It’s August 1! Do you know what that means? It means that all application systems have officially reset (don’t worry, your work is saved), and the 2020-2021 application season has begun!
All application systems launch the season on August 1st of every year. All schools have now updated their supplemental essay questions, all application requirements are up to date and you can officially begin work on your applications! So, what should you be doing now?
How to get started on your college application
- Finalize your school list. This is imperative, because you can’t begin work on your applications if you don’t know where you are applying! Your school list should be finalized by now, but if it is not, schedule a free consultation with us. We’ll help you finish this very important task!
- Create all necessary application accounts.
- Start filling in your personal information and have parents/guardians double check your work.
- Review application requirements for each of the schools on your list. How many essays will you be writing? Who do you need letters of recommendation from? What are your application deadlines?
- Solicit letters of recommendation! Your favorite teachers could be bogged down with recommendation letter requests soon, so get your information in front of them ASAP!
- Begin mapping out your application narrative. Don’t know what that is? Let’s talk!
- Create an outline of everything that needs to get done and set deadlines for yourself. If you apply to 10 schools (which is pretty average for school lists), you’ll likely be writing 30-50 essays. Don’t put all of your work off until the last minute.
- Get help where you need it. It’s helpful to have at least one person work with you on your essays. But remember, your work is your own. No one can and should tell you what to write or how to write it. But, it is helpful to have others proofread your work and offer suggestions for how to strengthen your message. Admissions officers will read hundreds of applications each season, so it’s important to have a well-crafted narrative that stands out. Our team is full of former admissions officers, so if you’d like our expertise, we are happy to help!
- Submit before your deadlines. We always encourage students to submit applications 1-2 weeks before deadlines. Don’t be the student working up until the very last minute — that’s stress you can easily avoid if you plan well and work diligently!
Essay Tips
Now that the applications are launched, we can confirm supplemental essays and provide our expert insight on how to respond. As we react and offer our expertise on these prompts, you can find our thoughts on our blog! This list will continue to grow, but please see below for our expert insight on your college application essays.
Common App Personal Statement Essay Tips
Stanford University Supplemental Essay Tips
Princeton University Supplemental Essay Tips
Yale University Supplemental Essay Tips
University of California Personal Insight Question Tips
Brown University Supplemental Essay Tips
Harvard University Supplemental Essay Tips
