{"id":335925,"date":"2026-09-02T12:30:12","date_gmt":"2026-09-02T12:30:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/335925\/"},"modified":"2026-09-02T12:30:12","modified_gmt":"2026-09-02T12:30:12","slug":"college-applications-lets-break-this-down-new-york-family","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/335925\/","title":{"rendered":"College Applications: Let\u2019s Break This Down \u2013 New York Family"},"content":{"rendered":"

This school year I\u2019m parenting two kids at two very different transition points, and one of them is applying to college. Here\u2019s the system I\u2019m using to keep me- and maybe you, if you are also dealing with the college application process organized.<\/p>\n

At a Glance:\u00a0<\/p>\n

Aim for a mix of reach, target, and likely schools, and consider academics, finances, location, and overall fit.
\nCreate one master calendar for Early Decision, Early Action, Regular Decision, essays, recommendations, testing, financial aid, and scholarships.
\nAsk for teacher\/school recommendations early, get the personal essay moving, and check each college\u2019s requirements.<\/p>\n

College Applications: Let\u2019s Break This Down<\/p>\n

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\u2019s college application is the task at hand that is most important. Fun times!<\/p>\n

I knew this process would be a lot. What I didn\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n

So rather than pretending I have this all figured out, I decided to do what I do whenever life feels chaotic\u2026make a list.<\/p>\n

If you are also going through the college application process, read on. Here\u2019s the college application timeline I\u2019m using to keep myself, and hopefully my child (and maybe you), from completely losing it.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m also helping my son put together a realistic list of schools.<\/p>\n

Psst\u2026 Check Out Why Kids Get Sick When School Starts: A\u00a0Pediatrician\u00a0Explains\u00a0What\u2019s Normal<\/a><\/p>\n

Start with the College List<\/p>\n

This isn\u2019t just a list of every school your child has ever mentioned. Ideally, you\u2019re looking at a mix of schools that make sense academically, financially, and geographically, and schools where your child can realistically see themselves.<\/p>\n

You\u2019ll often hear schools described as:<\/p>\n

Reach: A school where admission is less certain based on your student\u2019s profile.
\nTarget: A school where your student\u2019s academic profile is generally in range.
\nLikely: A school where admission is more likely based on the student\u2019s profile.<\/p>\n

The goal isn\u2019t to predict exactly where your child will get in. It\u2019s to make sure you aren\u2019t putting all of your emotional and financial eggs in one basket.<\/p>\n

What to Do During October-November\u00a0<\/p>\n

Okay, now things get real. At this point, I\u2019m checking our calendar approximately 400 times. This is when I want every school to have its own little checklist.<\/p>\n

For each college, I\u2019m tracking:<\/p>\n

Application deadline
\nEarly Decision deadline, if applicable
\nEarly Action deadline, if applicable
\nRegular Decision deadline
\nSupplemental essays
\nRecommendation requirements
\nTranscript requirements
\nTesting requirements
\nApplication fee
\nFinancial aid (the small print, what they may cover and the deadlines)
\nScholarship opportunities (what are their offerings, for example if private and not many, we\u2019re out)<\/p>\n

Because one of the easiest mistakes to make is assuming that every school has the same deadline and requirements.<\/p>\n

What Exactly Is FAFSA?<\/p>\n

I have heard about FAFSA from other parents who went through all of this before I really understood what it was.<\/p>\n

FAFSA: Free Application for Federal Student Aid AKA Financial Aid<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

And here\u2019s something I think is important: Don\u2019t assume you don\u2019t need to fill it out simply because you don\u2019t think you\u2019ll qualify for financial aid. Check the requirements and deadlines for the schools and state you\u2019re dealing with.<\/p>\n

How Does FAFSA Actually Work?<\/p>\n

This is where it can get confusing for parents. The student starts the FAFSA<\/a>, 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.<\/p>\n

You\u2019ll want to have financial and tax information available. FAFSA can also use information transferred from the IRS once the required consent is provided.<\/p>\n

Mom translation: FAFSA<\/a> is essentially the financial-aid application you don\u2019t want to ignore..<\/p>\n

Wait\u2026 What Is the Common App?<\/p>\n

The Common Application<\/a>, or Common App<\/a>, is, in a nutshell, one application that you can use to apply to most colleges.<\/p>\n

Which, honestly, THANK GAWD, because let\u2019s be real, I am the unpaid consultant, the lead in making sure this all gets done, and this is super helpful.<\/p>\n

The caveat is that while the Common App is a time saver, it doesn\u2019t mean one application and you\u2019re 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.<\/p>\n

Mom translation: The Common App makes applying easier. However, it does not make the entire college application process one-and-done.<\/p>\n

The Personal Essay<\/p>\n

The Common App includes an essay, and this is one area where I am trying very hard not to take over.<\/p>\n

Yes, I have opinions. I can probably find approximately 47 ways to rewrite a sentence. But ultimately, this is my child\u2019s essay, so the goal isn\u2019t to make your teenager sound like a 45-year-old professional writer. It\u2019s to let the admissions office learn something about the person behind the grades and activities.<\/p>\n

Letters from the School<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Mom move: Ask early. Don\u2019t wait until a deadline is looming to discover that the teacher your child really wants to recommend them is already writing 12 other recommendations.<\/p>\n

What Are Early Decision and Early Action?<\/p>\n

If there could even be more quandaries to the college application process, there are. This is another area that needs a plain-English explanation.<\/p>\n

Early Decision<\/p>\n

Early Decision (ED) is generally binding. A student applies early and, if accepted, is committing to attend that college, subject to the school\u2019s specific terms and financial-aid circumstances.<\/p>\n

That means this isn\u2019t simply a way to find out earlier.<\/p>\n

Early Action<\/p>\n

Early Action (EA) is when an applicant student applies early and receives an admissions decision earlier without the same binding commitment as Early Decision.<\/p>\n

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\u2019s requirements.<\/p>\n

Mom Translation:<\/p>\n

Early Decision: \u201cIf they accept me, I\u2019m saying yes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Early Action: \u201cI\u2019m applying early, but I\u2019m generally not committing to attend.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Part I\u2019m Trying to Remember<\/p>\n

The biggest thing I\u2019m reminding myself throughout this process is that my job isn\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n

There will probably be moments when I wonder why I didn\u2019t start sooner. There will be moments when I have no idea what we\u2019re doing. There will definitely be moments when I say, \u201cDid you submit that yet?\u201d 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.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Now Breathe.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Psst\u2026 Check Out Who Pays for College After Divorce?<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Sign<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"This school year I\u2019m parenting two kids at two very different transition points, and one of them is…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":335926,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[14960,126208,126209,9,11,10],"class_list":["post-335925","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-new-york","tag-college-application","tag-college-application-process","tag-college-application-what-to-know","tag-new-york","tag-new-york-headlines","tag-new-york-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/335925","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=335925"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/335925\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/335926"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=335925"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=335925"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=335925"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}