It's that time of year when college application deadlines are approaching, making many high school seniors overwhelmed and anxious due to the competitive nature of college admissions.
By Mahi Poodari
While preparing for college, students face additional stressors such as excelling academically, managing extracurricular commitments, and balancing a social life. Family expectations can also add pressure, particularly for first-generation college students. The fear of rejection and the uncertainty of controlling one's future also further intensify college application stress. To enhance your chances of acceptance and calm some of those application nerves, it's essential to create a list of safety, target, and reach schools (as recommended by Charlie Health). In this post, we will provide tips on how to navigate the application process.
Schedule your applications based on their due dates. This is to help you prioritize which applications are due especially when considering early action & early decision applications.
Overcome writer's block with brainstorming. I find that brainstorming is a good first step in writing whatever is on your mind and helps to recount memories.
Allocate time for essay writing with a partner and establish deadlines. This is important in ensuring that you do not write your essays last minute and to avoid burnout.
Use Grammarly to review your application. Grammarly, a Google Chrome extension, is a service that checks your grammar, punctuation, and spelling.
Seek others such as a teacher, counselor, parent, or friend to proofread your essays
Practice self-care to relieve stress from college applications. College applications can cause anxiety, and it is vital to practice self-care and to take breaks especially when writing for long periods.
It's important to note that while these times may feel like they determine your entire future, there are alternative paths to a four-year university. One option is attending a community college. Not only is community college more affordable, but it also provides the option to transfer to a university once you’ve completed general education courses. Plus, as a student of a California community college, it is easier for applicants to be admitted to a UC through the transfer admission guarantee program (TAG). We hope that these tips can help you during this process, and encourage you to incorporate self-care during this stressful time. Regardless of what happens after you apply, you are going to find your footing through whichever path you choose to take.
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