At Campus Bound, we understand the college process can feel confusing and even overwhelming at times. Students often get advice and opinions from various sources, not always knowing what is “true” or what to focus on when applying to college. Here are some common scenarios, by school year, where students say, “I wish I knew that!” before applying to college.
As a Sophomore… “I didn’t know that freshman year grades mattered.”
ALL of your high school grades matter when it comes to your college applications. Students will say they didn’t try as hard or were told that junior and senior year grades matter more, so they did not push themselves in the earlier grades. While colleges love to see improvement and upward trends throughout high school, ALL high school final grades appear on a transcript, and they all “count.” Additionally, how you do in your classes can later dictate placement for higher-level courses, like AP and honors classes, and rigor is another component colleges will take into consideration, based on your high school offerings.
As a Junior…”I wish I had visited more colleges.”
By the time your senior year starts, not only are you back in classes and activities but you are even busier working on college applications, and finalizing a college list. Junior year is critical not just for doing well in classes, keeping up with activities and taking standardized testing but also for visiting colleges. Visiting colleges helps students understand what they want in a college and intentionally develop their preferences. By the time you start your senior year, there is less time to plan visits, especially if you are exploring out of state, and college deadlines sneak up quickly…as early at October 15th!
As a Senior…”I wish I had known how much work goes into the college application process, and started earlier.”
This is one of the most common things we hear this all the time from students who join Campus Bound in the fall of senior year. There are many ways to be proactive in the college process, making senior year more managable. From finalizing your list and working on your essays as early as the spring and summer before senior year, there are many moving pieces to the admissions process, and starting early helps lower stress and keep students on track!
Students who get an early start with Campus Bound often hear from their classmates that they wish they had done the same! From planning classes to selecting colleges, a lot goes into the process before you even start to fill out an application. Campus Bound counselor are excited to support students and are here to help you every step of the way.
