This school year I’m parenting two kids at two very different transition points, and one of them is applying to college. Here’s the system I’m using to keep me- and maybe you, if you are also dealing with the college application process organized.
At a Glance:
Aim for a mix of reach, target, and likely schools, and consider academics, finances, location, and overall fit.
Create one master calendar for Early Decision, Early Action, Regular Decision, essays, recommendations, testing, financial aid, and scholarships.
Ask for teacher/school recommendations early, get the personal essay moving, and check each college’s requirements.
College Applications: Let’s Break This Down
This year, I am parenting two kids entering two very different chapters next school year, but I have to figure it out this year, of course. One child is heading into middle school (for special needs), and the other is heading into college (WTAF!), and since the college applications are due first because December 1st is the recommended date to apply to maximize our chances for financial aid and campus housing, the oldest kid’s college application is the task at hand that is most important. Fun times!
I knew this process would be a lot. What I didn’t realize was just how many moving pieces there are: researching schools, figuring out deadlines, keeping track of applications, essays, recommendations, financial aid, testing, visits, and approximately 1,000 other things that suddenly seem very important.
So rather than pretending I have this all figured out, I decided to do what I do whenever life feels chaotic…make a list.
If you are also going through the college application process, read on. Here’s the college application timeline I’m using to keep myself, and hopefully my child (and maybe you), from completely losing it.
First, I created one master college calendar. Every application deadline, essay, recommendation, test date, financial-aid deadline, and other important date goes in one place.
I’m also helping my son put together a realistic list of schools.
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Start with the College List
This isn’t just a list of every school your child has ever mentioned. Ideally, you’re looking at a mix of schools that make sense academically, financially, and geographically, and schools where your child can realistically see themselves.
You’ll often hear schools described as:
Reach: A school where admission is less certain based on your student’s profile.
Target: A school where your student’s academic profile is generally in range.
Likely: A school where admission is more likely based on the student’s profile.
The goal isn’t to predict exactly where your child will get in. It’s to make sure you aren’t putting all of your emotional and financial eggs in one basket.
What to Do During October-November
Okay, now things get real. At this point, I’m checking our calendar approximately 400 times. This is when I want every school to have its own little checklist.
For each college, I’m tracking:
Application deadline
Early Decision deadline, if applicable
Early Action deadline, if applicable
Regular Decision deadline
Supplemental essays
Recommendation requirements
Transcript requirements
Testing requirements
Application fee
Financial aid (the small print, what they may cover and the deadlines)
Scholarship opportunities (what are their offerings, for example if private and not many, we’re out)
Because one of the easiest mistakes to make is assuming that every school has the same deadline and requirements.
What Exactly Is FAFSA?
I have heard about FAFSA from other parents who went through all of this before I really understood what it was.
FAFSA: Free Application for Federal Student Aid AKA Financial Aid
It is the form families complete to determine eligibility for federal financial aid, including things such as federal grants, work-study, and federal student loans. Colleges and states may also use FAFSA information when determining eligibility for their own financial aid.
And here’s something I think is important: Don’t assume you don’t need to fill it out simply because you don’t think you’ll qualify for financial aid. Check the requirements and deadlines for the schools and state you’re dealing with.
How Does FAFSA Actually Work?
This is where it can get confusing for parents. The student starts the FAFSA, and for a dependent student, a parent may be required to participate as a contributor. The parent contributor has their own StudentAid.gov account and provides the financial information required on the form.
You’ll want to have financial and tax information available. FAFSA can also use information transferred from the IRS once the required consent is provided.
Mom translation: FAFSA is essentially the financial-aid application you don’t want to ignore..
Wait… What Is the Common App?
The Common Application, or Common App, is, in a nutshell, one application that you can use to apply to most colleges.
Which, honestly, THANK GAWD, because let’s be real, I am the unpaid consultant, the lead in making sure this all gets done, and this is super helpful.
The caveat is that while the Common App is a time saver, it doesn’t mean one application and you’re done, since some individual colleges can have additional questions, essays, testing requirements, and other materials. So when you check off your list, make sure you note this.
Mom translation: The Common App makes applying easier. However, it does not make the entire college application process one-and-done.
The Personal Essay
The Common App includes an essay, and this is one area where I am trying very hard not to take over.
Yes, I have opinions. I can probably find approximately 47 ways to rewrite a sentence. But ultimately, this is my child’s essay, so the goal isn’t to make your teenager sound like a 45-year-old professional writer. It’s to let the admissions office learn something about the person behind the grades and activities.
Letters from the School
This recommendation letter process seems simple until you realize your child may not be the only kid asking a teacher for a recommendation. Also, think of school staff who may know your child outside the classroom, such as a coach or a mental health counselor- someone many high schools now provide.
Mom move: Ask early. Don’t wait until a deadline is looming to discover that the teacher your child really wants to recommend them is already writing 12 other recommendations.
What Are Early Decision and Early Action?
If there could even be more quandaries to the college application process, there are. This is another area that needs a plain-English explanation.
Early Decision
Early Decision (ED) is generally binding. A student applies early and, if accepted, is committing to attend that college, subject to the school’s specific terms and financial-aid circumstances.
That means this isn’t simply a way to find out earlier.
Early Action
Early Action (EA) is when an applicant student applies early and receives an admissions decision earlier without the same binding commitment as Early Decision.
Because a college, especially a private one, may have a different timeline, and because exceptions and individual college rules exist, always check the specific school’s requirements.
Mom Translation:
Early Decision: “If they accept me, I’m saying yes.”
Early Action: “I’m applying early, but I’m generally not committing to attend.”
The Part I’m Trying to Remember
The biggest thing I’m reminding myself throughout this process is that my job isn’t to go to college for my kid. My job is to help him get through the process without drowning in it, and, ideally, without me drowning in it either.
There will probably be moments when I wonder why I didn’t start sooner. There will be moments when I have no idea what we’re doing. There will definitely be moments when I say, “Did you submit that yet?” for the 100th time. But for now, I have a calendar. I have a checklist. And I have accepted that this is going to be a process. And if you are in the same boat, my wish is for you to do so as well.
Now Breathe.
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