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YOU GUYS, so I just went on College Board to search some colleges and I decided to go ahead and add them to my account so they would be saved. I was browsing through all the tabs on the page and came across this gem: it has all the SAT deadlines along with the application deadlines for ALL the schools you’ve saved so far. It even specifies it is a early action/decision deadline too!

To get there: log in to College Board, and click on the “ME” button at the bottom of the page and then click on “My Calendar” on the left side.

🔆  this post is really late, but i thought a post about rec letters could be really helpful for future classes !!! 🔆

💭  why are rec letters important?

they allow colleges to receive a more in-depth academic profile of you than a transcript or GPA

teachers can directly communicate with a college to advocate for you

these letters are written from a more objective standpoint than your own portrayal of yourself in your application

💭  how do i decide who should write my rec letters?

first, look at your college’s specific requirements for a recommendation letter

this will be found on the college’s undergraduate applications website

ex: some colleges want a one counselor rec and one teacher rec, some want three recs with two teachers and an out-of-school source, etc. you just have to make sure to look

most colleges want two letters of recommendation by two different teachers

should be teachers from your junior/senior years, or one who has taught you for multiple years

i personally would recommend one math/science teacher and one humanities teacher 

pick a teacher…

whose class you got a good grade in

whose class you genuinely enjoyed

who knows you on a personal level

who will be able to write a personal, customized letter, not just a generic one. colleges will be able to tell if they actually know you and appreciate you as a student based on their language

who you worked with outside the classroom or in an extracurricular setting (bonus, not required)

💭  when should i ask a teacher for a rec letter?

as soon as possible

seriously, these teachers will be swamped with requests for rec letters. the sooner you ask them the sooner yours will be done and the better it will be

ask your teachers during…

the end of junior year

the summer in between junior and senior year

very early in the fall of senior year

💭  how do i ask a teacher for a rec letter?

there are two ways to ask:

e-mail

pros: you have a digital record of asking them and it’s easier to trade information

cons: the request could easily get lost

in-person

pros: the request is more personal and the teacher is more willing to help when seeing an actual person

cons: you can’t keep reminding them or pestering them, otherwise your teacher will be annoyed

i personally would ask in-person, and then use emails to exchange information or send reminders

once your teacher has accepted your request, send them the following soon after:

a list of colleges they need to send these letters to

any of the colleges’ guidelines or requirements for rec letters

due dates for the rec letters

a résumé (this is just nice for the teacher to have)

any things you want them to explicitly mention in your letter (ex: if you worked really hard on a twenty-page research paper for that class)

anything else they ask for

❔❕ okay, now what?

congrats! you just secured yourself some kickass rec letters

continue to gently remind your teacher until the letters are sent, and send more information if they need it

don’t pester or overdo it

your teachers will send their letters to your colleges

if any problems arise, the teacher will fix it (this year my biology teacher accidentally sent the wrong document so she called all the schools to let them know and she was able to reupload my letter)

BREATHE. SMILE. RELAX.

🔆  i hope this post is helpful! if you have more questions about rec letters or the college process in general, message me !!! 🔆

🔆  OTHER COLLEGE POSTS:

college interviews

i made a college spreadsheet! my junior year of high school ends next week, which means it’s now college crunchtime- yikes! for anyone in the same boat as me, i would highly recommend making some sort of spreadsheet or chart to organize your thoughts. here’s how i laid mine out:

(first, i wanted to mention that this was totally inspired by @thestudyaesthetic‘s chart- here’s a link to her’s!)

so i put the name of the college across the top, then information about each one below in a column. the info i included was:

whether or not i planned on applying

where the school was

majors i’m interested in

total size

undergrad size

acceptance rate

cost of attendance

average financial aid package

average act score

average unweighted gpa

ratio of students to professors

do they offer early action or decision? if so, what’s the deadline?

regular application deadline

whether they offer credit for ap courses

what’s their application format? through the common app?

application fee?

my impression of the campus (if visited)

have i visited?

their us news and world report ranking

deadline for test scores

distance from my home

do they have club sports? (i plan on playing club tennis)

Hi friends! I just finished 17 college applications and I’m fresh with advice for you all so here it is: 

