College Application Process: A Step-By-Step Guide

The first step in applying to college is to know about the application deadlines so that they have enough time to prepare and complete all the necessary tasks beforehand. When applying to colleges high school seniors have multiple deadlines to choose from i.e. "early decision", "early action", and "regular decision".

Early Decision

Usually, early decision deadlines are during November. High school seniors who decide to apply via an early decision hear back from their potential college much sooner than others who don't. Its decision often comes out during December.

But once you get accepted via this process you must enroll as they are usually binding. Some schools do offer a second early decision deadline during January and the decision is made in February, they are also binding as well.

Early Action

This is the second type of college application deadline is early action and they happen during November or December. Early action applicants also receive decisions much sooner than other students who don't.

The only difference from early decisions is that this decisions are not binding. Some schools do offer restrictive early action (rarely) where students can only apply to one school but the decision is non-binding.

Regular Decision

The last type of deadline and the most common one is a regular decision which is typically on January 1st. Undergraduate applicants who apply through this deadline get their decision mid-to-late March or early April. 

Starting the application process early is important. You need to get ahead and start early, you’re not suffocating your creativity because you will be rushing through to get everything done by the October or November deadlines.

After deciding when to apply, and the number of colleges to apply to, students need to know which college application platform is best for them. There are several college application platforms available for students to apply for college. 

The Common Application

As the name suggests, a common application platform is the most popular and is accepted by more than 1000 colleges. It makes it easy for students to fill out a common app once and then submit it to multiple colleges.

Coalition Application

This is a much newer platform that is accepted by more than 130 colleges. Colleges that accept both platforms do not have particular preferences and is completely up to the students to choose from. Coalition Application partners with schools that provide generous financial aid packages so it can be a cost-effective option.

Common Black College Application

This other app is accepted commonly by historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). This application allows students to apply to over 65 HBCUs. Over 250,000 students have used this app to apply for college.

Now comes the checklist of things that you need before applying to your chosen colleges and universities. These are the basic things that every student must include in their college application.

Application Form

You need to fill out a general application form for the college you want to attend. This mainly covers general personal information about students, a list of extracurricular activities, school, and family.

Academic Transcripts

All your transcripts from high school and other academic institutions you might have been enrolled must be submitted. This will show the colleges about the classes you have taken and the grades you've got. Colleges will have a general idea of what kind of student are you from your transcripts.

Letter of Recommendations

You need to have at least two to three letters of recommendation from people who know you. These are mainly teachers, academic counselors, team coaches, volunteer organizers, employers, etc who have a good reputation. You need to choose wisely because good recommendations will make a good impression.

Personal Statements and Essays

Colleges are always interested in you beyond your academic grades. A personal essay is a perfect opportunity for you to show to colleges a more rounded picture of who you are as an individual. Use this opportunity to strengthen your application.

Standardize Scores

College entrance exams like ACT or SAT were mandatory before but a growing number of colleges have stopped asking for scores. Even though they are not necessary now, submitting them will help the college understand your readiness. 

Financial Information

Lastly, colleges do need you to understand your financial situation whether or not you can afford to study there, qualify for some kind of scholarships, etc. The financial information deadline might not be the same as the application deadline. You can also fill a Free Application for Federal Student Aid.

College application fees vary from one college to another, so there is no fixed set of application charges. However, it normally ranges between $50 to $90 per application depending upon where you decide to apply.

Students can go through the college website to check the amount of the fee charged per applicant by the colleges. Colleges receive thousands of applications and reviewing them costs time and money. So, this money is charged to help fund the review process.

College Application Fee Waiver

Students from low-income families have different ways to get the college application fee waived. Students who received the ACT and SAT fee waivers automatically qualify for college application fee waivers. Students can also get an application fee waived by participating in instant decision day events at their high school. 

Your best way to decide which college to apply to is to take a virtual campus tour. Most college officials and admission consultants have a similar view on this. You can get a clear picture of campus culture and community because you may not enjoy or fit into all.

Do not skip this process before applying to college because it will provide you with a glimpse of a day in college life. You can also take physical tours if you have traveling time. Though it won't be feasible for everyone.

Once you've filled out your college application make sure to double-check it. Before sending it you must be sure that you've done everything right and have no errors. Once you've submitted it there is no redo.

While double-checking make sure it does not have any typos, that you've included everything you want to show to your potential college, important details and information have been included, etc. Like the famous quote, "it's better to be safe than sorry", rechecking will do exactly that.

After reading this article you now have a perfect idea of the college application step-by-step process. Make sure to plan in advance which will give you a competitive amongst other students and also will give you ample time to organize.

You don't need a last-minute panic. Also, explore as much as possible so that you make the right choice for your career. Best of luck for your future.

Content Sources:

• Coursera
• US News
• Common App
• The Princeton Review
• Forbes Advisor