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How To Prepare For The Upcoming College Season

Here’s a great post from our friends over at Statfuse! Enjoy

With the time for applying to college just around the corner, many people are in a ‘panic mode’ so to speak. Counselors are stacked with work, parents are pushing their kids and students are filled with nerves as the time comes closer.

While most people are panicking, we want to share some tips with you on how you can prepare for the upcoming college season. We admit that college applications can be a scary thought, but it is something that can be overcome if you have the right tools and mindset.

Below are some tips on how to prepare for the upcoming college season if you’re a student:

Plan Ahead

The biggest mistake you can make is to wait until the last minute to take care of your college applications. The most successful students are ones who plan ahead and are prepared for anything that may come their way.

We suggest that you get a calendar and set deadlines for things you must do on your own (set these deadlines weeks before they are due). This will help you prioritize your tasks and set an agenda for things that must get done. By planning ahead, you will remove a lot of the stresses that come with finishing applications at the last minute.

Let The Internet Help

There are many tools available online that can help you with a successful transition to college. In fact, my company, StatFuse, offers students the opportunity to gauge their college chances months before they apply.

You can see what your chances of getting accepted are, get an analysis of your college application and get access to many other tools that can simplify the transition to college. Another one of our favorite tools is Big Future, which is a resourceful site offered by College Board.

Big Future has tons of information and important dates that are crucial for a student applying to college. Not only that, but College Board is a very vital portal for accessing other important scores and information that will be required on most applications.

Brainstorm Essay Ideas

Months before the college application has ever been released, you can spend that time to brainstorm different ideas for essay topics. The essays and personal statements for many colleges can play a crucial role in your admissions decision.

By planning ahead, exploring essay topics and brainstorming ideas months before the application, you will have enough time to craft a winning essay. Not only that, but you can write many different versions of your essay while making the proper revisions and edits to make sure it’s at a high quality.

Meet With Your Counselors

High school counselors understand that college is very important to you as a student and they will make every effort to help you out. Most students end up scheduling appointments with counselors a few weeks before their college applications are due.

You can be pro-active by scheduling an appointment with your counselor months before your applications are due so that you can get the information you need before you start applying. Not only that, but your counselor will be able to give you their undivided attention since their workload is a lot less before college app season begins.

Conclusion

In this article, we shared a variety of different tips and strategies that will enable students to prepare for the upcoming college season. Beat the frenzy by planning ahead and following the techniques mentioned above!

Jeet Banerjee, the co-founder of StatFuse.com is the author of this article. If you would like to calculate your chances to colleges around the nation and simplify the transition to college, check out StatFuse today for FREE!

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