There’s much to consider in your choice
Deciding which colleges to apply to is a major milestone in the process. Finding schools that are within your budget, that your senior can possibly get into and keep up with, is well worth the time.

Some seniors feel compelled to apply to many more colleges than is necessary. The “bragging rights” syndrome can be very expensive and time consuming – three to five schools is reasonable, especially when applying to competitive colleges. The families we talked to suggested two competitive colleges, two less competitive colleges and one sure bet.

Compare your choices
Prepare a spreadsheet comparing the colleges. Include annual expenses, application deadlines, general information, pros and cons. Let your student decide what factors are most important.

Check out Princeton Review's College Research section. Counselor-O-Matic is an advanced search engine that combines your academic and extracurricular history with your preferences to help you find the right college.

The submission process
Most schools prefer on-line registration, which allows you to cut and paste various pieces of information from your fact sheet and previously written essays. For advice on how to put together your senior fact sheet, click here.

Colleges charge between $25 - $100 to apply. Check out www.collegenet.com to apply on-line. This site services a lot of different schools. If you mail applications, send them “registered mail,” to make sure they get there in time.

Keep track of application deadlines - especially early decisions, scholarships and housing. In many schools, preferred dorm space goes to early applicants.

If your senior needs to ask a teacher to write a letter of recommendation, give the teacher a copy of your student’s senior fact sheet before they write it. Popular teachers are asked to write many letters. Be sure to give them enough time to get it done. Send them a nice thank you note and/or a small gift.

Getting accepted!
Once your senior has been accepted and commits to a college, determine whether the commitment is binding or non-binding. Can your senior change their minds and not be financially committed by a certain date?

Read about rooming options and fill out applications as quickly as possible. Many schools offer housing on a “first come, first serve basis,” while others run a lottery type program. Selecting a roommate is also a critical decision.

Seniors: Sharing a room with a best friend is not always the wisest choice. Many students find they don’t make as many new friends if they room with someone they already know. Rooming with someone new may also improve your study habits.

Your student may find out they’re accepted at more than one of the colleges they applied to. If they need to make a choice, prepare a spreadsheet comparing the important variables for each college and their commitment deadlines.

If you are going to pursue scholarships and financial aid, get started ASAP. Many deadlines are early in the year. Click here for guide to the financial aid process and a variety of resources to get you going.

Senioritis returns
Seniors: Once you’ve been accepted to a college, it is important to stay focused on your schoolwork and not let your grades slide. Warning! College acceptances are conditional upon academic performance throughout the senior year. Many colleges require final transcripts. There are many sad stories of students having their college of choice terminate their offer of admission because of poor grade performance in the last semester of high school. Keep up with assignments and continue to develop good time management skills. Remember, college is going to be a lot harder than high school, prepare as best you can while your still in high school.

Dealing with rejections
Be prepared for rejection letters from colleges. If your student gets rejected from a college they were hoping to attend, they may experience a sense of failure. Parents, help your student see the alternatives in a better light. It is important to learn to deal with rejection productively and move forward.

To avoid a big let down, be sure to discuss the competition for your college choices. Colleges often try to fill quotas that your student may not meet. That’s why it’s good to apply to several less competitive colleges that will also meet your student’s needs.

If your student is really committed to the school they were rejected from, inquire as to why they were rejected. A phone call or letter asking for further details will help your student understand the process and the decision. An extremely well written letter to a college may change their minds. Transferring to the school in later years is always an option that they can work towards.

If you do not hear from a college, follow up early to make sure the application made it there and has not fallen through the cracks.