IN-DEPTH 7
MONDAY, APRIL 18, 2022 THE DISPATCH
Underclassmen tips for college 1. The SAT is changing
A graphing calculator can be used on both math sections, and many states are moving the test online.
2. Work for a high rank
Rank accumulates in core classes and foreign language, so keep taking a foreign language class, it will inevitably increase rank.
3. Keep track of awards
You may get a lot of extracurricular, athletic, and academic awards throughout high school. Keep track of them in a spreadsheet, so it's easier to know what to put on applications.
4. Join clubs early
If you join clubs in freshman or sophomore year, you can work your way up to a leadership position by senior year, which looks great on resumes.
5. Write college essay early The prompts will always be somewhat generic, so it's helpful to brainstorm what events from your life you want to highlight and why.
6. Use a spreadsheet when applying to schools
Organize the tuitions, acceptance rates, and scholarships for all the schools you might go to in order to openly compare what the best choice for you is.
7. Respect your teachers
Letters of recommendation are needed to apply for most schools, and building relationships with teachers will make them happy to write recommendations for you for college.
Between, academics, extracurriculars, and sports, college applications require early preparation Corinne Piorkowski Editor-in-Chief
volleyball scholarship, was really tion, which will be what makes you stand out improved my score.” good for my parents and I,” Crofrom other applicants.” Another factor that is needed to submit for sley said. “ComWriting a college essay is needed for most college applications is class rank. Although every Senior Katherine Crosley blankly stared at paring tuitions applications, especially for more prestigious schools’ requirements are different, for Bowie, her screen. and acceptance schools, and the prompts may vary for certain the only classes that go into decisions for class Essays, GPAs and rank, letters of recommenrates gave me a rank are core classes and foreign language, if tak- schools, but are usually generic. According to dation from teachers, and why is there a counbetter idea of Rincon, starting the essay early is crucial to ing one. Crosley believes her rank has improved selor recommendation? which schools tackling it. based on the fact that she continued to take a In this moment of being overwhelmed, Croswere my target “I figured out what I wanted to write for my foreign language past the graduation requireley reminisced on her freshman and sophomore and reach college essay based off of the prompt, which was ment. years, wondering why she wasn’t aware of any of ones.” “I’m so glad I took Spanish up until my junior pretty broad, and what experiences I can use this information sooner. As an underto persuade the college I’m year because I feel like it “When beginning to apply for college, I was classman, creating a applying to that I’m a person definitely helped my rank very confused on what supplements I needed to balance between grades and that stands out from the be higher,” Crosley said. apply, deadlines, and how I should even pick the extracurricular activities, rest,” Rincon said. “I definitely think underschools I want to go to,” Crosley said. “Since I while keeping applying Another factor that classmen should know the didn’t have a college counselor to help me, I was for college in mind as one should be taken into account importance of continuing pretty much on my own, and I felt like I didn’t goes through high school is the cost of attending a foreign language if class know anything.” will set up a great path certain universities. Accordrank is something they’re According to the College Board, which helps to being prepared for ing to an article by Federal passionate about doing students prepare for AP classes and exams, SATs, well in.” college, according to Student Aid, tackling college and other preparations for college applications, Rincon. costs can be a large feat. In Although the Collegiate using underclassmen years of high school to take Gateway and College Board “Acceptance isn’t Worthington’s book, he cenrigorous courses and set up resumes is crucial to always guaranteed no ters around how to graduate argued for the importance college success. matter what you have on college with the least amount of grades and academics “College admission requirements are typicalyour application,” Rincon of debt as possible, hopefully for college admissions, the ly more stringent than high school graduation said. “If you make sure you avoiding it altogether. American Heritage School Mario Rincon requirements,” the College Board stated on a put your best foot forward “Don’t let your ego get in also argues in an article on Senior 'preparing students for college' help page. with preparation, there’s not the way of making a smart their website how crucial Between balancing academics and sports, as much to worry about, you will financial decision; going to participating in extracurwell as joining clubs, there are many things to most likely get in, and any community college and living ricular activities are for think about when trying to tackle high school school will be lucky to have at home will be much better from a financial allowing colleges to have a holistic review of and prepare for college, according to senior Mayou.” standpoint as you look at your bank account student applications. rio Rincon, who has already committed to Texas later in life,” Worthington said. “It’s not “Extracurricular activities are one way to A&M University to study engineering. where you go that matters, it’s how you show unique skills and interests,” the American “I didn’t really