Reply to What do you wish you knew about the college process before starting high school ?

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[quote=Anonymous]1. Test-optional means: please prep and get the best score you can so you can submit it to colleges *if* it fits into their top third of score range. Personally, I wouldn't send scores blind the day of the test, even if free. I would wait for the results, then send scores to specific colleges you decide on. Fees will add up, and remember it takes 2-3 weeks for colleges to receive scores from the day you request them on the College Board or ACT website.

2. It's normal for kids to mature from 11th grade, when they don't have a clue where they want to go, to 12th grade, when everything solidifies in their minds thanks to the time crunch. Students can visit colleges in 11th grade while students are on campus, or do summer college tours, it helps make it real for them.

3. Kids can ask for recommendations from 11th grade teachers in May or June, and remind them if they haven't set them by August/September.

4. Most colleges ask to see 12th grade first semester grades, so watch out for burn-out during the last gasp of college applications! Senior year AP exams: don't take unless the student can get college credit. For other years, great AP exam scores are proof of their subject mastery, so send those scores. Again, College Board takes 2-3 weeks to send them.

5. There are too many dates to remember, so start a spreadsheet in the summer before senior year. Some high schools require 3 weeks to send transcripts, which is ridiculous and means students can't suddenly decide to add a college at the last minute. Make sure the counselor has sent their own recommendation, and all the transcripts. Mistakes happen all the time.

6. Essay writing is an art. It requires a child to dig deep, reflect on their life, and express why certain interactions, activities or events made them grow as people. The first application they send may not have the best essays. Over a few weeks or months, the essays might start getting better. The last one may reek of "I am so done with this and don't care how I come across".

YMMV. But for everyone, it's mostly a process requiring a 4 year strategy in picking courses and activities, and in the last gasp, good organization and writing skills.

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