STANDARDIZED TESTING: 

get this shit done ASAP; I started taking practice tests my freshman year and by the end of my sophomore year I had the score I wanted 

it literally does not matter if you take the ACT or SAT, colleges don’t fucking care just pick one and do well on it 

if you can, take 2 SAT subject tests; many colleges require them and so do special BA/MD programs so its best to have them prepared 

“how do you get a good score??”: PRACTICE TESTS! literally take as many as you can and make sure you correct the mistakes you make on each of them so you’re actually learning 

COMMON APPLICATION:

opens august 1; you do not have to submit anything then

you only get 10 slots for extracurricular activities so choose wisely; also you don’t necessarily need to fill all 10 slots; quality over quantity always 

you can submit the common app to a school before you submit the writing supplement! get that shit submitted so you don’t have to worry about it later on 

don’t type your essays on the common app; type them on a google doc and then transfer them later on so you can avoid it from crashing and not saving your work 

COLLEGE LIST:

don’t fucking apply to all 8 Ivies 

make sure you have safeties (easy to get into/affordable), matches (most likely will get in) along with your reaches (no fucking clue if you’ll get in)

be realistic about how many applications you can fill out 

try to finalize by 1st semester senior year 

COLLEGE ESSAYS: 

genuinely spend time on these 

don’t reuse your why X college essays 

when answering the why X college prompt: DO YOUR RESEARCH! specifics are key; they want students that will actually matriculate 

you can usually reuse your why X major essay so be sure to write a really good one 

don’t be someone you’re not; just be natural and let your personality shine 

they aren’t as bad as they seem I swear you just have to really work with 

if you’re really having trouble with a prompt, google it and there’s bound to be admissions blogs that have written tips about answering it 

GENERAL TIMELINE OF COLLEGE SHENANIGANS 

freshman year: 

don’t worry about harvard 

literally just enjoy your only peaceful year of high school 

join a few clubs 

get good grades 

you’re set

sophomore year: 

start looking at schools and figure out what you want in a college 

begin building your list 

start taking APs (if your school allows you) 

look for leadership opportunities 

look for summer programs and other things to keep you busy in the summer 

get ready for the hellstorm that is junior year

junior year:

get testing done by the end of this year 

figure out who you’re asking for letters of rec 

take AP classes 

maintain your GPA 

become a leader in your clubs 

senior year: 

lay on the floor and cry 

like really let it out bc this year is hell 

take a rigorous course load and get good grades 

finish last minute testing if you still haven’t 

register for common app 

get letters of rec 

send scores to colleges 

start writing college essays 

apply to scholarships 

fill out FAFSA and CSS 

good luck my lovelies xx my inbox is always open as always 

applying to colleges was one of the most stressful experiences of my life, so I really want to help out anyone who is now currently feeling those tidal waves of anxiety and panic. my intention is to help and hopefully alleviate any nerves about applying to college (in America)

the summer before my senior year, every time I read the word ‘college’, my heart rate spiked & I started internally freaking out. for me, the whole process was super overwhelming, and my distaste for the education system (specifically, the american education system) quadrupled. I remember feeling incredibly confused and alone because I didn’t know where to start, so here is a lil guide thingy!!! 

THE SUMMER BEFORE SENIOR YEAR: 

make sure and finish all your summer assignments – I know that college applications are a strong focus, but get what you’re supposed to do out of the way first + you will feel less overwhelmed and more productive

start making a list of colleges that you want to apply for – my best suggestion is to categorize them into safety schools, match schools, and reach schools

ref: generally people look at a school’s admitted profile (on the school website) and compare stats, which means gpa, rank, test scores, etc. if you can, it’s also helpful to read into their supplementary essay prompts and examples to give you a general idea of what a college is looking for (ex. UChicago is notoriously known for their quirky supplementary essay prompts; famous past prompts include: Find X, Where’s Waldo?, Why are you here?, What’s so odd about odd numbers?) 

