Cooleg Aps ∠( ᐛ 」∠)＿

The college admission process is tricky, but after struggling with it for the early half of senior year, I have a rudimentary understanding of it...? I'm going to break it down step by step, but be warned, it's still obnoxiously complicated.

1. The summer before senior year is the ideal time to figure out what colleges to apply to. I made a spreadsheet on Google (while you're at it, make an entire folder for applications- you'll need it), and it was my go-to in keeping track of everything. I'll attach a template of it below.
1. Template. 
2. Consider applying to different types of colleges (dream, reach, and safety) so you have a reasonable spread of colleges. 
2. A lot of colleges have you apply online through the CommonApp. I know California state schools and the UC's have their own system, but it's all fairly similar. You'll have to fill out a lot of information, write an essay, along with smaller supplemental essays for individual schools.
3. Oh yeah, writing. Expect to do a lot of writing (and if you applied to a lot of schools, good luck with all those supplementals). Don't procrastinate on this- have a parent or friend keep you on track if you have shit impulse control if you need it.
1. Ask your friends and teachers (especially English teachers) to help edit. Not only do they catch mistakes you'd have otherwise overlooked but it helps to get a second opinion on how you're portraying yourself in your essay. 
2. Here are some tips for supplementals.
4. Don't forget score reports! Score reports are your SAT/ACT scores (don't worry about AP scores, you send them after you're accepted to whatever school you plan on going to), and can be sent through the Collegeboard/ACT website for a fee. Keep in mind that they take a week or two to be received, so send them in advance. 
1. If you're applying to multiple UC's, you don't need to send a score report to every single school! Just send one to one UC so it's in the UC system.
5. Ask early for letters of rec since teachers get swamped with requests by October-December. Pick teachers that know you well and will write nice letters (befriend the English teachers!!!).
1. You can also ask your coach, employer, etc., but most colleges want at least one teacher recommendation. 
2. As a courtesy, buy them thank-you chocolates and let them know where you're going when results come out. 
6. Keep the deadlines in mind and plan accordingly. Do you want to apply Early Action, Early Decision, Regular Decision, etc.? Do you know what these even mean?
1. It's ok, I gotchu. 
7. You'll probably feel more than a little dead on the inside when you're done with applications. Buy yourself something nice- you earned it. 
8. BONUS: Financial Aid??? I have no idea how this works lmao sorry