You there! You! Are you a soon-to-be college graduate with a penchant for academia? Does your chosen field require an advanced degree? Are you swerving away from your undergrad major and entering into a new field? Do you sometimes think about going to graduate school, but the idea of researching and applying to universities all over again is so stifling that you’ve decided to crawl under a rock with only TikTok downloaded on your phone?
Hold on, crawl back out before your phone runs out of battery. Maybe I can help.
If y’all are interested, I can do a series on grad school/law school/professional degrees, but for now let’s start with the application timeline. Some of y’all will want to apply straight out of undergrad while others might take a year (or a few) off before you go back to school. In any case, below is the suggested timeline for graduate school applications, according to the folks at ProFellow.
Right now (my suggestion): If you’re interested in grad school or post-undergrad internships (often called “fellowships,” as I am doing one right now), sign up to get ProFellow emails here. ProFellow is a website that gives you the inside scoop on all sorts of grad school info, about what different grad programs are for, how to get in and how to get funding.*
Feb - May: Carefully research fully funded graduate programs, external fellowships, and funding options for programs that are not fully funded (What’s a “fully funded” graduate program, you wonder? Read more here.) Narrow down your list of programs and read up on the application requirements. Make contacts with faculty if you are applying to doctoral programs.
June - August: Set aside 3-6 hours per week to prepare your written applications and request recommendation letters. Also set aside time to study and prepare for required tests like the GRE (if applicable).
September: Take any required tests. Finalize your applications with the feedback of mentors and colleagues that you trust. Request recommendation letters.
October - November: Re-take tests if necessary. Send recommendation letter reminders. Carefully spell- and grammar-check your applications. Submit EARLY.
December:Relax!
Do you want to see more advice on graduate school? Are you not ready for all this and want advice on something else? Let me know!
*ProFellow isn’t sponsoring me, I just get their emails. FYI ProFellow has a lot of free resources, but if you join their mailing list, you’re also going to get emails about their master class, which is a bit steep on price. I don’t really plan on doing that, so I can’t speak to whether it’s worth it.
In my 10+ years of teaching at the college level, I’ve met a lot of students.
Recently, a colleague and I shared how professors we’ve both known have often referred to the “top 1%” of students they’ve taught in their careers. I quickly did a bit of rough math in my head, and it turns out that I have likely taught at least 1,500 students in my own career. This excludes the many students I’ve taught in test prep programs, after school programs, and summer programs. Add those, and I could probably at least double the total number of students I’ve taught to 3,000.
Using the “top 1%” metaphor, this means that a teacher who has taught for 10 years has about 15-30 students that come to mind when they think of “the best” students they’ve worked with.
The question, then, becomes: How do you, as a student, make it into that top 1%?
Making it into a teacher’s top 1% isn’t just for the sake of playing teacher’s pet. It’s practical. As a student, it benefits you to not simply “go through the motions” of school, being just another name or number on a roll sheet. Of course, having a good relationship with your teachers benefits you in that you will have better communication with them, which enhances your ability to learn while in their classes.
But, it can also benefit you long after their classes are over. If you’ve had great relationships with your teachers—even perhaps making it into their top 1%—they will be more likely to write you excellent letters of recommendation, which are vital to your success in the college admissions process.
So, with this in mind, below is a list of 6 great ways to stand out as a student so that teachers will give you strong recommendation letters.
1. BE RELIABLE
Many of the best teachers admire students who don’t necessarily follow the rules. But, it’s important to clarify that this only applies to being an intellectual rule-breaker and thinking outside of the box. What teachers don’t appreciate are students who deliberately disobey rules that are established for the sake of helping their classes run smoothly.
This may seem like it goes without saying. But one of the simplest ways to be a great student is just to be reliable. You can do this by always completing your work, arriving to class on time, and showing up every day prepared and ready to participate.
It’s not so much that students stand out for being reliable; it’s that students stand out for being unreliable—in other words, for all the wrong reasons. So, take the first best step toward securing a strong recommendation letter this way.
2. BE A TEAM PLAYER
Most of the best classrooms (virtual or otherwise) function like a sports team, where the teacher leads or guides (like a coach) and all of the students also have a role (like players). This stands in contrast to traditional (and largely outdated) classroom models where the teacher takes the only active role and the students are merely passive observers.