do lots of research on schools you’re interested in – ok now I know that reading these long paragraphs on school websites can get really tiring, so try watching some youtube videos or looking the school up on reddit, and be sure to talk to current students to get a first-hand account

look at location, diversity, the programs offered in relation to what you’re interested in, size, public vs private institutions, sports, social scene, political affiliations, financial aid offered, study abroad, etc)

try and figure out a general field of what you’re interested in – you do NOT need to know what you want to major in, but when you’re applying for colleges, you will most likely need to select an intended major; if not, you will apply as undeclared, which has its advantages and disadvantages!! but even with an intended major, most colleges don’t make you officially select a major until sophomore, sometimes even junior year, so it is okay to not know what you wanna do when you’re 16/17/18!!! but explore and reflect and try and figure out a general field of what you’re interested in. do NOT use your grades as a sole factor in deciding; if you are good at math and have really high grades, that does not necessarily mean that you should be a math major - pursue your passions!! if you know that you like writing and reading, then consider a major in english or literature. if you think you’d like to work with computer software, then consider a major in computer science or computer engineering. ALSO know that there are so many potential majors + even the option to create your own at some universities!! and also know that many people change majors, and that is totally ok :) 

in august, common app will open, which is what many colleges use for the application process. certain schools will have specific websites themselves (i.e. MIT, University of California schools, etc) – if you make an account BEFORE august, it will be deleted by then, so be careful!! now, when you make ur account, you can add schools and you can look at their supplements and stuff. be sure and note deadlines!! 

DURING SENIOR YEAR: 

keep up with your school work – senioritis is REAL AND ALIVE, my friends. you will think it’s really bad first semester, but then it just explodes into a frenzy of apathy and indifference second semester + you basically don’t care about anything; this is normal, but still try and focus. colleges can rescind their acceptances, altho it’s not likely unless you suddenly fail everything, but overall, it’s just important to still try

keep good relations with your teachers (both current teachers and past teachers) & decide on which to ask for a rec – for many schools, they will require at least one teacher recommendation, so you must decide between which teachers you wanna ask. I would advise picking the teachers you’ve always had good relations with, and in a subject where you’re really passionate about learning the material. when asking, be respectful of deadlines (aka don’t ask them to write you a rec two days before the deadline. they are people too), and be sure and say thank you. if you can, make them a card or make/buy them a little gift; I promise you, they’ll appreciate it!! 

if the school you’re applying to requires multiple teacher recs: many people advise asking teachers of different subjects to emphasize your well-roundedness – you can do that or you can ask teachers of one subject that you’re really interested in; weigh your options and politely ask. asking teachers can be really scary sometimes, especially if you’re very shy, but they’re there to help you and it’ll all work out :)

write a common app essay (if applicable) – common app has 4 prompts that you can choose from, and then you’ll submit that to all the colleges ur applying to thru common app. this is very important. if you’re not a good writer, do not fret!! most of the time, the subject of these essays are very personal. a lot of people write about some trying time in their lives, but plenty of other people write creatively about something small, but important. remember that essays are a way for admission directors to get to know the real you :’) that sounds super cliche, but keep in mind that you are more than ur gpa and ur sat/act score. prove that to them by writing about something you care about

if you are ok with it (and it’s totally ok to not be ok with it), ask someone you trust to read over it and edit it. a lot of people ask their language arts teachers just bc they’ll help with grammar and structure, but asking other trusted adults and peers will be helpful too!! keep in mind the potential of bias from parents + friends though 

you will most likely write your common app essay multiple times. you will have lots of drafts & it can be really stressful, but patience. you will be so happy when you finally finish 

finalize your college list and start writing supplementary essays – many colleges will have supplementary parts to the application on top of common app. this can range from totally separate essays to lil short-answer questions, so be prepared and give yourself plenty of time to write!! just as with your common app essay, getting feedback can be super helpful

also remember that many colleges accept arts supplements (this range depends on the college, but I’ve seen colleges accept writing, dance, music, visual art, etc) & these fall under a different deadline, usually. if you want to submit in an art supplement, you may have to submit in your essays and everything earlier 

