How to Apply to Colleges and Universities

I am currently in grad school, so I wanted to share my experience on how I was able to get into a school and the application process. I was inspired by this idea because one of my followers asked me how I had gotten into NYU, so I figured if I could help her, I can help others as well ^.^ I remember being in her position four years ago, when I was in high school and I remembered how confused I was about this whole process and half the time I did not know what I was doing, but luckily, I did something right and I was able to get into one of my dream schools. Now, four years later, I had to go through that process again and although it was a bit similar, it was different. I will start off by explaining the undergrad process and then I will do a post on how to get into grad school.

Basics

First off, undergraduate school is basically where you go to work on your Bachelors degree. I remember being a freshman in college almost a second year and I did not know what undergrad meant because we had never used that term before, so don't be embarrassed if you didn't know either. It's normal...I hope! 

Research!!

Now that that's settled, if you're a senior in high school, now is the time to start doing research on the schools you might be interested in applying to. Actually, some people recommend you do research that summer before you enter your senior year of high school, but if you haven't, it's okay...start now. Make sure the school of your choice offers your major (duh!), if it's where you see yourself living in for the next 4-5 years, if there are any clubs you might be interested in, and if there's some on-campus or off-campus jobs you might want to have while you're working on your studies. I didn't do any of these things when I started my process and I wish I had because it would've made life easier. I knew I wanted to go to college, but I didn't know how. Also, don't forget to visit the schools you are applying to. It really is helpful because you need to see if it's the right fit for you. When I went to visit Humboldt State, my alma mater now, I felt like the campus was beautiful and perfect for me, but the drive there (15 hours!!!), was the one that made me question whether Humboldt was for me or not. I ended up going there anyway, but for days I contemplated whether I had made the right choice of accepting to go there or not. 

Tests, yuck! 

I know nobody likes to take tests, but we have to. The two main college entry exams are the SAT and ACT and they are different, so don't get them confused. The SAT is the test that is used the most, but make sure and see if the school you are applying to requires you to take the SAT or ACT. Some schools require one or the other, but some actually require both. If you can, start taking them during your junior year of high school, that way you have more time to retake the exams, just in case you didn't do as good as you wanted to. If you're not happy with your results, it's okay, that just means there's room for improvement, plus, it's probably the first time you see the set up, so you don't know what to expect. So the next time you take it, it will be more familiar and you will be more confident. Also, there's the PSAT which some high schools require you to take. Yes, high schools require this test to be taken because they want you to be encouraged and to extend your education. It's a great way to practice and familiarize yourself for the real deal. I took the SAT about three times and every time, I would improve my score. I took the ACT as well, but I only took that one once because I was happy with my results and the college of my choice didn't require it. Another important thing is to not procrastinate on taking these exams. Take them at least once or twice before you apply for schools because you need your results for your application. It's okay if you've taken them once and you're retaking them after you have done your applications because you at least have some record of your scores, but some schools require you to have your results right there and then, so do some research. 

Essay Writing Time. Yay!

There's basically two essays that you have to write, for the most part and I say that because some schools only require a personal statement, while others require a detailed biography or an essay on why they should accept you. Many senior English classes require you to write a personal statement amongst other essays, so don't be too worried if you're not as good as Ernest Hemingway or Edgar Allan Poe. It's okay, they know you're only a high school student, but make sure your essay is free from mistakes. When you write your essay, make sure you have several people look at it and I mean it. Have your English teacher look at it or go to the career center and have a career counselor look at it. Those people are there to help you, so use your resources!! 

Time to Apply

Now that the basics are covered, it's time to apply to school's, but you don't have money to pay for the application fee, so what do you do? Many schools offer fee waivers, so if you're worried about money, don't, there's ways to go around the application fees. My high school offered fee waivers for those of us with money troubles and all of my application fees were waived. I only applied to schools in California through the UC and CSU system, so the fee waiver I received only covered for four schools per system, so in total I applied to eight without having to pay a single penny. Ask your career center for opportunities like this and even if your family is well off, look for ways you can go around those fees because they can be a pain. 

Ways to Make You a Better Candidate 

Schools are looking for people that have other interests other than just having good grades. Get involved and join clubs or play sports and volunteer. You want to make yourself stand out and not just be some boring candidate that doesn't do anything, but go to school. I'm not saying to not care about your school work, but do something other than just going to school. Build a stronger networking system because you are going to need letters of recommendation, so building a good relationship with the head teacher of the debate team, might be a way to start. Make yourself known and market yourself.  I was in band practically my whole life, but I didn't want to be known as just a band geek and nerd, so  I started volunteering at the Boys and Girls Club and I became a Big Sister, while being in five other clubs, I had a meeting during every lunch period, but it was okay because of extra curricular activities, I was able to stand out and be accepted into the school of my choice. 

I Got In, but I Can't Afford To Go...

Don't worry! You're not the only one. Many colleges offer scholarships and full rides, so look on their website or call the school to look at your choices. Also, there's Financial Aid (FAFSA), the application opens up January 1st every year and the deadline is always around March 2nd, for most colleges and universities. The sooner you apply, the better. I have heard that if you apply early when the application opens up, there's a bigger chance you will get more money, but I am not sure...I am still figuring that one out. There's always ways around money issues. My family is not rich whatsoever, my parents still get paid minimum wage and they've been working at their jobs for more than twenty years, so I know what it's like to not be well off. 

Where Do I Live?

You got it, congrats! But you don't know whether to live on-campus or off-campus. I think every student out there faces this problem. There's so many perks of living off-campus as there is to live on-campus, so I don't blame you, but I will help you make your choice. Here are some reasons to help you make your decision:

On-Campus

-You will be able to meet people faster because all the other freshman will be on the same page and they'll just want to make friends and meet people. 

-You can wake up twenty minutes before class and still be on time

-You save yourself stress from searching for a place to live at

-You wont have to take a bus or subway or drive to school, so you same time

Off-Campus

-For the most part, it's cheaper.

-You have more freedom.

-You'll be more independent.

Do's and Don'ts

         

Don’ts	Do
-Don't just apply to a school because you want to be with your friends or bf/gf	-Do apply to the same schools, but consider what you want first.
-Don’t apply the night before, save yourself some stress	-Do Apply for Financial Aid
-Don’t be sad if you didn’t get into the school of your choice, that’s what your back up schools are there for	-Do apply to more than one school
-Don’t go to a school just because it’s far away from home or vice versa	-Do visit your career center as often as possible and ask for help (or just go and eat the candy they have or drink their coffee)

I hope this was helpful! ^.^ If you have any questions please, don't hesitate to message me or post a comment  below. I will reply as soon as I see it! Good Luck!

Helpful Links

-SAT

-ACT
-Financial Aid (FAFSA)