News Alert! The SUNY apps are open! I just got the alert on Wednesday so I’m sorry if I’m a few days late but in spirit of college applications opening up, I have this post that will hopefully inspire for our last month of summer (aka freedom). And it’s a precollege edition, yay! So, these tips will be college based. I’m a rising senior and applying to college is my top priority right now, so I have gone through this list myself (mostly) or I’m going through it as you read this. If you have any other tips or suggestions, don’t hesitate to leave a comment down below. So, let’s get right into it.
1. Research colleges/visit- If you haven’t had the time or just didn’t know where you wanted to go to college, that’s fine! But if you’re not working, this is the perfect time to delve in and do your college research. Look up schools based on the criteria you have and are looking for in a college and then, if you can, try to visit the schools you have on your list. If you already have your list and haven’t had the opportunity to visit, see if you can go now that you have the time to do so. Visiting out of state schools can be tricky because they take time and money, but if you have the finances to visit out of state, ask your parents to make a week of it. Go visit your top out of state schools and call it a vacation. Road Trip! Or if you don’t have the time, just take the weekend off and drive. My best friend just took an entire weekend to drive up to Syracuse with her family and she loved it, if nothing more for the time she had on the road. It’s a great way to learn more about the college and get a personal feel of the campus, the students and see what your life could be like going there. If it’s the right fit for you, you’ll definitely know after a campus tour and information session. If you don’t have the money or your parents don’t have the time to travel to your far away schools, check out the ones you can visit locally. If your parents have a day off, ask if you can visit all of the schools closer to you. If you live in the city, like me, take the train or the bus to get around downtown and book all of your tours back to back (given travel time, of course) and make a day of it. I know for sure that colleges start tours at eight and they last about two hours so make sure you don’t plan to be in a rush that day. The latest they end are at three-probably starting around one thirty or two. And don’t worry if you can’t bring a parent, bring a friend or a sibling so you have someone to travel with. You always want to have someone there with you to give a second opinion because choosing a college is like buying a house. Input from your family and friends is important because they can give you a different perspective and tell you things you may not be aware of like, if the campus is too large or you don’t have a car in a college town and the nearest Walmart is twenty miles away. (Trust me, it’s a problem.) Then, after you’re done for the day, travel around the surrounding area. Maybe grab some lunch or sit in the park that’s nearby. If you’re in a city, you want to get the feel for the neighborhood and if you’re in a college town, talk with the locals and see where they like to go and then explore. I always loved taking campus visits because I always got to explore afterwards, so if you’re not working, try it! 2. Write essays- I know! So boring, so much work, so…stressful. But it’s definitely something we all should be thinking about starting, especially since August is already here and school is slowly sneaking up on us. (Summer went by so fast!) If you haven’t started your common app essay yet, I suggest you start that one first. They give you seven prompts to choose from and you only have to pick one to write about. There’s a 650-word limit, which seems like a lot, but it really isn’t, so make it count! It also allows you to apply to almost all colleges (but check to make sure) with only one essay which makes things easier. As for your other essays-scholarships, supplementals, etc.-get started on them! Every prompt is different and if you’re looking at scholarship essays, they have their deadlines. So, with the extra time on your hands, brainstorm and edit, that way you won’t have to scramble when it comes time to have everything done. 3. Do the Common App/FASFA- You always want to apply early for financial aid because that guarantees you more money! So, make sure that you find a convenient time to sit down with your parents and fill out all of your financial aid forms, while you have the time to ask them (and they have the time to do them.) They’re always busy and working but since you have more time on your hands, you can fill out the easy stuff (like your name) and when you know they’re relaxed and have the time to go into finances with you, work on it! Now may be the only time to do it if you haven’t started already. P.S. I haven’t done this part of the process yet for myself, so I’ll definitely let you know how the process goes and give you some tips if I have any. 4. Write/research scholarships- I think summertime was always the best time to research college scholarships. Yes, we hope for the most financial aid, and we’re going to take out all the grants we can get, and we hope our schools are generous with their funds but sometimes you need some extra help and we really don’t want to take out loans. So, the extra scholarships are here to save the day. If you haven’t started looking for reliable scholarship sites (beware of scams!) then I can definitely provide my list down below-if they say you have to pay to sign up, it’s a scam-but if you have a few good sites and haven’t started looking, now is the best time. Then, work on them so you can apply! If you’re like me and you prefer to apply for written scholarships, (essays), I can assure you that you’ll need some time to prepare. But don’t worry, I’m slowly (procrastinating) getting through it as well. We will (suffer) succeed together. 5. Relax- As a rising senior, I know how stressful it can be to prepare for college. Going through the process is a lot of work, but when you’re working or doing an internship I can only imagine how the pressure will increase. I’d love to get the extra work experience and certainly the money wouldn’t hurt but I’m also enjoying the time I have to be home because I know it won’t last. It’s giving me proper time to do the things I need to do and not feel overwhelmed (like homework and scholarship essays, etc.) and it’s also giving me more time to focus on blogging and to unwind. Junior year went by so fast, and it was amazing, but I’m glad it’s over. We deserve our time to take a break and relax but there’s a lot to still prepare for, so if you’re like me and not working this summer, take advantage of it. It may even benefit you in the end. I hope these five tips were helpful. A lot of this process is still new to me as well, but I only write about what I know and we’re getting through it together. It’s a new month but August will be gone before we know it (oh gosh, I don’t even want to think about school right now) and it’s time to buckle down. We don’t love it, but that’s life right? Stay tuned for more tips and more life updates because there’s plenty more to come. Until Next Time! With love, Arianna
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AuthorI'm an 21 year old girl who lives in NY. I love to read and write and fashion is my life. Follow me to find out more! Archives
January 2023
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