OH ALSO some colleges will have an early decision or early application deadline – this is basically an earlier deadline for ur app in exchange for an earlier decision. be careful on the difference between EA and ED!!! ED is BINDING, which means that if you get in, you have to go (you can get out of it for financial reasons tho), and EA is NONBINDING, which means that even if you get in, you can decide to go to another school

submit in your transcript and any test scores you need – different schools have different policies, but most fall under either the SAT + SAT 2 scores OR ACT + writing scores; I would suggest contacting the counseling office asap, but be super nice!! counselors are there to help you through this process, but it can be really overwhelming for them too

pay close attention to whether or not ur college requires a counseling rec or not

double check everything for small details – some colleges accept peer recs, but sometimes they don’t publicize that detail very much so just be observant! same with priority deadlines for interviews; you may have to submit in your app earlier if you want priority for an interview

accept ur interview opportunities – meet with an alumni or go on campus if you can and give an interview!! they’re really helpful sometimes bc it provides the school with a look into who you are as a person, not just as a student. also, from my experience, the alumni are super nice and really interested + it’s nice to just talk and nerd out about the school you like :’) 

submit ur apps (hehehe of course!) 

apply for scholarships – this is something that I wish I had taken more seriously, but really, college is expensive and scholarships can make all the difference. talk to your counselors if you don’t know where to start & literally just google for them!! be careful you are eligible for the ones you’re interested in and make sure you submit everything in by the deadline too 

AFTER SUBMITTING YOUR APPLICATIONS:

distract yourself like crazy – the wait is horrible and the anticipation is killer, if you’re anything like me at least. hang out with your friends and just enjoy your senior year!! this is the last of high school & i promise you that as much as you may hate it (if you do hate it), you will feel bittersweet by the end of the year. so make memories and make the best out of the time you have left in high school 

check your email – colleges oftentimes send you emails if they need you to send them anything more, or they’ll update you about things. they’ll usually also email you with where you need to go to check your decision

don’t let the senioritis take over ur soul 

RECEIVING YOUR DECISIONS: 

acceptances – YAY CONGRATULATIONS!!! be proud of yourself and know that you deserve it 100000%, wholeheartedly. they did not make a mistake, and you ARE that amazing. celebrate your accomplishment, but also be humble. it’s likely that you have a friend that either got waitlisted or denied, so be careful what you say 

rejections – i’m sorry, my dear!! but you are not meant to be at that school, and that is okay. even if it is your dream school. this does not reflect ur self-worth & this def does not mean that you aren’t good enough. this simply means you aren’t a good fit for the school!! most people have to deal with rejections, so take some time for yourself. eat some comfort food and watch some tv. read a book if that relaxes you. take a bath with lots of bubbles. do whatever is necessary to cleanse yourself of any negative thoughts you may have, and then realize that you can accomplish SO much wherever you end up!! UR A BRILLIANT SHINING STAR & I HAVE FAITH IN YOU :’)

waitlisted – being waitlisted (or deferred during EA/ED, which basically pushed you back to the regular decision time) sucks so much bc you just want to know; take a deep breath and consider all your options. make backup plans. if you’re really interested in the school, email them and tell them that!! make sure if you want to be on the waitlist, that you notify them of that (usually via mail or online somehow). if you don’t wanna be on the waitlist, make sure you take yourself off so you give everyone else a better chance :) 

weigh your options through careful, careful consideration – there are so many factors that may come into play when finally deciding on which college to go to

money is usually a huge factor, and sometimes you won’t be able to go to a great school even though you got in bc it’s too expensive. but do not be sad about this. give yourself time to feel sad, but don’t let it dictate your life!! you need to stay logical and rational. think long-term. sit down with your guardians and discuss the option of taking out loans and so forth. if you’re planning on pursuing grad school afterwards, you need to keep that in the picture as well 

talk to current-students and compare important things – if you’re really big on community service, ask the current students at different schools how it is there. this applies for everything!! first-hand accounts are incredibly helpful. you can also consider emailing professors of departments you’re interested in for a more professional and academic perspective 

look into their programs and try and avoid putting too much emphasis on rankings - be specific and read up on the department that you’re interested and compare them with different schools. don’t blindly let an overall ranking mislead you!! (i.e. Duke is ranked higher overall than Georgia Tech, but Georgia Tech is ranked MUCH higher in many of its engineering programs) 

talk to people – talk to your parents. talk to your counselors, your teachers, your peers. basically everyone is talking about college your senior year, so take advantage of it. talk with other people and get second, third, fourth, fifth opinions. expand your mind and consider everything!! 

senior year is this giant conglomeration of sweat and tears and happiness and anger and jealous and confusion, so do not worry if you are feeling overwhelmed!! it is normal, and i promise that everyone has felt scared about the future at some point. but with that, be confident in yourself. you’re absolutely lovely + you will go far in life!! 

ok 1) I apologize for how absurdly long this post is and 2) I am here to help if ANYONE has ANY questions about anything!! literally I would love giving advice, so feel free to msg me anytime (my main account is @naiveety though, so whichever works)  ALSO if anyone is interested in Duke, please please please come to me & I will help!!!

