EdPrep Scholars

Students must notify the colleges to which they are declining offers of admission. Sometimes they can do this directly on the college portal; sometimes they will need to send the admissions office a polite email stating that they will not be accepting the offer of admission. It is very important that students do this because there will undoubtedly be students on the waitlist who are eager to know if a spot becomes available.

Preparing for your first year in college can be an exciting and overwhelming experience. Here are some tips to help you get ready:
Attend orientation: Attend your college's orientation program, where you'll learn about campus resources, meet other students, and get a sense of college life. It's also a great opportunity to ask questions and get advice from current students and staff.
Get organized: Set up a schedule and a routine for yourself. Use a planner or a calendar to keep track of assignments, classes, and activities. Make sure you have all the necessary supplies and textbooks.
Manage your finances: Create a budget and stick to it. Understand your financial aid and scholarship options, and plan your expenses accordingly. Consider getting a part-time job to help cover your expenses.
Connect with your professors: Introduce yourself to your professors early in the semester. Attend office hours and ask for feedback on your work. Building a relationship with your professors can help you succeed in class and can be a valuable resource for your academic and career goals.
Get involved: Join clubs, organizations, or sports teams that interest you. Getting involved on campus can help you make friends, build your resume, and develop leadership skills.
Take care of yourself: College can be stressful, so it's important to take care of your physical and mental health. Eat a balanced diet, exercise regularly, get enough sleep, and seek out campus resources if you need support.
By following these tips, you can set yourself up for a successful first year in college. Remember to stay open to new experiences and challenges, and don't be afraid to ask for help when you need it.

Researching colleges is a time-consuming, labor-intensive process, involving going to college fairs, visiting campuses, digging into college websites and other online platforms, and connecting with students at the college. One great, and often overlooked, resource, is college alumni. Talking with alumni allows prospective students to not only learn first-hand what going to that college is like, but also how that college prepares students for life after college. In this article from US News and World Report, students can find great tips on how to contact college alumni and what to ask them.

While high school juniors are working on their college lists, they should also look at the college’s honors program or honors college. Academically talented and ambitious high school students are flocking to honors colleges and honors programs at large universities as their top choice for college. Not surprisingly, many public and private universities have honors colleges and honors programs for this very reason—to attract and retain exceptional students who might otherwise choose a more institutionally prestigious, and highly selective, university or liberal arts college. To help students understand if one of these honors options is right for them, check out my blog for an overview of honors colleges and honors programs.

Whether in sports, the arts, community or religious activities, volunteering, or working, non-academic pursuits are not just another way to have “fun.” These activities allow students to differentiate themselves from their peers and to develop skills that colleges (and later on employers) value: leadership, adaptability, resilience, and grit. In activities, students learn teamwork, cooperation and collaboration; they learn how to listen, and how to advocate. They have experiences that make them interesting.
Activities are also important because they give students space for “flow” experiences. The concept of “flow” refers to a mental state where one is completely absorbed in an activity and derives pleasure from it. When students have flow experiences, they are better able to think thoughtfully about what they enjoy doing, information that can help inform what they want to study in college.
According to the National Center for Educational Statistics, over 30% of students change their major at least once and about 10% of students change their major twice. This can be a costly change if students are unable to complete their undergraduate studies in four years because they switch majors. While participating in flow activities does not guarantee that students will not change their majors and graduate on time, it can help them get some clarity around the perennial questions: what do you want to study, what do you want to do with your life?
Thinking about it this way, extracurricular activities really are not “formalizing fun.” Rather, participating in activities helps students mature into young adults, to sift through the noise as they explore their aspirations for college and the future. And, participating in activities may have the added benefit of helping a student be the interesting applicant who the college admissions officer just has to have on their campus.

If juniors have not already done so, they must ask teachers for letters of recommendation. Every school has a different protocol for requesting letters of recommendation—students must know, and follow, them. In addition, individual teachers may request different information from students, including a resume, brag sheet, or short responses to questions. Students can take a look at the Teacher Evaluation form on the Common App and think about how teachers might fill it out—this can be a good way to help them decide which teacher(s) are best to ask for this important piece of their college application.

Many institutions request an essay from applicants explaining why they want to attend that university. Colleges use these responses to determine fit and to assess applicants' interest and predict their likelihood of enrolling if accepted. But many students give the "why us" essay only a passing thought.

Students who have been placed on a waitlist and are serious about getting off it should write to the colleges where they are waitlisted and express their interest in remaining on the waitlist. They can include a brief (maximum of 250 words) explanation of why this college is their top choice.
Remember that if students choose to accept a waitlist spot, they must still deposit funds at another college by May 1 (or a later date if it has been delayed). It’s important for students to get excited about the college where they deposit, because there is a strong possibility that they will be going to that college in the fall. Being on a waitlist — and living with that uncertainty — is not for everyone, but occasionally it might be "worth the wait" for a college that is a clear favorite.

Many colleges request letters of recommendation as a component of the application. Students can choose whom they ask for letters and by providing the writer with a resume and brief description of what the student would like included in the letter can help shape what is written in the letter. When choosing teachers to ask for a letter, students should pick a teacher who knows them well and can write about them as a student and person; and that is not always the teacher who gave the student an A. A few institutions also request references from classmates and parents!

Although the Common App does not “open” for the 2023-24 application cycle until August 1, high school juniors can open their account now and start gathering the information they will need to complete the Profile, Family, Education, and Testing sections. When the time comes for students to submit their college applications later this year, they will be glad they have gathered all this material.