As students head back to class, temperatures start to cool off, and the fall arrives, seniors should be putting the finishing touches on their college lists and deciding where & when they will be applying.
Whether via Early Decision, Early Action, or any number of rolling admissions processes, applying early to your targeted colleges and universities sooner rather than later is a surefire way to leverage success in your admissions process.
Where to apply:
For any senior trying their best to create a college list that both aligns with their interests and ensures a wide range of acceptances, the midpoint of fall is a very important time to finalize their choices and move forward with their applications. In order to successfully accomplish these goals, seniors must make sure to craft a balanced college list between the three tiers of selectivity: Reach, Target, and Likely.
Your “Reach” universities are those that, either because of their acceptance percentages or the student’s academic & extracurricular profile, are so competitive that most students’ applications will be denied. Academics (testing, GPA, classes taken) are the most influential aspect of a student’s application and by comparing your own academics to the average of students accepted at a university, you will be able to see just how competitive you are. While not as impactful as the academics, a student’s extra curricular activities should align with the caliber of a college, whether that means just being consistently involved in clubs or being published for your research.
In kind, your “Target” universities are those that when researching the average academic and extracurricular profiles of admitted applicants you’re able to mirror the profiles of students who are routinely admitted yet are competitive enough to not be a slam dunk acceptance. Think of these as the story of Goldilocks; not too competitive and not too likely, these colleges are just right for the student.
Finally, you have your “Likely” colleges. These universities are those that because of a combination of the student’s academics, extracurriculars, and the institution’s acceptance rate, are almost a “sure thing” admit for the applicant. These colleges are the bedrock of any student’s college list as they provide the fall back universities that allow you to be more risky with your “Target” and “Reach” applications.
When to apply:
In the world of college admissions, applying sooner is always better than applying later. These days many universities enroll anywhere from 50-70% of their incoming class during their early admissions rounds. For most universities, this means that students have a better shot at admission via the early admissions rounds because colleges have a smaller number of applicants competing for a larger share of the incoming class. At the most selective universities this can result in students applying early having a 2 to 3 times higher acceptance rate than if they were to apply during the regular admissions rounds. However, keep in mind that many application due dates for the early rounds begin in Mid October to early November and require students to fast track their application work during what is notoriously a very busy fall start to senior year.
With this in mind, it’s important for all families to push their students to begin researching and finalizing their college lists much earlier than the start of senior year. Students who start this process during their sophomore and, at the very least, junior years are better equipped to plan out their application timelines, make sure that their workload is progressively accomplished, and also avoid the notorious stress attached to the college application process (for seniors AND their parents).
That is why at Galin, we encourage families to begin working with us as early as possible in their high school journey. Even if this is not your first rodeo in the world of college admissions, every student is different and needs their own focused support to ensure they are prepared for what lies ahead. Let Galin be your support system and ensure that you have all the tools you need to reach the colleges of your dreams.