There are a lot of words that may seem new and weird throughout college applications, so here is a list of words that I defined in order to help you glide through the application process!

The Basics: Treat Yo Self! (and know the facts!)

1. Undergraduate: An undergraduate student is someone who is obtaining an undergraduate education or degree, such as a Bachelor’s degree.

2. Private University: A Private University is a college that is privately funded. They tend to be smaller than public universities as well.

3. Public University: A Public University is a college that is publicly funded, specifically through the national government. They tend to be larger than private universities.

4. Safety School: When applying to colleges, a safety school is a college where the stats of a typical student admitted is lower than your stats, which indicates that it may be easier for you to get in (since you have higher stats than the average).

5. Target School: A target school is a college where the stats of a typical student admitted is similar to your stats, which indicates that you are the same level as other applicants.

6. Reach School: A reach school is a college where the stats of a typical student admitted is higher than your stats, indicating that it is a more competitive college.

7. College Confidential: A website full of threads and information about college admissions. Although some of the pages found on College Confidential are helpful, there are some things found on this site that may discourage you for no apparent reason, such as “Chance Me” threads. Therefore, I advise you to steer clear of College Confidential and, by all means, do not let it get to your head!

8. “Chance Me’s”: “Chance Me” are threads found online where people write their stats and ask for others to see if they can get accepted to a specific college. I advise you NOT to trust these things, as people online do not know your chances of getting into a specific school.

9. Common App: Also known as the Common Application, the Common App is an application used for undergraduate admissions to a multitude of colleges. A majority of colleges accept the Common App, but I suggest looking in on the ones you want to apply to in order to know for sure.

10. Universal College Application: Similar to the Common App, the Universal College Application is also a site used by many people to send their college applications.

11. SAT II’s: Also known as SAT Subject Tests, the SAT II’s are exams that are taken in specific subject areas, such as Biology, Math I/II, and US History. Many colleges do not require SAT Subject Tests. However, it is important to check and see if some colleges require you to take an SAT Subject Test, or if it is optional. Although it may be optional for the college, it is still your decision if you would like to take this exam or not for admission purposes.

12. Transcript: A report of all the grades you have received in each class that you have taken during high school. Colleges require an official transcript to be sent to the admissions office.

13. Recommendation Letter: A letter that details why you are an excellent fit in said college. These letters usually come from teachers, faculty, coaches, mentors, etc. Recommendation letters should NOT be written by a family member.

14. Personal Statement: A Personal Statement is basically a college essay. Many colleges require you to write at least one, while others require more than one essay.

15. Need Blind Admissions: Need-Blind Admissions is when colleges will decide on your admissions decision without looking at your financial information. To clarify, this means that the college will decide on your admissions decision solely on your application and not on your financial information.

16. Waitlisted: Waitlisted is sort of the middle ground for colleges. When you are waitlisted, it does not mean that you are accepted or rejected. Instead, it means that you are put on a “waiting list” and, if the colleges enrollment numbers from their accepted students are lower than expected, they will accept more people from the waitlist.  

17. Deferred: Deferred is when a college pushes your application to the next filing period. This means that you have not been accepted or rejected yet. Instead, the college has pushed your application in order to review it again and make a final decision. A deferral only happens if you have applied Early Action or Early Decision.

18. Legacy (Applicant): A legacy applicant is someone who is applying to a college that a family member has went to, usually their parents.

Types of Applications (it’s “ED” as one, two, three! Get it!?)

1. ED/Early Decision: A type of application filing period where you are able to apply early, but it is binding. This means that if you are accepted to said college under Early Decision, you are required to go there upon acceptance. Usually, the application deadline is in November and admission decisions are in Mid-December. Something to note about this is that you can apply to only one school with an “Early Decision” (since it is binding), but you can apply to other schools with a different filing period, such as Early Action and Regular Decision.

