5 ways to Jump Start the College Process Today!
- Identify your family’s maximum annual budget (aka the amount of money they can afford per year). If you have financial needs, this needs to be conveyed up front before the process starts, as it shapes the research and schools to be considered.
- List your must-haves. Think about geographic location, program, campus size, student enrolment, weather, co-curricular activities. What is a non-negotiable for you in order for you to be academically and socially successful?
- Identify your teachers who will write letters of recommendation. Before you leave for break, kindly ask two or three teachers in your core subjects if they would be willing to write recommendations in the beginning of the next school year. Ask early because many teachers won’t write a recommendation for every student. (Bonus tip – you don’t need to ask the teachers where you earned an A in the class, but classes where you worked hard or sought extra help. They need to know your work ethic to write a compelling reference.)
- List your co-curricular activities from the last four years. Include details about the duration (time) of your involvement (on average) any positions held and honors received, and a brief description of your role. For example:
- Activity: Youth Soccer Coach from 1 June 2014 – current.
- Description: I am head coach for a local girl’s youth soccer team year round; I planned practice drills, coordinated local scrimmages, and traveled with the team to regional tournaments.
- Time commitment: 8 hours per week, 40 weeks per year.
- Make an appointment with your school counselor and an education consultant at AHEC to get started now!
6. Bonus Tip – start writing your personal statement! The Common Application Essay Prompts for the academic year 2020-2021 have not changed! Why not finish your essay before you slide into summer mode?
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