Good teachers relish students who are excellent team players—who listen actively, participate by making meaningful contributions to discussions, and generally exude a positive energy.
In my own experience, I’ve found that classes tend to function like the organic and often unpredictable flow of a basketball game. Some of the best moments in my classes have occurred when my game plan suddenly (and wonderfully) shifted because a student raised a compelling idea in discussion that we then pursued. I think of such students as my best teammates, giving me assists as I try to make a play.
But being a great team player in class doesn’t just involve your interactions with your teacher. It also involves how you interact with your other teammates, or classmates. Some of the strongest students I’ve worked with stand out in my memory not just because of how they treated their classmates, but also because of how their classmates responded to them.
Just as the best team players know when to lead and when not to hog the ball so as to let others on the team shine, so too do the best students know when to speak up and step in when their classmates need help, but also when not to dominate the conversation, actively listening instead so as to let their classmates also shine.
3. DEMONSTRATE CURIOSITY
Students often believe—incorrectly—that the best way to be a team player is simply to be the most “intelligent” student in the room. In reality, raw intelligence is typically not the attribute that good teachers appreciate most in their students. Instead, this attribute is curiosity.
What does it mean to “demonstrate curiosity” as a student? Generally speaking, it means having an open mind. If you encounter course material that is initially off-putting because it seems too difficult, for instance, don’t run the other way out of frustration. Instead, ask yourself: Why might this material be of interest? Why have people devoted their entire lives to its study? What could I learn from it?
With that said, another component of demonstrating curiosity is the ability (or at least the attempt) to draw connections between course material and your own interests or life. So, even if you are taking a class in a seemingly “foreign” subject (e.g. if you are in the sciences but taking a world literature course), again ask yourself what you might have to learn from this material. Perhaps you see parallels between the formal structures of storytelling and what you have been learning in one of your engineering classes. Bring this up in discussion! Not only will you find that the course is far more worth your time because it is applicable to something you care about, but your teachers will also appreciate your curiosity.
4. VISIT OFFICE HOURS
The best letters of recommendation are written by teachers who really know the student in question. Although there are exceptions to this rule, it’s typically not ideal, then, to request a letter from a teacher who you only studied with for a brief summer session, or who you never actually spoke to in person (say, from an online course).
In my own experience, the recommendation letters I write are better the more I know a student. So, if there is a teacher with whom you feel comfortable, don’t be afraid to open up to them a bit.
Why is this helpful for recommendation letters, exactly? If you are taking several AP courses while also juggling a heavy load of extracurriculars, a resume or transcript will show this at a glance. But if you are taking night classes while also raising a child or taking care of your ailing parents, for instance, the extent of your hard work will not likely appear anywhere on paper.
If you take the time to open up about the particulars of your life to a teacher, however, they can speak to your perseverance and grit in a meaningful recommendation letter to an admissions committee. That added understanding could very well mean the difference between a college acceptance or none.
You may or may not have opportunities to open up to your teachers during class. And you may or may not feel comfortable doing so. So, take advantage of your teachers’ office hours, when you can speak with them one-on-one.
5. TURN IN AN IMPRESSIVE ASSIGNMENT
When writing recommendation letters, the best teachers will not write generally about the student in question. Rather, they will look for specifics to discuss. After all, specific examples are what help readers visualize and relate to what a writer is describing, ultimately becoming convinced of their claims.
In order to do this, teachers need to be supplied with specifics to write about you. So, if you’ve written an especially impressive paper, completed a particularly dynamic presentation, or organized a uniquely inspiring event, bring this to your teacher’s attention. It will give them something to focus portions of their recommendation letter around, and they can point to these specific examples as evidence of your mastery of a subject, your hard work, your passion, or any of your other exceptional traits.
Ultimately, your teacher’s reflections on these detailed examples will give admissions committees something to remember about you as a candidate, which is crucial considering how many applications colleges receive each year.
6. STAY IN TOUCH
Typically, students don’t require recommendation letters immediately upon completing a course. So, it can be difficult having to reach out to former teachers semesters—or even years—down the road. In this case, it can feel awkward asking them for the favor of writing a letter since you haven’t spoken in some time. You may wonder if they even remember you!
