How to Survive the Holidays While Applying for College
I am sure you are excited to get a break from school, assignments, projects, and assessments. You have worked hard this past semester and you have earned every minute of rest and relaxation you can get.
But that doesn't mean you get to completely disconnect from the college application process. I have included some important information in this post - make sure you read all of it so you don't miss anything.
MANAGING YOUR APPLICATIONS
Check your applicant portals AND email daily.
I realize you probably want to close your computer and forget about college applications until January, but you can't do that. You need to continue to monitor your applicant portals and watch your emails for important information.
If a school requires a mid-year report (an official transcript with first-semester grades included), make sure you send it as soon as possible.
If you were deferred from a school, be sure to provide the appropriate updates to your applicant portal prior to the deadline.
Keep in mind, many colleges will be closed for the holiday break so getting answers to questions may be difficult.
It's time to send mid-year reports to the schools on your list that require them.
A mid-year report is simply a transcript that has your first semester grades on it.
If your school uses Naviance to send transcripts, you will find an option for a mid-year transcript under the manage transcripts section.
If you attend a school that uses Parchment there is an option to click "HOLD FOR GRADES" which will indicate to the data clerk to send the transcript after your grades have been finalized and put on your transcript.
If your school does not use either of these, consult your counselor to make sure you order your mid-year report to be sent to the schools that need it.
If you aren't sure which reports you need to send, you can find that information on the school's Common App information page.
DECISION INFORMATION
College Admission Doesn’t Define You
In the days and weeks ahead, you will likely receive admission decisions and some of them may not be what you hope for.
Remember, your college admission decision DOES NOT DEFINE YOU!
In many cases, predicting admissions decisions is extremely difficult and your acceptance is influenced by factors that are beyond your control. Regardless of your decision, you MUST have faith that you have built a balanced college list and that you WILL BE FINE!
You are more than any single college decision...REMEMBER THAT!
Be cautious with how you share your admission decisions
You have likely applied to the same schools as many of your peers. The range of emotions students and parents will have when decisions are released is wide.
If you are accepted, you will no doubt want to celebrate, however, I suggest that you NOT post it on social media.
You have plenty of time to make a decision about where to attend (May 1).
SCHOLARSHIP SEARCH
While you won't need to officially choose a school for some time, you can begin the process of evaluating the cost of attendance and potentially apply for additional scholarships.
Here are a few things you should consider before you embark on your scholarship search.
Maximize your institutional aid FIRST
It is not only the largest source of aid, but most awards are also renewable for up to 4 years. You can apply for and manage scholarships in your admitted student portal. There may also be departmental scholarships available, so be sure to exhaust all options before you seek private scholarships.
Research Stackable Scholarships
Consult each school to determine if scholarships are stackable or blendable. Stackable scholarships will allow you to keep all awards and combine them to achieve a larger amount. Blendable scholarships can not be combined; the larger amount will replace the smaller ones.
Be aware of how each school treats private scholarships
Some institutions will allow you to combine private scholarships with the institutional merit aid that you have been awarded. If this is the case, you would be well served to apply for outside scholarships.
However, some institutions will REDUCE your institutional aid by the amount of the outside scholarship that you earn. This can cause an issue as many institutional scholarships are renewable for 4 years, while many outside, private scholarships are only good for one year.
While this may appear as though it reduces your overall cost, the effect is only for one year, as the second year your cost would rise when the private scholarships expire.
Tips for Outside Scholarships
If you have decided to apply for outside scholarships, here are some tips to help you navigate your search.
Look for local scholarships that are designated for your high school or community. You can usually find these advertised by your guidance office, local newspapers, or social media groups. These are a good use of your time since the applicant pool will be relatively small.
Use a scholarship search tool that matches you with thousands of scholarship opportunities. Keep in mind, the awards can be significant, but the applicant pool is often nationwide, so the probability of earning them is sometimes lower than the local scholarships.
Use a Spreadsheet to Stay Organized
I also suggest that you keep track of all of your financial aid packages and awards on a single spreadsheet. This will enable you to compare your options. Be mindful that often financial aid packages include loans that you will be required to pay back. Here are a few options you can consider:
ADVICE FOR NAVIGATING THE HOLIDAYS
When you attend family gatherings this holiday season, you will likely get a lot of questions from family members that you don't see regularly. They mean well and are genuinely interested in your journey, but they may not fully understand the stress associated with the process and the timeline for your decision.
You do NOT need to get caught up in conversations about all the details of your college application process, and where you intend to go to college.
It is ok to tell them that you have submitted all of your applications and you are waiting for your admission decisions before you make a decision of which school to attend.
If they ask about your top choice, you can choose to tell them or simply say it is too early to make a decision.
Don't let family members influence you to submit additional applications.
Most schools have regular decision deadlines at the beginning of January so adding schools so late in the process will be very stressful.
Rest and recharge.
This past semester was challenging on so many levels, but you still have one more semester ahead of you. It is important for you to finish the year strong - your college acceptances depend on it.
You have earned a break, so take it.
You may not know what the remainder of your senior year will look like or where you will be next fall, but you have learned to be adaptable and independent and those skills will serve you well throughout your life.
