I’m looking for resource recommendations about the college application process. A lot of kids in my community attend underfunded schools that aren’t able to provide consistent college prep counseling. Most of these students are low income and first generation. Many of their parents aren’t familiar with the application process and some have language barriers.
I’ve purchased a card set called what should I do with my life and a copy of colleges that change lives. I’m looking for resources that help guide students through the college application process and give advice on preparing their applications.
College Confidential is a great resource but many of these students need a lot more hand holding. I’m also concerned about them being discouraged as many of them have lower stats and ecs than the average CC poster.
There are many resources. Some of the students could apply for ScholarMatch, college possible, or matchlighters, college access orgs which pair the student with an experienced counselor, for free. Also look in your area to see if there are local college access orgs.
The college essay guy’s site also has many free resources for essay writing and how to shepherd students thru the process.
I am thrilled to be entering my 3rd year as an Architecture (BArch) student at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo. As a first-gen college student myself, I experienced nonstop research, indecision, and scraping the internet for any information that I could find. It is a lot! And I hope some of this advice could help in any way.
Make a list for safety, in range, and reach colleges. Based on your stats, it is important to apply to schools that you have a higher chance of getting into if the reaches don’t work out. It is always a gamble! So it is better to be prepared.
Apply for scholarships! Some schools use your essays to qualify you for certain scholarships. This can help bring down the cost. ALSO! Although public schools are cheaper than private, private schools are more likely to give scholarships. Apply for both!
Tackle each essay as an aspect of yourself. All parts of your application, although limited, are meant to present pieces that can be assembled, resembling you holistically. Use this. Think about something that your grades and test scores can’t share about you. Maybe you work to support your family. Maybe you volunteer for an organization. Maybe you’ve struggled with mental health issues, and that impacted your experience in school. All of these are important to note! And the essay is a way to share this side of you.
Give your letter of recommendation writers some direction! This is just as important as your own essay. Give your writer a list of your extracurriculars, and traits of yours that you want them to focus on (i.e. group work, asking questions in office hours…). This will help you get a more personalized letter to submit to schools.
MOST IMPORTANTLY… lead first with curiosity, then with straight A’s. I’ve seen friends struggle throughout high school because they felt they needed to do certain activities to check off all the boxes. Doing something just for the merit leads to a lack of motivation, stress, and a waste of your energy. There are SO MANY interests at your fingertips: you just haven’t found it yet. Or you have, and you are learning how it has shaped you individually. Your curiosities will lead to a qualified application, let yourself explore!
