When I was in high school, I’d visit the football weight room facility each weekday morning to get in a workout in preparation for the upcoming season. I’ll never forget the summer before my senior season in particular. I distinctly remember one of the coaches announcing on July 1 that “today is July the ONTH, and you have exactly one MONTH before two-a-day practices!” Yes, practices were set to begin August 1 that year, and I was excited. For the record, that’s the same coach who’d scream for you to keep your mouthpiece in or else suffer from getting “Summer Teeth” -- as in some are over here, and some are over there! I’ll have more on that later….
Times have changed significantly since the summer of 1994 when my coach made that comment, and August 1 has taken on a whole different priority for most high school seniors: August 1 marks the opening for application season for the majority of colleges across America. Yes, some schools have already begun to accept applications for Fall 2022 applicants, but those are fewer and further between. Texas public colleges/universities utilize August 1 as the opening for the Apply Texas application, and most schools that accept the Common Application open their application season on this day as well. Here are a few tips to consider now that application season is upon you:
-- Applications open August 1, but that does not necessarily mean that you’ll urgently need to apply at that time! For most schools, there is a reading/review process that takes place for decisions, whether they be rolling, Early Action, or Early Decision.
-- For schools that have a November 1 Early Action or Early Decision deadline, the need for submitting the application as soon as August 1 is non-existent. It’s probable that the EA/ED school won’t read applications until later in the Fall after an extensive travel season is over. As per an early process, the schools typically designate a mid-December to mid-January timeline for initial decisions and/or scholarship notifications.
-- A major outlying exception to the ‘urgency’ of which I speak is TEXAS A&M. Their reps will tell you until they’re blue in the face that all students are considered equally as long as applications are submitted by the December 1 deadline (they do give preference to prospective Engineering applicants who apply by October 15). Anecdotally speaking, it’s far better for their process to apply earlier in the game than later as spots in more select majors (Business, Engineering, Computer Science) fill up quickly. Their reps simply don’t want to create mass panic by emphasizing urgency. If Texas A&M is on a student’s application destination list, then my advice is to prioritize the A&M application, even if the school is not the student’s first choice. Again, this is based upon the way that they read applications and how spots fill up somewhat quickly there. A&M has a high yield rate, which means that a high percentage of applicants who are admitted have A&M as their first choice destination and will matriculate. Applying sooner rather than later for A&M is unquestionably the best way to go.
-- Know the difference between Early Action and Early Decision. This is more of a private school phenomenon, but some public schools have these as well. See my prior blog post to help you understand the differences and details.
-- Reporting the SAT/ACT vs. Test-optional review. The test-optional review is ideally suited for high-achieving students that have terrific grades and a solid holistic profile, just that they don’t test well, for whatever reason (socioeconomics, learning disabilities, anxieties, etc). If not SAT or ACT is reported, then they’ll scrutinize grades that much more heavily in their process, so a student ought to have their ducks in a row, academically speaking. Further, many schools still utilize test scores for merit scholarship consideration, despite test-optional reviews.
There are many other details to cover with consideration towards applications. It’s imperative that students and parents do their homework to ensure that they’re properly informed. My question to each of you is this: Who is helping advise you through the process? As well, do these advisors know what it’s like to navigate the very tricky admissions process? Have they worked in a college admissions office, recruited prospective students, read files, and been part of decision committees? Do they have relationships with admissions counselors from across the country that can help facilitate the advocacy process for their students? These are all important questions, and as counselors at local high schools are overwhelmed, overworked, and short-staffed, it’s good to know that there are subject matter experts (like me) who can guide students through the process. Parents, if your student(s) have a hard time listening to you, then let me help you! They’ll listen to me; I’m the subject matter expert that’s been there, and done that when it comes to college admissions.
I have a larger caseload of students this year, so things are good on my end! If you need help, then I encourage you to reach out to me soon; my calendar is filling up pretty quickly, but I’m flexible with programs, consultations, and timelines. I’m here to help!
PS -- The above-mentioned coach also had other funny quips. He’s the same guy who’d show up to practice with a fresh haircut. We’d ask him, “Hey Coach, did you get a haircut?” Without fail, he’d always respond with “no, I got ‘em ALL cut!”