"It's Not The End Of The World. . ."
For all those with "end of the world" anxieties, here are just a few things that the college-bound
shouldn't worry about:
-You missed the Early Action deadline. "It's not the end of the
world..." There are literally
hundreds of colleges and universities with regular decision deadlines yet to
come, not to mention (though we always do) the legion of schools with rolling
admissions.
-Your Common App essay lacks formatting and pagination. "It's not the end of the
world..." No worries here. If your
inserts look good on Common App, there is something wrong! :-) Colleges are
fully aware of the many and varied faults and failures of Common App. Fear not the notorious spinning wheel of death!
[Just remember: On Common App, SUBMIT and FINAL are for payment. You must
complete the SIGNATURE page in order to actually submit your application, AND
thereafter, separately submit any required SUPPLEMENTS.
-You haven't received a decision from your Early Action/Early Decision
schools (while your friends already have). "It's
not the end of the world..." Be
patient. There is often no rhyme or reason to the admission decision process.
[If you thought otherwise, you haven't been following The College Whisperer™ blog.]
Typically, colleges send out decisions on those early applications between
December 15 and January 15 (though many have been sending out those decisions
on a rolling basis). Good things do come to those who wait!
-You really have no idea how you're going to pay for college. "It's not the end of the
world..." To maximize financial
aid (whether need-based or merit), be sure to complete and submit all required
financial aid applications. These include the CSS Profile,
the FAFSA, and all college-specific forms. Also, be aware
of scholarships offered by the colleges, in your community, and from outside
sources, many without consideration of need, merit or even an essay. Whatever
you do, don't leave scholarship money on the table!
-You've been waitlisted. "It's
not the end of the world..." Again,
good things come to those who wait. Well, sometimes. Just don't wait too long. Give the
college admissions committee ample time to review your application. Submit
supplemental material and recent transcripts, as well as an additional letter
of recommendation. Let the school know that you are reallllllllly interested -- they're your first choice, in fact
(along with the twenty or so other first choices on your list. :-). Waitlists often become that proverbial black hole (akin to
Common App's spinning wheel of death). If, come March, you still haven't got a decision
in hand from that coveted college, move on! Who wants to go to a school that
can't make up its mind, anyway?
-You've been rejected from your first choice college. "It's not the end of the
world..." No one likes getting a rejection letter. But if you do, don't take it personally. It's not you, it's
them! [And you didn't want to go there in the first place, right?] Hopefully,
you've applied to more than one college, and surely, there is a perfect fit out
there where you will not only thrive academically, but have the best four years
of your life as well. How quickly that second, third, or even fourth choice
college becomes the school you absolutely love!
Surely, you could add, virtually ad nauseum, to
our brief list of "end of the world" scenarios. Please feel free to
do so, realizing that, short of life and death, in most cases, "It's
not the end of the world..."
So, if this is not how life as we know it here
on planet earth meets its fate, tell us, all-knowing College
Whisperer™, just how does the world come to an end?
The bad news: Common App gets hold
of the Bomb.
The good news: After the folks at
Common App press the SUBMIT and FINAL buttons on the detonator, the SIGNATURE
page is loathe to appear. The wheel keeps spinning. The supplemental fuse fails
to ignite. Life, pretty much as we know it, goes on. Phew!
Take heart, you brave and fearless college
applicants (and you too, parents thereof). Whatever happens going forward in
the great (if not confounding) college
admissions game, "It's not the end of the
world..." In fact, for you rising college freshman, it's just
the beginning!
- - -
Plan. Prepare. Prevail!
When college applications (and the Common App) or financial aid forms get to you, you need to get to us! Whether you're planning for college, applying to college, paying for college, or just thinking about college, COLLEGE CONNECTION can help!
Contact us at COLLEGE CONNECTION, home of The College Whisperer™ and Official Sponsor of College Admission Success™, for all of your college planning and counseling needs. Nobody knows college admissions like COLLEGE CONNECTION. Nobody! 516-345-8766
For up-to-the-minute news, apps, info and insights on college applications, admissions, scholarships and just about everything college, follow The College Whisperer™ on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/GetCollege
In : College Admissions
Tags: college "college applications" waitlist "common app" fafsa "css profile" "the college whisperer" "seth bykofsky" "college connection" "scholarships "financial aid" "early action" "early decision" "regular decision" "rolling admissions"