To avoid this, I suggest emailing your teachers not long after a course has ended just to say a friendly hello, to share that you enjoyed their class, and to ask if they might be open to writing you a recommendation letter in the future. Although you might not require the letter immediately, asking in advance in this way is a good idea for a few reasons. It demonstrates that you are taking initiative by being so forward thinking about your future success. It also helps to plant a seed in your teacher’s mind; they will be more likely to remember you when you reach out to officially request a letter one day.
Beyond this initial email, it is a good idea to simply stay in touch with your former teachers, especially if you believe you will request a recommendation letter from them eventually. Most teachers love to hear from their former students and get caught up on all of their wonderful achievements. So, don’t be shy about sharing yours. Again, if you do so, your teachers will be more eager to help when you contact them for recommendation letters.
SOME FINAL ADVICE FOR REQUESTING LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION
When requesting a letter of recommendation, it’s always best to ask your teachers well in advance of the deadline so that they have plenty of time to complete the work. This means that you should usually aim for giving them at least 4 weeks and never less than 2 weeks. Remember that while they typically understand that writing such letters comes with the job and are happy to help out their students in this way, teachers are very busy people. So, do what you can to make the task as simple as possible for them.
Beyond giving them ample time to complete their letters, you can also simplify the task for your teachers by giving them a copy of your resume/accomplishments and a few of your strongest assignments as references. Finally, be sure to always ask at least one more individual than is required as a backup in case your original letter writer doesn’t come through or fails to get their letter in on time.
Stacy G. is a writer and teacher who has taught composition, literature, and creative writing courses at a number of public and private universities across the U.S. She has also taught SAT, AP English, and Literature SAT Subject Test courses at Elite Prep. She likes poetry, dogs, and poetry about dogs.
Some of you might have gotten on zoom calls or other platforms with people to do quiet work together and that has been a game-changer for me personally. Especially when I feel very unmotivated.
Having a study routine with a study buddy/buddies can be really helpful if you want to be held accountable for how you spend your day. These can be great to make routines for exercise, meals and self-care too! The pandemic and lockdowns haven’t made school easy so don’t beat yourself up if you mess up. Just keep trying!
hello i love organizing and planning and this is now my… fourth year…. of graduate school so i figured i would share what i do to start off the semester/ year on the right foot!
compile all your readings / assignments in one place. all of em. i have a giant spreadsheet that has the date in one column and readings, research/ writing goals, and teaching markers all together listed chronologically in the other. a good calendar also works well for this– but the key is to throw everything together in one place. you should be able to look at it and not worry ab whether you’re forgetting something.
think about your priorities: is teaching? your own research? one course more important than the others? schedule more time, and at the times when you’re more productive, for the things that matter most to you.
with those priorities in mind, make a rough weekly schedule. i like to focus on one thing a day, so after laying out when my meetings / coursework / teaching is, i pick one thing to work on during that free time. It can be really simple, i.e. “Tuesday Aft - Medievalism Homework” but it helps you to know when and how you’ll get work done.
know when your time off is. this includes holidays and breaks, but also plan into your schedule time off. i like to have one zero progress day a week, where i do absolutely nothing related to school or work and just exist as a person. maybe you need two of those days, maybe you like to give yourself a 3 day weekend once a month. plan for those breaks, so you don’t explode.
identify the Rough Patches. the last 3 weeks of the semester? midterms? when all your students turn in their rough drafts for feedback? figure out when those times are coming up, so you can prepare for them and ease up on other things when they come around.
everyone is different and every program is different, but i think these tips are generally applicable! regular caveat that i’m an english lit phd, and things may be different in social sciences + stem
do not do all the reading. not only is it physically impossible unless you’re an incredible speed reader, it also is actually not helpful! 80% of what you read isn’t going to serve you + your research, so reading it all is gonna get in the way of that. ruthlessly prioritize
get some sleep. you are a person, and your work should never come before your health + happiness. there will always be more work to do. not getting everything done is fine!
notes and citations are your friend. when reading an article, look at the works cited and look at the foot/end notes. these will give you a better idea of what the scholarly landscape looks like than the body of the article will. likewise, write notes on everything you read so you don’t have to go back and reread things.
talk to people. it’s scary, but grad school is about moving from being a student to a peer— treat your professors as people, go talk to them/ videochat/ whatever; this makes the profs 1) less scary and 2) better able to write rec letters.
