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With summer rolling in and the new wave of applications being submitted to colleges, it’s only a matter of time before your own child does the same. If you don’t know much about the college application process, it could create a lot of stress, not only for you but your child, too. To avoid such unnecessary tension, here’s a list of 10 things you can do to get your kids ready to prepare their college applications for submission ahead of the final deadline.
Do Your Research
A wise man once said that knowing is half the battle – a saying that applies to many things, college applications among them. The first step to college applications is determining which college they wish to attend. Start talking to your child about incorporating some time in their day to research colleges they might find attractive. A little bit of internal research truly goes a long way.
Pick Top Five Colleges (and then get it down to one)
Now that your child has found a footing regarding the world of colleges, have them take a minute to consider their top five favorites, and jot the list down on paper. Ask why they want to go to each one – and be sure to provide pointers when needed. With your child, try to pit all five colleges against each other, and then prioritize from least interesting to most. Even if you plan to apply to all five, it’s still important for your child to know what they want most
Learn the CommonApp
The CommonApp will be your best friend as it will be the tool you will use to submit your applications. Not only that, it sends the applications to all colleges, making it very efficient. But beware, it requires that you provide a perfect submission, as it can only be done once. Make sure your child remembers to put CommonApp information on a separate list, as it will refresh all data every so often.
Check the Transcript
Your child’s transcript, while not the only part of the college application, is something that cannot be ignored. GPA is the first wave a college will look at, so make sure your child is on top of his or her GPA. Make sure the GPA being looked at is unweighted to maximize effort.
Be Sure to Look for Service Opportunities
For many high schools, 100 service hours is required to graduate. But here’s a good idea: inspiring your child to go the extra mile to get more in, preferably 300 hours. This could give them the chance to earn a scholarship. While this seems like a lot, X2Vol provides a massive list of service opportunities your child can take advantage of. Using the website, 300 becomes less an impossibility and more a goal to strive for, plus, colleges love service.
Looks Alive for Any Externships
Another thing colleges love to look at is externships – a short-term, usually unpaid, job shadowing experience. Externs typically spend a few days to a few weeks observing and learning from professionals in a specific field. They are also quite abundant, so long as you plan accordingly for them. Your child should have at least two or three externships under their belt, even if the requirement is just one.
Take Part in Clubs and Athletics
On par with service hours and externships, encourage your child to join any clubs or extracurriculars they find interesting. This will signal to colleges that your child does more than just school and actually has hobbies and things to do besides doing homework all day. It also lets colleges know that your child is skilled at managing their time and that they know how to balance work and play. This is doubled if your child manages to make their way through said club to reach the higher ranks in it such as vice president or even president.
Prepare for SAT / ACT stuff
ACT and SAT are very important in combination with the college application. A high scoring ACT or SAT could determine bright futures for your child, which is extremely useful for getting your child into the college of their dreams. The best way to help your child with these two tests is to hire a tutor who specializes in them, as well as having your child study a bit of the material for the test for 30 minutes to an hour every day. Ensure their preparation on the day of the test as well, and make sure they can take it to the best of their ability.
The College Essay
Despite being very underestimated, the college essay reveals to the college admission team what type of person your child is. This essay is something that should not be taken lightly. It’s important you help your child with this essay and it’s surprisingly easy to do so. One smart approach is to simply talk to your child about yourself. Sharing stories from your perspective as the parent – about your struggles, personality, and triumphs – actually helps them brainstorm. Introducing them to “The College Essay Guy” is also an effective tool, as his videos and websites can provide your child with the first steps to crafting a perfect college essay that will wow all who read it.
Stick it Out to the End with Them
The journey to crafting the perfect college application is not easy, so sometimes the best thing to do is to remind your child how much you love them and that they can do it! Something as simple as that goes a long way in terms of validation, motivation and of course love.
About the Author
Nicholas Anthony Roiz is a Christopher Columbus High School student and vice president of the school newspaper “The Log.” He is known for his creative writing capabilities, creating short stories that have slowly developed into such overarching series as “Tales from the Vulcan” and a new series known as “The Spectator Files.” He is currently freelance writing for Miami’s Community Newspapers as an externship learning experience, with Publisher Grant Miller serving as his mentor.
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