August 1st represents the official start of the new application season for rising high school seniors. Whether you are applying to college now, or making sense of what lies ahead, the admissions landscape continues to shift. 

Here’s what you need to know– 

1. Now is the time to complete college applications. 

While students and parents often imagine college essays being crafted in the cozy days of autumn, the admissions season gets underway while summer is still in full swing. August 1st marks the official opening of the admissions cycle for the upcoming year. The Common Application, University of California (UC) Application, and Coalition Application among many others are now live for students to prepare and submit. 

This means rising seniors will benefit from actively completing application work now. If students have yet to get started, this is the time to craft that personal essay, fill in the information on the applications, and prepare supplemental essays for your colleges of choice. The more students can complete before the school year begins, the better; conquering applications in the summer haze means less stress in the busy fall months and will result in stronger, more thoughtful, and better prepared applications. 

2. Know your deadlines: carefully read the fine print and all the details you can gather. 

August is the time for students to carefully review the information each college provides to determine your own best admissions plan. Remember that these plans can range from Early Decision (a binding agreement between you and the college that you will attend if admitted), to Restricted or Single Choice Early Action (limiting your ability to apply early to other institutions), Early Action and Regular Decision (no restrictions), and Rolling (reviewed as applications are received). 

It is very important to take the time to read all of the information a college shares about the various admission plans and deadlines. In most cases, an applicant is best served by applying under one of the early options, when available.

Note that beyond the official deadline, there are other considerations. Some colleges (Wake Forest, for example) will tell you that offers of interview are only available after a student has submitted an application. This means getting that application in during August or September is essential to gaining the opportunity to interview. Others will note that although they do not release rolling admissions decisions, they do review applications in the order they are received. This can be critical at highly popular public institutions like University of Wisconsin Madison or the University of Texas at Austin. Out of state applicants who apply in August and September have an advantage over those who wait until the early action or priority deadline to submit. Still others will have a single deadline. While the application to the University of Washington does not open until September 1, all students must apply no later than November 15th to be considered for admissions. 

3. Take supplemental essays seriously and expect them to matter. 

With the recent Supreme Court decision, a number of colleges have updated their supplemental essays this year. Carefully review all essay and short response questions for individual colleges within the Common App by adding your colleges to your application and reviewing all questions asked in the ‘member section’ for each school. It’s best to gather these questions in one place outside of the application and work away at drafting and revising your strongest responses with you at the center. 

These essays will be the central place to share how your identity, involvement in community, and life experiences have shaped you. Colleges are looking for students to highlight the unique qualities, experiences, and perspectives you will bring that will enrich a campus community; they are depending upon students to bring these perspectives forward in their essays. They are also looking for students who are thoughtful, intellectually curious, and can demonstrate how they have contributed meaningfully in their communities so far and how they will engage and contribute in the future. This is an important place to invest your time and effort in your application! 

TBU Advisors are experienced in supporting students to navigate their college choices and personal best fit, and TBU Essay & Application specialists are experts at supporting students to craft their most compelling, authentic work. If you’d like to explore working with a TBU Advisor, now is the time. Get in touch here and we will look forward to connecting with you. 

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