courses only matter so much. for a lot of programs, coursework is the bare minimum of what you do. get a job, join a research project, work on an individual project. it will help you not be consumed with the grunt work of courses, and will make you look better in the long run.
imposter syndrome is inevitable. hate to say it, but it’s true. there’s lots to learn and it’s gonna feel that everyone knows more than you. but it’s not true, you deserve to be there, and remember that everyone else is probably feeling it too!
identify the difference between your current and ideal priorities. be honest with yourself. if it helps, keep record of the time you actually spend studying vs. reading for pleasure vs. watching tv, for example. is your routine effective for what you need to accomplish?
PLAN
for each ideal priority, create 2 goals focusing on them:
e.g. priority: coursework
❣️goal #1: write 1 page / day
❣️goal #2: read for 15 min / day
PRACTICE
set time limits, such as pomodoros (or just regular timers) at first. discipline is about endurance. you won’t be able work steadily for 2hrs or complete 5 tasks in a row at first. i spent this year building my attention span back (in the beginning, i couldn’t even read 10 pages without feeling exhausted). i started with 15 min of reading per day, and kept increasing it by 15 min increments until time no longer mattered.
LEARN
after a month (minimum!), re-analyze your goals. are they working well for you? can you increase them, or add more for each priority? what habits have you changed / added? It took several months to get my attention span back to a decent place, but now i can sit through 3 hour classes attentively (the entire time), and read all day without tiring.
EVOLVE
self-discipline allows you to create strong foundations for success. motivation is more like ‘how much can i do while this candle is burning’, and you never know how long the candle will burn. self-discipline is a steady supply of logs into a slow-burning fire. you’ll be able to feel confident tackling larger goals, and keep your responsibilities operating even if you don’t feel like it.
uh basically what i did to get recommendation letters secured for grad school + study abroad? this is like for ….anxious people lol? i researched for HOURS on how to actually go about getting recommendation letters….but there weren’t too many tips for the actual process, just ‘oh! get recs from professors who love you’ haha…
Before you even think of asking…
Do your research: Thinking about graduate school? scholarships? studying abroad? Fulbright? anything that you have to apply to, you’re going to be asked for recommendation letters. this most definitely did NOT occur to me, so I probably added more stress to my plate than I needed to. But yeah….you can’t just get in on your own merit for most things. You need people to vouch for you in the form of rec letters, and most times your applications won’t even be considered without them. PLUS when you DO ask for a recommendation letter, you want to show that you have done some research into whatever you are applying for, and share some of that information with your potential recommender.
Prepare statements of purpose and academic CVs: In order for your recommender to write a letter, they need some background on, well, you! Even if you talk to them often, it’s still nice to have your specific ideas and goals about the program ready and laid out. Plus, they may not know of all your academically-related accomplishments, so detail them in that CV! It’s basically a resume in a different format, but if you get it done early, your recommender may even go over it and send you back suggestions.
Who to ask….
Quality of your recommender: Honestly, you can’t just get any old recommendation letter and hope that’ll fly. Oftentimes when recommendation letters are provided as a side thing (at least for college), they can be pretty basic and impersonal. It’s best to get a letter from someone who has had 1-1 conversations with you where you shared about who you are, not necessarily just what you do. That can add a lot to your letter.
So many options….: It’s actually really okay to ask if your potential recommender feels they can write a strong, POSITIVEletter for you. You don’t want a petty supervisor (or someone with which you butted heads or got a less than stellar grade in their class) writing your letter. If they can’t immediately say yes, then they won’t be golden. Once you weed out the so-so choices, you can focus on the strong candidates.
HOW to ask...
Building rapport: it comes to a point where you really do have to put yourself out there if you want your professor to remember your face. I’ve gone to events and seen professors (future, former, or current) present, and had little small talk convos just to say ‘hey! I’m your student!’. just walking around campus I might run into one, so that’s always a good time to ask questions about things in general (I would save assignment related questions for office hours!). I always email my bilingual professor every week because he doesn’t post the assignment slots ahead of time, and let him know ‘hey! I’ve finished my assignment and want to submit’! Not only is that helping him keep things running, but he’s realizing ‘wow…she’s always finishing her assignments early’. bonus points! I usually spend half an hour in office hour sessions, talking about school, asking questions about their research, going off on tangents …it’s okay to treat your professor as a mentor, they want to see you succeed, so show that you are putting that effort in! It’s also a good chance to practice your language skills with your language professors…
Schedule a talk ahead of time: When you actually ask for rec letters… do NOT just drop in! Show a level of professionalism by emailing your professors ahead of time and asking if you can speak with them regarding grad school/study abroad program, and ask them a question. :-] That’s what I did anyway lol! I didn’t ask for my rec letter officially over email, but face to face.