prepare for applying to college capitalize on opportunities where you go Heritage School staff said in the article. “It is and I wish I would’ve had someone help me and that matters more.” how you can stand out in a sea of excellent acaadvise me on what things I should request and In addition to researching finandemic students; colleges want to know that their find early,” Rincon said. “It would’ve been easier cial options for college, for Crosley, choice is a well-rounded to not panic trying to get all it was helpful when applying student who can learn the things necessary for apto make a Google spreadsheet from a variety of activities plying to the college I want.” of all the colleges she was beyond what is learned When entering high applying to and comparing from lessons.” school, most teachers will their tuition, acceptance For Crosley, participatpreach that good academics rates, and overall cost to ing in in-school and club are the most important factor go there. volleyball throughout her to consider when wanting “It was something life led her to land a comto be admitted to prestithat was really helpmitment to Tulane Univergious colleges, according to Getting them done ful for me to do sity to continue playing. Collegiate Gateway. Even if because actually She believes that her opens up more time other factors are taken into visualizing how ability to excel in academto enjoy senior year. account for a holistic appliexpensive ics while playing volleyball cation review, an article on each school allowed the college to see their website implies that would be her commitment to both Matt Worthington academics are still the most for me, school and sports, as well important factor and should even as her time management Bowie Alumni be taken seriously. after with balancing both. “Your grades throughout my “I am so glad that I Writing early provides more time high school remain the most have participated in sports throughout my school for edits from peers and adults important factor in college admissions,” presicareer, because not only do I love it, but it also dent of Collegiate Gateway Julie Raynor Gross and refining before needing to landed me at my dream college,” Crosley said. “I said in the article. “81% of colleges surveyed by strongly encourage students to get involved in a submit. the National Association of College Admissions sport or program they love because not only is Counselors (NACAC) give considerable imporit great for applications, it also could possibly tance to both grades in college prep courses and help you figure out what you want to do in grades in all your courses.” life, and that's what it did for me because Bowie alumni and author Matt Worthington now I have a college plan.” used his book, Ultra Productive: Graduating Besides sports, in-school clubs are Traveling to colleges, walking around Debt-Free and Getting Ahead, to inform stuanother way for colleges to have dents on the importance of focusing on grades insight into students’ personality campus, and getting information from in high school to help their future financially in and what they’d bring to their students broadens application college and beyond. university. “While I don’t think I would have gone any“I did join clubs to help my perspective. where other than ACC due to financial reasons, resume and I recommend I do realize the importance of education as I get you do that so that you can older,” Worthington said. “Knowledge is power get leadership roles in and if I could’ve done things differently, I would those clubs, which looks have focused more on learning in high school awesome on college and less on going out every weekend.” applications,” Rincon In addition to high school grades, the SAT said. “I definitely Taking challenging courses for senior year standardized test has been a requirement to take think you should for admission to colleges since 1926. However, start joining will help when submitting applications due to the pandemic, the SAT has implemented them early, so several changes to their testing and may even and prove to colleges student work ethic. it’s easier to make the test optional in the future. The test work your is moving online for easier accessibility and a way up to graphing calculator will be able to be used on all a leadportions of the test, according to the Education ership section in US News. When applying to college, posiRincon believes these adjustments could make it easier to get a better score on the SAT, and A college counselor can help with what therefore help with admission. “Even with the changes making it easier, I schools to apply to, how to tackle essays, definitely would still recommend taking the SAT,” Rincon said. “I used the More Than a and what classes to take to target reach Teacher course to help me prepare, and I prestigious schools. recommend it to others because it certainly
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ART BY Isabella del Nido
If you put your best foot forward with preparation, there's not much to worry about; you will likely get in.
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STEPS TO SUCCESS
Months before applying
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It's not where you go that matters, it's how you capitalize on opportunities from where you go that matters more.
AUGUST Apply early
JULY
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Write college essay
JUNE
Visit colleges up for consideration
MAY
Source: https://myfuture.com/college/planning/ college-planning-timeline?gclid=CjwKCAjwxOCRBhA8EiwA0X8hi6a0L9N_O8mzJqEp6AjAnF-ZzkJVV6nhTw175-Pa4oS5cRhk3-BMtRoCxYAQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
Create senior class schedule
APRIL
Meet with college counselor
