We are smack dab in the middle of summer, and for rising seniors, it’s a turning point. From here on out, students need to be locked in on the college admissions process. In order to stay on track, here are five things rising seniors should be doing right now, before school resumes.
1. Writing the personal statement.
Most seniors applying to colleges in the United States will be using the Common App, which requires students to submit a 650-word essay responding to one of seven prompts. This is the main anchor of the application, giving context, humanity, and personality to the hard data points, like GPA, that admissions teams review. For students applying to schools in the UK with the UCAS system, to schools that use their own applications like Georgetown and MIT, and other universities throughout Europe and Canada, this main essay can be recycled. It’s important to set aside enough time throughout the summer to really work on this essay and get it right.
2. The activities résumé.
This important element of applications are often overlooked; many schools offer a space in the application or the post-submission applicant portal for students to upload a résumé. This gives students the opportunity to expand on activities that need a description longer than the strict character count in the Activities section in the Common App. It also gives students the opportunity to list involvement in activities that exceed the 10-space limit, and to describe the honors and awards they have received.
3. Solidifying the application plan.
Students need to have a solid list of schools by the time the applications open on August 1st. Between supplemental essays, school coursework, and extracurricular activities, there is no time to waste. Even more importantly, students need to know whether they will apply early decision, and to which school.
4. Summer activities.
Whether students are training for their sport, completing an internship, or taking pre-college courses, they’ve got to maintain their involvement. Now is not the time to drop out or back off of activities, especially if it is something that the student is truly passionate about. Which brings us to…
5. Self care.
These next few months are going to be stressful. College admissions are tough for many reasons. Not only is it an extraordinary amount of work, especially for students who are applying to top programs on top of the rigor of their regular academic load; it’s an emotional process. Social media makes things even harder, as students watch TikToks and Instagram reels with students opening their acceptance notifications, compare themselves with others, and feed into the (false!) feeling that the rank of schools to which a student is accepted is a direct reflection of their ability or character. The fact of the matter is, seniors need a village. Now is the time for seniors to tap into their support systems, whether that means planning a one-on-one vent session with mom or dad once a month, reaching out to a counselor, or planning a night off to decompress with a mindless hobby. Starting early and spacing out the work helps with this process tremendously.
Does this seem overwhelming? It’s because it is.
College admissions processes are designed to weed out students. This means applications to top schools often involve numerous essays, detailed questionnaires, and require quite a bit of foreknowledge. Aristotle Circle is here to help. Our comprehensive college admissions counseling package includes unlimited one-to-one meetings with a NACAC-certified college admissions counselor who can help you every step of the way, from brainstorming essay ideas to getting off the wait list. Give us a call at (212-360-2301) or visit us online at www.aristotlecircle.com to get a free consultation today.
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