Set them up: Discuss the program(s) you are interested in, and give them enough detail so that they have a general idea of what you want to get them involved in. Don’t just sit down and ask ‘Can you write me a rec letter?’ but show that you are prepared! If you need to, provide them with pamphlets now.
Just ask!: Okay, now you can literally ‘just ask!’ When I had to ask for rec letters from one of my professors, my CURRENT professor was in his office just chatting with him! That was a bit nerve-wracking, but I just spit out my request before my anxiety took over (I totally wanted to run out of the office). It didn’t really matter that we had an ‘audience’, as he accepted with no problem!
What to do after…
APPLY!: Now that you’ve asked, you have to follow through! Start working on your application if you haven’t done so already, keep researching the process, and keep your recommenders up to date with deadlines, reminders, and additional information you discover. For me, I have to keep my professors up to date with my writing samples, statements of purpose, application process, and deadlines for my study abroad program. Whatever I need to know, they need to know!
um, I hope this is helpful! I can’t really cover the ‘okay I’ve applied and they’ve sent their letters in’ parts because…that hasn’t happened yet! I only asked two weeks ago, but I’ll definitely add onto this post once I can talk about the end results. :-]
Being burnt out means you’re probably feeling exhausted, unmotivated, unfocused and just generally “blegh” - an absolute nightmare when you’re trying to stay on track with school and studying. I’ve suffered from academic burn out a lot but it’s now something I know how to cope with, I’ve compiled my best tips and tricks for dealing with a burn out and how to ease yourself back into your studying!
uh basically what i did to get recommendation letters secured for grad school + study abroad? this is like for ….anxious people lol? i researched for HOURS on how to actually go about getting recommendation letters….but there weren’t too many tips for the actual process, just ‘oh! get recs from professors who love you’ haha…
Before you even think of asking…
Do your research: Thinking about graduate school? scholarships? studying abroad? Fulbright? anything that you have to apply to, you’re going to be asked for recommendation letters. this most definitely did NOT occur to me, so I probably added more stress to my plate than I needed to. But yeah….you can’t just get in on your own merit for most things. You need people to vouch for you in the form of rec letters, and most times your applications won’t even be considered without them. PLUS when you DO ask for a recommendation letter, you want to show that you have done some research into whatever you are applying for, and share some of that information with your potential recommender.
Prepare statements of purpose and academic CVs: In order for your recommender to write a letter, they need some background on, well, you! Even if you talk to them often, it’s still nice to have your specific ideas and goals about the program ready and laid out. Plus, they may not know of all your academically-related accomplishments, so detail them in that CV! It’s basically a resume in a different format, but if you get it done early, your recommender may even go over it and send you back suggestions.
Who to ask….
Quality of your recommender: Honestly, you can’t just get any old recommendation letter and hope that’ll fly. Oftentimes when recommendation letters are provided as a side thing (at least for college), they can be pretty basic and impersonal. It’s best to get a letter from someone who has had 1-1 conversations with you where you shared about who you are, not necessarily just what you do. That can add a lot to your letter.
So many options….: It’s actually really okay to ask if your potential recommender feels they can write a strong, POSITIVEletter for you. You don’t want a petty supervisor (or someone with which you butted heads or got a less than stellar grade in their class) writing your letter. If they can’t immediately say yes, then they won’t be golden. Once you weed out the so-so choices, you can focus on the strong candidates.
HOW to ask...
