Using your summer before senior year wisely!!!

Use Your Summer Before Summer Year Wisely.

1. Develop your most current college list. Now that juniors grades are in as are your most up to date SAT, SAT II, ACT, and AP test scores--you can build a list with the following categories:

Wishing Upon A Star

Stretch

50-50

Likely

Don't put any schools on the list you would never attend or your parents would NEVER let you attend.

Research schools that will offer you..
the academics you want
the social life you want
the environment you want
and that you have a CHANCE to get in.

2. Email admissions officers or your school guidance counselors with key questions. Make sure you have a rigorous senior year. Don't QUIT anything. If you stop math or a foreign language, take another class. Consider taking a college course this fall.

3. Start developing an excel chart with the following headings.
College/Application Type User Name Password Deadlines Extra Essays

Every time you start a new application system save your log in and password. Use an email address that you check regularly.

4. Start looking for applications...
a. The Common Applications which covers MOST privates and many publics is up.
www.commonapp.org.
i. Fill it in through activities.
ii. Add colleges.
iii. Check to see if supplements are posted. Look for extra essays and add them to your chart.
iv. Put in your activities. Most current and long lasting first and then backwards in time. If you have more than seven, see if you can put a couple thematically related ones together.
v. Develop a resume.You can add one under additional information. Include more information about what you've accomplished for key areas.
vi. Start writing your short and long essays. More on that later.
vii. Color code the essays and see how to write the fewest.
b. The University of Michigan has posted itself essays for next year. They have the most essays...but the setback one is a bear. You can use their essays for other applications.
c. The University of Washington is also up. Their essays can also be used with the University of Wisconsin and Colorado.
d. The UC essays will be the same as last year. So think how you can begin working on them as well. You can use either one as your common application long.
e. If you're stuck, write three to four 100 word shorts...with an into, through, and optional beyond. The best short ones save. The ones that can't stay long and require more development-now there's a long.

5. Sign up for fall testing. Use the fall wisely. Take a test again. You'll do better if you prepare. You can take the ACT in September, October, and December. YOu can take SAT or SAT IIs in October, November, and December. Even schools to which you apply rolling or the state schools will read December scores.

6. Contact me if you have any questions. I am here to help. I will provide more about long essays later.