2. EA/Early Action: A type of application filing period where you are able to apply early, but it is not binding. This means that you are applying earlier than the normal application period and you will NOT be required to go to said college upon acceptance. Similar to ED, Early Action’s deadline is around November, but the admissions decision’s date varies. Unlike the Early Decision, you can apply to as many Early Action’s as you want (unless Single Choice Early Action, more on that below)

3. Single Choice/Restrictive Early Action: This is a type of application filing period where you are only allowed to apply to one Early Action school. However, this means that Single Choice/Restrictive Early Action is still non-binding (not required to go upon acceptance), but you can only apply to one school under Early Action. Similar to ED, you are able to apply to colleges under other types of filing periods, such as Regular Decision.

4. RD/Regular Decision: This is the normal time when applications are due. Regular Decision is the time when most people apply to colleges. The applications are usually due in January and results typically come out in March (although, it may vary depending on the college). Regular Decisions are non-binding and you can apply to as many as you want.

5. Rolling Admissions: This is a type of application filing period when you apply to a college and the college admissions office reviews them as they receive the applications. Unlike ED/EA/RD, Rolling Admissions does not have a set date where you can go and look for your college admissions decision. Typically, the college will give you a time frame in which they will give you your admission decision, which is possibly around 2-8 weeks depending on the college. Something to note is that a lot of colleges with Rolling Admissions may not have a distinct deadline for the application, but they will have a “priority deadline” where, if you submit your application before that date, then they will get back to you sooner. Overall, the earlier you submit your application for Rolling Admissions, the quicker you will know your decision.

6. Open Admission: This is a type of application filing where colleges accept all students, as long as they have completed high school or have a GED.

Financial Aid: Dolla Dolla Bills Y'All!

1. Grant: A grant is money that you receive in your financial aid packet that you will NOT have to pay back.

2. Loan: A loan is money that you receive in your financial aid packet and, if you accept, will have to pay back.

3. Scholarships: A scholarship is money earned due to certain achievements, such as academic, athletic, etc. Similar to a grant, it is money given to you that you do not need to pay back. However, for a scholarship, it may be awarded by the college or awarded separately by applying for one.

4. FAFSA: Also known as the “Free Application for Federal Student Aid”, the FAFSA is a website that most colleges will advise you to use in order to receive financial aid from colleges. The FAFSA application will ask for information on your household’s tax forms in order to determine how much grant and loan money you may receive. The FAFSA application opens on January 1st of every year, but deadlines for completing the application varies for every college. Something to note is that you will need to apply for Financial Aid every year in order to receive aid while you are in college.

5. CSS Profile: Also known as the “College Scholarship Service Profile”, the CSS Profile is found on the College Board website where you apply in order to receive more financial aid. Many colleges require the CSS Profile (and sometimes early on), so I advise you to see if it is required.

6. Expected Family Contribution (EFC): This is a number found on your FAFSA that provides an estimate of the amount of money your family will be expected to pay for your education. To note, this estimate is the amount of money you will be expected to pay after financial aid is accounted for.

7. Institutional Grant: An institutional grant is money given by the college that you do not have to pay back. This is different compared to the federal grant, since the federal grant is provided by the government instead of the college itself.

8. Merit-Based Grants: These are grants that are made due to academic achievement.

9. Need-Based Grants: These grants are given to students due to their level of income.

10. Federal Pell Grant: This grant is money that the federal government gives you that you will NOT pay back.

11. Institutional Loans: An institutional loan is money given by the college that you have to pay back. This is different than the federal loans, since the federal loans are provided by the government instead of the college itself.

12. Direct Subsidized Loan: A loan is money that you receive in your financial aid packet and, if you accept, will have to pay back to the college. The Direct Subsidized Loan is a federal loan that pays the loan’s interest while you are in college. However, once your undergraduate education is completed, you will be required to start paying the Direct Subsidized Loan (Note: this loan allows a six month grace period before you starting paying).

13. Direct Unsubsidized Loan: A loan is money that you receive in your financial aid packet and, if you accept, will have to pay back to the college. The Direct Unsubsidized Loan is a federal loan that does not pay the loan’s interest while you are in college. This means that, as you continue through college, you are responsible for paying the loan’s interest. However, if you decide you don’t want to pay the loan’s interest while in college, then the interest will be added to the principal (or the original loan’s amount).

