Rising high school seniors around the country are busy improving SAT scores, raising grade points and fulfilling community service hours in a frenetic effort to secure that coveted college acceptance letter.  Today’s admission process changes every year and grade point requirements, test scores, essays, summer work/internships and volunteerism now play major roles in the process. 

If you have a child who is beginning the application process, here are a few ideas provided largely by U.S. News & World Report – the magazine that publishes exclusive college rankings and lists for 1600 schools.  This publication is a great resource for details on grants, scholarships and loans. 

1. Create a timeline: The college application process can be overwhelming and frustrating.  By keeping a calendar of important dates related to the process and overlaying it with personal/school life events your student can look at everything that has to be done and begin budgeting their time. A timeline is great for developing a sense of control over what is at times a chaotic process.

2. Create a college spreadsheet: Using Excel, your child should develop a spreadsheet that contains all the critical information they’ll need in order to manage the process and ultimately lead them to the right school.  Data might include; costs, location, size of student body, academic highlights, fees, deadlines and more.  .

3. Establish a filing system:  Organizing information electronically and via hard copy files is the best way to capture all the information your student will want and need when making their decision.  Brochures, mailings, visual images of the campus and notes made during visits can be kept in the hard copy file. 

4. Collect college applications: Once your student has developed the ‘short list’ of colleges he/she is interested in, it is a good idea to print their applications from the website and keep them in the hard copy file.  While most applications will be submitted online, using a hard copy as a working document can be very helpful. Colleges will either use the Common Application or the Universal Application.  Your student needs to understand this process.

5. Create a list of essay questions: It is never too early start thinking about the provided essay topics.  By taking notes as they are inspired and thinking creatively about how to approach each one, your student will be ahead of the game.

6. Develop a résumé: By doing so, your student will be able to get an overall perspective about themselves and what they want to convey about themselves.  It’s a good place to reference for talking points. 

By guiding your child through the process and following any one of the suggestions above, your entire family will benefit from a reduced level of stress.