Building rapport: it comes to a point where you really do have to put yourself out there if you want your professor to remember your face. I’ve gone to events and seen professors (future, former, or current) present, and had little small talk convos just to say ‘hey! I’m your student!’. just walking around campus I might run into one, so that’s always a good time to ask questions about things in general (I would save assignment related questions for office hours!). I always email my bilingual professor every week because he doesn’t post the assignment slots ahead of time, and let him know ‘hey! I’ve finished my assignment and want to submit’! Not only is that helping him keep things running, but he’s realizing ‘wow…she’s always finishing her assignments early’. bonus points! I usually spend half an hour in office hour sessions, talking about school, asking questions about their research, going off on tangents …it’s okay to treat your professor as a mentor, they want to see you succeed, so show that you are putting that effort in! It’s also a good chance to practice your language skills with your language professors…
Schedule a talk ahead of time: When you actually ask for rec letters… do NOT just drop in! Show a level of professionalism by emailing your professors ahead of time and asking if you can speak with them regarding grad school/study abroad program, and ask them a question. :-] That’s what I did anyway lol! I didn’t ask for my rec letter officially over email, but face to face.
Set them up: Discuss the program(s) you are interested in, and give them enough detail so that they have a general idea of what you want to get them involved in. Don’t just sit down and ask ‘Can you write me a rec letter?’ but show that you are prepared! If you need to, provide them with pamphlets now.
Just ask!: Okay, now you can literally ‘just ask!’ When I had to ask for rec letters from one of my professors, my CURRENT professor was in his office just chatting with him! That was a bit nerve-wracking, but I just spit out my request before my anxiety took over (I totally wanted to run out of the office). It didn’t really matter that we had an ‘audience’, as he accepted with no problem!
What to do after…
APPLY!: Now that you’ve asked, you have to follow through! Start working on your application if you haven’t done so already, keep researching the process, and keep your recommenders up to date with deadlines, reminders, and additional information you discover. For me, I have to keep my professors up to date with my writing samples, statements of purpose, application process, and deadlines for my study abroad program. Whatever I need to know, they need to know!
um, I hope this is helpful! I can’t really cover the ‘okay I’ve applied and they’ve sent their letters in’ parts because…that hasn’t happened yet! I only asked two weeks ago, but I’ll definitely add onto this post once I can talk about the end results. :-]
i’m going into my junior year of high school, the time when many students are getting ready to apply for college. many of my friends and peers have been concerned about what, exactly, they should be doing to prepare this year, and when. so, we held a college information session. this may be geared towards my specific area/region, but hopefully everyone can take something out of this. here are some tips that we learned:
ON COLLEGE VISITS
questions to ask:
what is your freshman retention rate?
what is the percentage of students that graduate in 4 years? (new statistic: ¾ of students don’t; the average student takes 5 ½ years to graduate)
make sure there is written documentation of your visit
when reviewing applications, colleges note “touch points”– these include things like taking an official tour, sending in those cards you get in the mail, or something as easy as emailing one of their admissions counselors with a simple question. they’ll keep your information, and it may give you an advantage over other students because you showed you’re seriously interested in their school. so, even if you’re taking an informal campus tour, make sure to stop in the admissions office and fill out one of those cards with your information. it’ll be added into their system as a touch point– and you’re already one step ahead!
TESTING
some things to remember:
the SAT and ACT are, for the most part, equally accepted by colleges.
certain schools may require an SAT subject test. make sure to check out programs you’re interested in so that you can prepare all of its requirements.
the SAT is a test of aptitude, while the ACT is more knowledge-based and straightforward.
if you’re bright and a good test taker but maybe you don’t get the best grades, the SAT may be more fit for you.
if you’re more studious and focused on grades and retaining information you’ve learned in class, the ACT may be a better match.
a guidance counselor recommends: take both tests once, and whichever you feel you performed better on, take it again.
many colleges like to see growth in scores because it shows you’re really working towards something. this may change depending on the selectivity of the school, but consider this before only sending your best score.
if you know what colleges you’re interested in, check and see what they prefer/require before taking the tests. most likely, you’ll save yourself a lot of time, effort, and money in the long run.
SO, WHEN SHOULD I BE DOING ALL OF THIS?
here’s a timeline of what was recommended for your junior year
October:
take the PSAT again (this is the year that you can qualify for NMSQT). i’m not sure if this applies everywhere but i know where i live, this is a requirement.
if your school uses Naviance, make sure you have your login information. you should be using the tools it provides to research colleges and find out more about jobs you may be suited for.