14. Perkins Loan: The Perkins Loan is given to students depending on their school, as some schools do not participate in the Perkins Loan. Similar to all loans, it is money borrowed now that must be paid back later. However, unlike the other loans stated here, this loan is a college issued loan instead of a federal loan, meaning that the money is paid back to the college not the government.

15. (Parent) PLUS Loan: A PLUS Loan is a loan taken out on the parents name for an undergraduate student. This means that parents with undergraduate students may use this money for college expenses. PLUS Loans are to be paid back to the federal government.

16. Work Study Program: The Work Study Program is one in which a student may hold a job on campus while earning their degree/education. You can apply for the Work Study Program through the FAFSA application. The money you earn from this job can be used on anything, from tuition to food, etc.

You’re In College! Now what… (Everything you need to know while in college)

1. Major: A specific area that an undergraduate student focuses on during college. The student must follow and complete the courses stated in their specified major in order to receive their degree.  

2. Minor: Although it is not required, some undergraduate students choose a minor in order to have a secondary focus. If you choose to minor, you do not receive another degree. Instead, minoring in something during college is solely for your own personal interest and to expand your knowledge.

3. Double Major: When you double major in something it means that you are following two specified areas. Double Majors receive two degrees for the areas in which they studied.

4. Undeclared: To be undeclared in college is to not choose a major/degree. Many people go into college undeclared, while some are even undeclared up until their second year of college. However, depending on your college, there may be a specific time or deadline to declare a major, since you will eventually be required to have one in order to obtain a degree.

5. Placement Test: A placement test is a preliminary test in order to see what level you are in specific subjects. These are normally taken when you have selected a college to attend (as an entering college freshman) and must register for classes. Also, something to note, all colleges do not have placement tests.

6. Bursar Office: The Bursar Office is the branch of the college that takes care of payments and billing statements for the student.

7. Financial Aid Office: The Financial Aid Office is the branch of the college that takes care of the financial aid aspect for the student, such as determining grant money.

8. Registrar: The Registrar Office is where they handle student records and scheduling for the college.

9. Commuting/Commuter: A commuter is a student who travels to college from where they reside. This is a longer distance than the typical five minutes off campus.

the “why you wanna come here” essay

mention a department you really like, a professor you really like, a lab you really like, a program you really like

sometimes aspects of the school like an extensive research program, an internship program, an interesting major, a school philosophy will stand out (for instance, one school i applied to prided itself on balancing the humanities with STEM, which was a big focus in my essay)

talk about your experience when you visited or how you heard about the school and all the good things

any articles you read on it will help, basically just research a lot, talk about your interview (if applicable), talk about their programs and unique points

it wouldn’t be a bad idea to talk about your interests (briefly) and why that school is uniquely good for you

the “what do you want to study” essay

again, mention a field, or if undecided, then talk about diverse interests

if you have a specific field, talk about your experiences (like for engineering, i talked about robotics and my internship and how that shaped my career path)

overcoming challenges, discovering new interests, creating connections with others, and becoming a leader are all good things to mention here if possible

if you don’t know what to study, thats totally ok, but talk about your different interests, maybe how you plan to proceed with finding a specific course of study, or talk about a program you’re interested in at the school

the “challenge” essay

this essay is a challenge

you really gotta come up with something pretty good or at least try to; try to find something that involves being a leader and taking action/responsibility or maybe going out of your comfort zone.

tell it like a story!! talk about the problem then how you resolved it (ideally it should be a challenge you resolved?? it could also be one that went unresolved but you have to be v careful in that case)

tl;dr show off your good aspects like leadership, keeping calm, trustworthiness, etc etc etc

the “talk about something you haven’t talked about essay

i usually used this one for any topic i wanted to talk about but didnt get the chance to

basically waht i mean is i had three main topics i wanted to hit in every application: my internship, my sport, my music. If i didn’t get a chance to talk about one through an essay, I’d use my talk about whatever essay to talk about it.

why is this double spaced

don’t waste this!!! this is a pretty good spot to show how you’re unique and tell a very “you” story to distinguish yourself from all the other applicants. 

but also you can def use like another essay you wrote for another prompt for another school here if you find it appropriate -always make sure to reuse topics and ideas when possible~~

My main pieces of advice for all those students starting their senior year of high school this fall. Of course, these won’t all apply to everyone, but take what you want from it. Here’s some advice from someone who just graduated. 

