Looking to get a head start?
The beginning of senior year is an exciting, important, and nerve-wracking time! As you start thinking about and applying to different colleges, consider these helpful hints as guidelines. We know the process in-and-out from our own end: here’s what we think you need to know as an applicant.
Make a schedule for yourself! It’s still summer and you still have time to get ahead on your college applications before you’re busy taking on your senior course load.
Start by figuring out which schools you want to apply to. If you’re not sure, look at schools with good programs that you’re interested in. If you don’t know which programs you’re interested in, look for schools that offer great programs in a wide variety of disciplines. (Our motto is that “Any Person” can pursue “Any Study” at Cornell, so consider adding us to your list if you’re a person with many passions!)
Get a head start on the Common Application. You’ll be glad when school comes around that you started it early. Start brainstorming topics to write your essays on, write outlines, and write drafts. Again, the next few months will be busy and go by quickly, so take advantage of any lazy summer day you have and you’ll be glad later on.
Finally, make a timeline for when you need to send in test scores, request recommendations from teachers, and send in documentation for financial aid. You’ll be juggling these important dates with the craziness that is senior year, so do what you need to do -- whether that includes setting a reminder on your phone or a sticking a note to your calendar -- to keep yourself accountable.
Don’t be intimidated by the process, or by people who claim to know everything about it. In the end, what schools and students both want is to find the right fit. It isn’t as convoluted a process as many people make it out to be. Find schools that you like that seem within your range, and cast as a wide a net as you feel fit. Apply to some places that seem like reaches, some that feel safe, and some that could go either way. If you can, try to give yourself options. If you’re an international student, and you haven’t been able to visit campuses in the United States, don’t let the admissions process intimidate you! Here at Cornell Admissions, we’re just a phone call, e-mail, or Tumblr message away and we are happy to help answer any of your questions. (The same goes for domestic students who can’t visit for any reason.)
Finally, try to stay calm! Creating a schedule for yourself may help to ease some of the stress that comes with disorganization. Pre-planning which teachers you might ask to write your recs, or what you might write your essays on, is a great way to preemptively relieve some stress that will inevitably kick in as deadlines approach. Just like you want to find the right college, the right college wants to find you; give them every opportunity, and be yourself in your essays! Have a friend, teacher or family member help you edit, and remember to enjoy your senior year!
