Knowledge for College #7: Deadlines & Decisions.

The process from acceptance to enrollment could be hindered if you fall behind on important deadlines for various items for your school of choice, but the more organized you are, the easier the process will be.

Knowledge for College #7: Deadlines & Decisions.

The Holidays are here, and you may have family and friends asking, "what are your plans for college?"  While you may have plans, you need to ask yourself, "how have I have put my plans into action?"  Getting organized is the key to this process! 

APPLYING FOR ADMISSION:  If you have not submitted full application paperwork to your universities of choice (and some second-choices), then now is the time!  I have recently met with some seniors who have not taken the ACT yet (gasp!)... if this is you, register NOW for the February test at www.actstudent.org.   

I'M ACCEPTED, NOW WHAT?: If you have submitted full application paperwork to schools, you should be hearing back, (if you have not already).  Acceptance letters are usually followed by (or may include), forms to secure housing, information about orientation, registration, scholarships and financial aid.  Depending on the school, these may come concurrently or consecutively over a period of time. 

Whether you are still in the process of applying for admission or receiving letters of decision (hopefully acceptance letters), you must be organized!  Organization is crucial to the process and will make it go smoother.  Whatever stage you are in (applying for admission or receiving letters of decision) you should find out what your IMPORTANT HARD DEADLINES are (and the steps/paperwork needed to complete them) for all crucial items (admission, housing, financial aid, etc.), and organize them in a way that is easy for you to follow.

 

How do you begin to get organized?

Find a system that works for you:

Calendar - Get a regular monthly calendar and then list all the steps you need to complete for admission.  If you've already been accepted for admission, start to list other important deadlines they are giving you like tuition and housing deposits, scholarship applications, registration/orientation dates, etc.  Do a chart like this for each school.  Use different color pens to color code by college.  Hang it someplace you will see it everyday (such as your locker, bedroom, refrigerator, etc.).

- OR -

Spreaksheet/Chart -  You can do this on notebook paper or a spreadsheet program like excel, or create a table in any word processing program (i.e., MS Word).   At the top of the chart list the college name.  As explained above in the "calendar method" list all the steps you need to complete starting with the place you are in the admissions process.  Next to your "steps column" have a "deadline column" and an "action date" column (where you fill in when you took action to complete that step  Do a chart like this for each school.  Here's an example of a chart for a new freshmen for UW-Parkside: 

Download uwparkside_dates_and_deadline_chart.xls

- AND -

THE FOLDERS: are a must have! - For each school you are applying to, create a folder. For each correspondence (mail or email) you receive, read it COMPLETELY.  If you have any questions, call the contact number that is usually provided, and if none is provided - call  the admissions office at that school and they will either answer the question or get you to the correct office that can.  SAVE each correspondence and store it in your folder.  For any deposits or forms you need to complete and return to your college, make a copy for your file and write the date you submitted it.

THAT'S ALOT OF WORK?!?!
Yes, it is not fun.  The hard truth is, if you can't organize yourself to follow deadlines for college admission and enrollment, then you will struggle to keep yourself organized with all of the academic multi-tasking that will be expected of you in college. The secret to all this is that the early bird gets preferred housing, financial aid on time, best selection of classes, scholarship monies, etc.  The ones who do everything late and unorganized are on housing wait-lists, taking loans out to wait for financial aid to come in, stuck classes in time slots that are unpopular and you may miss valuable scholarship opportunities. 

The question is:  How do you want to be livin' at college? 
Will you be livin' in-charge and easy, or all-stressed as a hot mess? 
Organization is key!
Who will you be?    

See you on the road,

~ Nicole