How to apply for college: Your step-by-step guide

Making use of for school can really feel like being buried beneath an avalanche of paperwork — and having a deadline for digging your self out.

Fortuitously, making use of to varsity does not must be overwhelming. By researching faculties and understanding the method, you possibly can submit your purposes earlier than the deadline. 

Our information walks via learn how to apply for school, step-by-step — from selecting faculties to hitting submit. 

1. Contemplate what you need to main in.

You do not have to declare a serious in your first 12 months, however realizing your areas of curiosity will show you how to select a school. For instance, when you’re curious about marine biology, apply to varsities with marine biology packages.

If you realize precisely what you need to research, analysis schools with a powerful fame in that area. And when you’re undecided, contemplate faculties that provide majors in numerous areas, like the colleges featured in our greatest on-line schools checklist.

2. Resolve what schools you need to apply to.

The Faculty Board recommends making use of to 5 to eight schools. Some college students apply to much more faculties. However how do you resolve the place to use?

Contemplate your educational report and examine it with admitted college students at your potential faculties. 

Many college students apply to “security faculties” — the place their GPA and standardized check scores exceed the averages — together with faculties that match their report and admit a excessive share of candidates.

You must also contemplate making use of to “attain” faculties. These are aggressive faculties you’d like to attend however the place your GPA and check scores match or are barely beneath common. Keep away from solely making use of to succeed in faculties to extend your odds of an admission supply.

3. Resolve when to use: Software varieties and deadlines

Faculties have many utility varieties and deadlines. Round 450 faculties supply early motion and early resolution purposes. With these choices, college students apply and listen to again from the college earlier. 

The large distinction: Colleges require early resolution college students to just accept an admission supply.

As well as, almost all schools supply common selections, with utility deadlines usually in January. Lastly, some faculties use a rolling admission course of the place candidates submit at any time. Be certain to do loads of analysis in regards to the utility choices at your faculties.

Software choice	When to use by	Once you’ll discover out when you’re accepted	Why apply utilizing this feature?
Early motion	November	December-February	College students with a top-choice faculty profit from early motion purposes. And in contrast to early resolution, early motion will not be binding. Which means you possibly can apply to a number of faculties.
Early resolution	November	December-February	For college students with one best choice, early resolution can improve your odds of getting in. Nonetheless, early resolution admissions is a binding utility. Which means if the college accepts you, you should attend.
Common resolution	January	March-April	Common resolution is a good choice for college students who need to apply to a number of faculties. Early motion and resolution candidates may also submit common resolution purposes to extra faculties.
Rolling admission	Any time	One to 2 months	Some faculties use rolling admission with no set deadlines. This feature appeals to college students who need to begin school in the present day — or a minimum of not wait six to 9 months.

4. Resolve when you’ll be utilizing the Frequent App to use to a number of schools without delay.

The Frequent App permits you to apply to as much as 20 schools with a single utility. And greater than 950 faculties settle for the Frequent App. 

5. Full the FAFSA.

The FAFSA is the Free Software for Federal Scholar Help. It is a good suggestion to fill out the FAFSA even when you may not qualify for need-based scholarships. 

Many colleges use the FAFSA to calculate monetary wants and create monetary support packages, together with grants and federally sponsored loans. You will want to finish the FAFSA to qualify for a lot of merit-based scholarships, too.

College students fill out the FAFSA on the federal pupil support web site. The appliance requires monetary data, together with parental data for dependent college students. 

Here is the excellent news: many on-line schools settle for FAFSA, and monetary support could make the most cost effective on-line schools much more reasonably priced. 

6. Fill out the Frequent App.

Filling out the Frequent App can save time. Nevertheless it nonetheless requires protecting observe of a number of data. Keep organized all through the method.

First, you may want to assemble data. You will want a replica of your highschool transcript and school entrance examination scores. Remember the fact that some faculties are test-optional or do not require standardized check scores in any respect. 

You will additionally want details about your educational honors, actions, work historical past, and achievements. Lastly, the Frequent App requires mum or dad or authorized guardian data.

Second, you may create a first-year Frequent App account. Use an electronic mail deal with you test frequently and supply fundamental data like your deal with, date of beginning, and authorized title. 

Subsequent, add schools to your Frequent App. You may add as much as 20 faculties. The Frequent App will checklist the official faculty varieties you may want for every faculty. The app additionally lists which faculties require letters of advice and what number of you may have to submit.

You will write the Frequent App private essay, which can go to all of your faculties. You will additionally observe college-specific questions and writing dietary supplements via the Frequent App dashboard. 

Lastly, the Frequent App will show you how to observe your faculty’s deadlines and utility charges. The Frequent App pupil options heart offers assist all through the method.

Frequent App parts: What to arrange, request, and fill out

Plan forward when filling out the Frequent App. Examine every faculty’s necessities for extra materials, together with college-specific essay questions and portfolio necessities. 

Most candidates want the next to submit the Frequent App:

• Official highschool transcripts
• SAT or ACT scores (See: What’s the ACT? and What’s the SAT?)
• An inventory of educational achievements
• An inventory of extracurriculars
• Frequent App private essay
• Supplemental essays
• Letters of advice
• Price waiver (if relevant)

7. Or apply to particular person faculties with out the Frequent App.

The Frequent App is one strategy to apply to schools. However not each faculty accepts the Frequent App. So you may additionally apply to particular person faculties. 

Be certain to test the Frequent App faculties first. 

Subsequent, go to the college’s web site to study in regards to the utility process and necessities. Attain out to your faculty counselor for help. You will possible want letters of advice and authentic essays for every faculty. 

Monitor deadlines carefully to be sure to get your purposes in.