Hey everyone… I hope that your winter break is going swell! I know that I am really enjoying this time to relax and spend time with friends and family. It’s very surreal seeing so many of my friends still in high school getting their Early Acceptance letters to college because I was in that same boat just a year ago.
In case you aren’t aware, some colleges will do Early Acceptance/Early Notification for eager students who choose to apply earlier than the final deadline. I know that for some of the colleges in South Carolina, applying early was a binding decision which meant that you agreed to attend that school if accepted… So I would strongly encourage you to do personal research on the processes at each college you apply to and learn their respective deadlines.
Anyway, I would recommend to Sophomores and Juniors who may already be looking at colleges, to begin to consider what application process may work best for them. Certain scholarships at schools require you to apply early, so that may be a factor to consider. Alongside applying early, you also have to consider certain application materials earlier than normal.
It is NEVER too early to begin to brainstorm ideas for a personal statement! Likewise, it’s a good idea to begin to think who you may ask for a letter of recommendation. Ideally, you want to always be building strong relationships with teachers, guidance counselors, employers, coaches, and all other authoritative figures who may be able to write a letter of recommendation. Once again, it is NEVER too early to begin to build a network of mentors who can vouch for you on an application.
One last thing that it is never too early to do… It is never too early to think about college—period. Standardized tests, campus visits… The sooner that you begin to consider and prepare for all of these aspects of attending college, the better off you are. As always, if you have any comments or questions please comment below! I hope that all of my seniors are getting acceptance letters and finishing up applications! I hope all of my underclassmen are thinking about college and their remaining years of high school! But most of all, I hope everyone is going to have an excellent Winter Break… See you next year!