The fall brings football, pumpkin carving, and homecoming to students across the country, but perhaps the most important thing it brings is college applications. These may be two of the scariest words a senior can hear but college applications are a necessity for those looking to bring their education to the next level.
With deadlines right around the corner, seniors should become familiar with the applying process. If interested in Iowa, Iowa State, or the University of Northern Iowa, the Regent Admission Index (RAI) is a useful tool. If the magic number 245 is reached, students are automatically granted admission to all three state schools.The 245 is reached based on ACT score, cumulative GPA, and number of years in core subjects.
If looking to apply to colleges out of state, the Common Application is the first place to look. It is an application for over 700 schools (including Ivy League) all put into one. Instead of completing 4 or 5 separate applications which can be a boring and repetitive process, the Common App allows students to enter information once to apply to multiple schools. First, check the website www.commonapp.org to see what colleges allow this application and decide if it is a fit from there.
Although every school has different deadlines, a good rule of thumb for early applicants is to turn in applications by the first of November. It is important to understand the difference between Early Action and Early Decision plans. Early Decision means students must be fully committed to attending the early decision school if accepted. Early Action, on the other hand, just means the university/college will give the student an early response of their acceptance.
The deadline for regular decision applications is normally between January first and February first. It is a good idea to begin the application process now instead of later due to the stress of the holiday season and finals in the winter. Senior Haley Germain recommends, “doing a little bit each day really helps with stress. A section a day makes everything go a lot smoother.” On the other hand, Senior Alexia Lara recommends, “getting it all done in one day. It is an exciting process and once it’s done it’s relieving. Happy applying!
