As we begin the fall and get acclimated to school, college application due dates are coming up for the class of 2023. While this can be a stressful time for some, it can also be the most rewarding in the end. As students are applying and trying to meet deadlines they should be aware of tips and resources to make the process a little easier. 

  Firstly, it is important to create a list of your schools of interest. After creating this list, it is also a good idea to create a spreadsheet. The student should change this spreadsheet based on their organization and factors they see as most important, like application dues, cost, school size, GPA requirements, etc. Having this spreadsheet will make it easier on the student and parent or guardian helping with the application process with organization. 

  After creating a college list, the student should then sign up for the Common App account. This is where applications for most colleges are located  but some are on CNFC or on the schools website. Once you have created a Common App account, you can immediately start adding the colleges from your list to your actual account and start applying from there. 

  Senior Sainabou Jammeh started working on her college applications this past August. “Using the Common App to apply for colleges is the best decision I could’ve made,” Jammeh said. “It’s so convenient having to fill out certain information only once and having it applied to all of your colleges rather than having to waste time typing in the same information multiple times. It’s very easy to organize yourself with, and it’s also easy to navigate for your teachers that are doing your recommendations.  Another thing students should take advantage of is all the scholarship opportunities now open to them. Some scholarships are specific to the schools while others give money to the student which is able to be used towards any school. Scholarhips360.org has a great source of no essay scholarships open to seniors while Scholarships.com has a great selection of essay required scholarships for students. UNIGO.org also offers a list of school specific scholarships for those interested in applying to receive money to go towards a specific school. 

  Seniors should also use all their available resources, and high school counselors are great resources to refer to when applying. Millbrook counselor Wendy Levin, who has nine years of experience, emphasizes starting the college application process earlier especially when it comes to essays.  “I see a lot of students write their essays multiple times and also have trouble coming up with topics, so it’s definitely better to start those soon and refer to a counselor or English teacher if you are struggling in that area,” she says. 

  Ms. Levin would also like to highlight the importance of asking teachers for recommendations early, saying, “Around this time teachers have a lot of students they need to write a recommendation for, [so] it is important to ask the teacher for a recommendation at least 2 weeks before it is due.” She  suggested going to a junior year or senior year teacher for these recommendations. 

  Don’t forget to be on the lookout for College Application week, October 17th-21st. Here is the list with all the schools in North Carolina that will waive their application fees. 

  While this information can be hard to keep up with and overwhelming at times, it is important to stop and take breaks and also remember to enjoy your last months in high school.