By the time you get to senior year you either have 3 close friends. or you’ll be friends with everyone. Either way, cherish them all. 

Do not slack off. If you do, at least wait until the second semester. 

Take easy classes. Unless you don’t mind lower grades in hard classes due to senioritis then I suggest you keep your senior schedule pretty simple. 

Take off periods. You will LOVE them. You will be surprised with how much longer your days feel.

Definitely start driving to school, or carpooling with someone who does. 

Go to the football games. Even if your team sucks. They’re just good experiences.

Actually, go to as many school events as possible. Senior year was my first time going to volleyball games, or the dance shows. This is your last chance to experience them.

You do not need to go off campus for lunch everyday. You do not want to earn your freshmen fifteen as a senior.

Your senior year group of friends will be the group of friends that you wish you’d had all throughout high school.

You will meet new people, and become friends and wish that you met them sooner. Because some of them will be juniors and you probably won’t see them for a very long time. 

Start applying to colleges as early as you can. Preferably once you start senior year, or the summer before. 

If you haven’t already taken your SAT/ACT you definitely need to get started on that your first semester. 

Go to prom if you can. It won’t be the BEST night of your life, but it’s a good one. 

Start thinking about what you want to major in. This is definitely subject to change, but you’re going to want to know a couple options once you start applying to colleges.

Once you do accept your offer for a college, and it becomes definite, high school becomes so much harder to get through because you just want to leave. 

You’re going to be waiting for graduation THE WHOLE YEAR. 

If you’re in a relationship and are going your separate ways after graduating now would be a good time to either end it, or figure out ways to be long distance.

Long distance very rarely works. 

At prom, it is a very good idea to invest in some comfortable shoes.

Take lots of pictures.

Go on college visits to as many colleges as you can.

Save your absences for the last weeks of school because that’s when you are REALLY not going to want to go. 

Be one good terms with some of your teachers, because you’re going to want letters of recommendation. 

If you want to take pictures with your friends after graduation, be ready to pick a place to meet up beforehand because it will be very hard to find them afterwards.

Do your homework. Please. 

Stop talking to the people that you realize you’re only nice to because you have classes with them. 

Now is just not a good time to develop a crush. 

AP tests are suddenly very hard to study for considering that you’ve been taking it easy all year.

Your SAT score does not define you and getting a bad one is not the end of the world.

However, do as well as you can because colleges often give assured scholarships to students who meet certain SAT/ACT scores. 

Your GPA is either going to drop, or raise A LOT. 

GPA doesn’t really matter at this point though. Junior year grades matter the most. 

Spend a lot of time with your family. You’ll be off to college before you know it.

High school parties are honestly overhyped. 

Now would be a good time to acquire a taste for coffee. 

If you oversleep, I honestly recommend just staying home that day unless you have a test. 

T-shirts will become your clothing of choice. 

If you love makeup, like me, by the last 2 months of school you just won’t have the energy to wake up 20 minutes earlier to apply it. So learn to be okay with how you look without makeup. 

Please eat breakfast. 

No one cares if you eat in the cafeteria. 

The freshman look SO tiny and it makes you wonder if you looked that small 3 years ago. 

Go to all the pep rallies. 

Have fun during spirit week. Some colleges don’t have them, so take advantage of it now.

It is totally okay to not have a date for prom.

One of the happiest moments you will have all year is being able to walk across the stage. Also, one of the shortest.

Despite what everyone says, there is a very good chance that you WON’T cry at graduation. 

The senior year teachers are always the best.

Be nice to the freshman.

Be nice to any underclassmen actually.

５ｊｕｌｙ２０１７ 

day 1 

so I’ve decided to take the 100 Days of Productivity challenge, as next week will be the start of a very stressful term of senior year ( ；´Д｀) today I just wrote out the term’s outline for Chemistry (hey! I would call that productivity! (￣^￣)ゞ) and I took the other photo a few days ago but I thought it would be pretty to add here.