November/December
take the ACT or SAT. if you’ve already taken the SAT, i suggest taking the ACT before doing the SAT again.
this is around the time you should start visiting colleges if you haven’t already. if you can’t go to schools, look for information sessions and college fairs near you. if you’re on a college’s email list, they’ve likely sent you dates that they offer tours or perhaps are even hosting information sessions closer to you.
April/May/June
start asking for letters of recommendation!! many teachers give letters on a first-come-first-serve basis, so get ahead. usually you want to have 2-4 of these. think about programs and schools you may apply for, and think about what subject teachers may be most helpful in your application. also, check schools’ websites and see what they recommend/require. outside letters are also okay, if they’re from someone who knows you and your work ethic well.
consider taking the SAT or ACT again.
schedule your senior year. it’s no longer a time to slack off; colleges now look at your grades as late as third marking period. continue to challenge yourself, but also take electives that interest you to get a better idea of what careers you may want to pursue.
get the Common App essays from your guidance counselor. you should at least think about these over the summer to get an idea of what you’ll say in your application essays.
August
this is when the Common App is available for that year. many, but not all schools, use this. do your own research to decide if it’s a necessity for you.
MISC. TIPS
very few students partake in college interviews anymore. requesting and interview may set you apart from other students (touch point!), but it is definitely not required or even recommended by the vast majority of schools.
if you know you will be going to grad school or a higher ed program, think about where you want to concentrate your money. a cheaper but respected undergraduate school may be a great idea to save money for a great graduate school. (you probably don’t care where your doctor went for their undergrad, but where’d they go to med school?)
MAKE SURE YOU’RE MEETING YOUR SCHOOL’S GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS.
check to see what courses certain colleges recommend you take in high school. this may be a good way to plan the rest of your high school schedule, and also gauge whether or not you can achieve a college’s expectations.
Time Management will be super important when it comes to college projects, homework, self-care, friendships and family time. I found it immensely hard to schedule in having a life but still getting good grades while double majoring. But, I managed to do everything that I needed to do while still getting the sleep I need and self-care that was so very much important to have throughout the semester.
Take note on when you are most productive throughout the day.
If you are a morning person or a night person, you should circle your schedule around your most productive times of the day. For example, I am a morning person. I wake up naturally at 6:00 every day and after my coffee, I am ready to be the most productive human being I can be. So my schedule will look something like this:
6:00- Wake up, drink coffee/tea, eat breakfast, get ready
7:00- Research paper topic, do at least two paragraphs
8:00- Study for quiz
8:30- Break time
9:00- (Class), Homework
10:00- Homework
11:00- Think of topic/theme for studio project
12:00- Break, eat lunch
1:00- (Class)
2:00- Make time for friends
2:30- Go home
3:00-Winding downtime
4:00- Winding downtime
5:00-Cook dinner
6-Eat dinner
7- Bathe, take care of hair, skin, eyes, lips, face masks, put on music
8- T.v, facetiming, social media, computer
9-journal, bullet journal, dairy, reading, texting, relax with the pet, talk to family, scheduling tomorrow (No screens!)
With this schedule, I planned out everything in the morning and I know that I will be able to focus and be productive and get things done! I do not plan anything in the afternoon because I know that when I get home I will be tired and I would want to just relax and go to sleep. I even try to do homework between classes or before I go home.
Being able to hang out with your family or friends or significant other is important also! If you plan something during the weekend, then schedule everything out that will allow you to be completely free that day. Add extra time slots to do your projects and homework, wake up earlier, or stay at school longer.
Have a planner or journal or bullet journal!
Being able to see what you will have to do throughout the week will help you ensure that you will be able to get everything done, while still reminding yourself about self-care. It will also help you get through the week, days, hours of the day. Being able to see how much more you need to get down and then crossing everything else help me get through everything. I feel accomplished, I feel like I can keep going, I feel like I can make it through a hard day.
Keep a reminder on your phone
Having a journal or planner will help you schedule everything out, but when you are in the studying mode it is hard to pull yourself away from what you are doing. Set alarm clocks on your phone to remind you to stop and eat, to take a break, to start doing your next project, or go to your next class.
Make time to schedule
Carve out some time every day to schedule out the next day or week. Being able to the schedule things daily or weekly will help you get into the habit of time managing your life every single day. You will always know what will come next!
