HOW TO GET INTO COLLEGE
Organize Your College Applications Organizing your life leading up to college is so important.
You may be thinking that you can wait until your last year in high school to start looking at colleges. That is like waiting until the night before to start studying for a test! Any admissions officer will tell you to start early when preparing for college. The earlier you start planning your future, the more equipped you will be to make informed decisions about the future. Here are some tips to organize the paper work involved when applying to college:
Hard Copy
Digital Copy
Have a hard copy and digital copy system. Digital copies are most commonly used to share or upload
information in pdf or jpg formats. A hard copy or printout is great when computers fail or things are accidently deleted. For hard copies, a file cabinet or accordion folder can keep you organized. Here are some suggested tabs: College Brochures; Pending College Apps; COMPLETED College Apps; Essays; FAFSA info; Proof of Tribal Enrollment or Certificate of Indian Blood; Scholarship Information; Important Docs; Personal Info; and Health Insurance.
College Lists
Deadlines and Passwords: Documents:
List of colleges to consider, pros and cons of each school, websites, admissions officer contact information, etc.
Log important dates on email or your smart phone. ACT or SAT test dates, financial aid, or due dates can be kept in one place. Keep passwords in a Google Doc or in your phone notes for reference and label it.
Save all your essays, keep pdf scans of completed applications and documents submitted.
Brochures and pamphlets of each school.
Once you submit your application, note the date you submitted the applications. Keep your passwords in a safe place for your email, FAFSA, college log-in, etc.
After taking your ACT or SAT test, keep a record for reference. When preparing for the FAFSA, collect the documents and keep the confirmation printout for reference.
Checklists Keep a calendar of events: daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly. We realize you will be busy balancing high school and making college plans. If organization is not your thing, try making lists. Checking off a task can be very satisfying and will keep you accountable, from little to big tasks.
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College Tasks for October oo Request SAT scores oo Ask Mr. Youngbull for a letter of recommendation oo Set-up alumni interview with K. Smith (UCLA) oo Ask Taylor to look over my essays for Full Circle scholarship oo Turn in FAFSA opens on Oct. 1st!!!