secret that completing the general Common App application takes a while–you have to write an essay based on the assigned prompts, report your classes and grades, on top of making sure you’ve given the right school the right information, and much more. 

And waiting until September or October to begin this can lead to students feeling overwhelmed. 

It’s best to start the application process immediately when it opens on August 1st. You can even get ahead in certain aspects, such as the Personal Statement, for which prompts have been released and can be found on the Common App website. Choosing which prompt to do may also be difficult, so brainstorming different ideas for each prompt can help. 

Choosing Schools

Different schools have different requirements; some schools require you to take four years of math or three years of language. It’s important to look through all the requirements for the schools you’re considering applying to, and figure out what credits you may or may not have. It’s also important to apply to schools that have a well-rounded program for your major. You will have more access to opportunities within your future field of study. Lastly, it’s important to apply to a diverse number of schools. Even if you have all A’s, a 1560 on the SAT, and have multiple 4- 5s on APs or 5- 7s in IB, you cannot always guarantee you will get into top schools, and if you do, you cannot guarantee you’ll be able to afford attending. Diversifying your list will ensure that you have schools you can go to. Neemah Yusuff (284) states: “Don’t think one school is better than another because of its prestige if you’ll end up in a ton of unnecessary debt.” 

Safeties: A safety school is a school you both know you will get accepted to (70 %+ acceptance rate) and one you can get good financial aid from. Some good safety schools for Central students include Temple University, West Chester, and any other Pennsylvania Commonwealth university (Bloomsburg, IUP, Cheyney, etc.). It’s a good idea to have 1-3 safeties on your college list as backups. Even if you consider these schools to be low on your list of schools, make sure you wouldn’t mind going to them–they may become your only options.

Match: A match school is a school that you fit the academic profile for. For example, it would be a school with an average GPA of 3.5-3.8 when you have a 3.7, or if the SAT range is 1260-1370 and your score is 1350. Match schools tend to be moderately selective and can have an acceptance range between 60-20%, depending on how big the school is and how competitive the major you’re applying for is. It’s recommended you have 2-3 match schools on your college list.

Reach: A reach school is a competitive and very selective school, and is called a ‘reach’ because its standards would be above your academic profile. Think Ivy League, Stanford, MIT, or any other extremely renowned institution. Reach schools tend to have acceptance rates between 20-3% and typically want GPAs higher than 3.8, along with 1400-1600 SAT scores. These schools are highly competitive and can get over 20k applicants a year. It’s important to note that even if you have the GPA and SAT scores for one of these schools, it’s not guaranteed you’ll get in. Your Common App essay, additional supplemental essays, awards, extracurriculars, and course difficulty will also come into play with these schools. 

Even if you think you won’t get in or are slightly below the average accepted GPA or SAT score range, you should not be demoralized or scared off from applying. Some people who may not fit the average student profile have been accepted into these schools. It’s best to have 1-2 reaches on your list.

Campus Visits

Now that you have your list, it’s time to visit your schools. A school might be amazing on paper, but the campus also plays a role in your consideration. If you don’t like the vibe or the location, it can completely change your college experience. The summer of junior year and the fall of senior year are some of the best times to visit schools. Many schools hold visitation days and open houses for aspiring students. 

Common App

Common App is the most popular way of applying to colleges, although some schools do have their own separate portals. The Common App is self-explanatory–you add your schools, fill out the general parts of your profile, then fill out the information needed for each school. On top of your general admissions essay, many schools also expect you to submit additional, supplemental essays. According to Davida Dockwiller (284), “Supplements are important and can make or break your application; it’s super important to put lots of effort into them.” Most English classes at the beginning of the year will allow you to work on these essays. This is a great time to receive feedback on anything you’ve written or ask for help if you’re stuck.

On the Common App, you will also be asked to fill out your FAFSA. FAFSA is a government program designed to give financial aid to those who need it to attend higher education. Additionally, some schools will request that you fill out a CSS form. Both of these are meant for need-based financial aid and are one of the more complicated steps in the college application process, but there are many guides and webinars available to help you through them.

Letters of Recommendation

Recommendation letters. Hopefully, you’ve started to think about or have asked some teachers for recommendation letters for college. A good time to ask is at the end of your junior year. These recommendations are also significant for a lot of schools. You want to ask a teacher with whom you have a strong relationship–this can be a sponsor for your club, your central coach, or a teacher whose class you have done well in, or shown substantial improvement in. But be careful! Some schools have specific requirements for who can and can’t write a recommendation letter, so make sure you double-check beforehand.

Early Decision or Early Action? 

Some schools have the option for you to apply early decision (ED) or early action (EA). This means you have to turn in your application earlier, typically in October or November instead of the standard January. Early Decision is a binding contract between you and the school. If you get in during that round of applicants, you will have to attend that school. On the other hand, Early Action is non-binding, and you don’t have to go if you get in, but both options slightly increase your chances of being accepted. ED schools often don’t allow you to apply to other schools if you choose to ED with them, but EA schools do. These types of applications can also aid in receiving scholarships.

Once you’ve submitted your applications, the only thing left to do is wait. Some schools may get back to you quicker than others, but it’s important to be patient when it comes to waiting for your schools to reply. Getting rejected from a school is something nobody wants to go through, but it is a part of the college application process. You will be competing with thousands of other students, and a lot of them will have the same stats as you. Central is already an extremely competitive school, and your classmates are bound to get into amazing colleges. Be proud of everyone’s achievements, including your own! One of the hardest parts is applying, and with that behind you, there are much brighter horizons ahead.