As the month of November approaches, the pressure is on seniors applying to college, with most early acceptance application deadlines between Nov. 1 and Dec. 1, according to Park City School District Counselor Nancy Michalko.
The key is making sure students have a list of where they are applying; including what is required for each application and submission deadlines, Michalko said, adding the college should meet the students’ expectations of how they want to live.
“Make your list of criteria and then make sure the school meets your needs,” Michalko said. “Students need to be organized at this point. Some colleges want essays and some don’t, and some want a few.”
As parents and students visit college campuses, it’s important to have a list of questions prepared, according to Michalko, who said asking about campus safety, the average class size and extra-curricular activities are always questions to consider. Students can also gain invaluable insight by visiting a class in the major they are interested in. Michalko said this can help students gauge a professor’s teaching style.
Some college applications also require letters of recommendation. Students asking for a letter of recommendation should contact a teacher or employer several weeks before the letter is due. Michalko said creating a resume helps the person writing the recommendation to understand what the student wants to emphasize.
Michalko said she encourages parents to ask about financial and merit-based scholarship opportunities from the beginning.
“A place like the U where so many of our kids go, they are on a rolling basis, which means the sooner you get your application in the more likely you are to get scholarship money,” Michalko said.
It’s all about location for Park City High School Senior Grady Tesch, who visited four colleges in Manhattan last weekend to start his college search. Tesch plans to get a degree in jazz performance.
Tesch said he’s applying to about six schools this year and has a list of questions he likes to ask on each college visit.
“I’ve been looking at a lot of music schools, so I ask questions about the full-time faculty, and how big the program is,” Tesch said. “I’m not really concerned about campus life, I figure wherever I go, I’ll fit in.”
Most of the applications Tesch is filling out ask for essays. He sometimes writes about his passion and devotion to music and how that has benefited his life. Tesch has also asked for several letters of recommendation from his music teachers and guidance counselor.
Joan Mills, owner of College Process Consulting, said she helps students with their college applications. Mills worked as an educator for more than 30 years and retired from the Park City School District five years ago.
She advises students to take their high school transcript, resume and a list of five to 10 questions with them while visiting colleges.
“Make sure the college knows who you are by the time your application comes across the table,” Mills said. “Get to know the representative, be prepared properly when visiting a college fair, and continue the conversation when that representative comes to the high school.”
It’s never too early to submit an application or start looking at financial aid options, according to Mills, who said the earlier these applications are submitted the better.
“Personally, I think applications should be in between Thanksgiving and Dec. 15,” she said. “And it’s never too early to start looking for financial aid. The day they get into high school. Talk to the scholarship advisor or the counselor and start applying for scholarships as soon as you can.”
The easiest way to make an application stand out is by writing a good essay, which Mills said can be accomplished by using critical thinking skills and the students’ writing ability.
“They don’t want to hear about your trip to Europe or a project in Peru. It would be better to write about a unique experience, being able to take something you learned in school and relate it to your life,” Mills said. “You are writing for an audience where you want to suck them in when they first read it and then keep their attention.”
Students often make the mistake of asking their parents to correct their application essays, according to Mills, who said students are better off asking a teacher. She also tells students to write separate essays instead of tweaking one for several applications. The last mistake Mills often sees is students applying to schools that are out of reach.
“You should have a fall back that you know you will get into, then a few in the middle and a few stretches,” she said. “The common application number is five to seven, but what has happened over the years is that people apply to more than that.”
Mills said one of the most common mistakes parents make is pushing their kids to apply to colleges out of state.
“You are better off keeping them in-state and then transferring when they are ready,” she said.