The College Admissions Process

My college applying process started way to early. It started during my junior year. My parents thought that it was important for me to scout out colleges before senior year, so my dad dragged me to the Illinois College Expo (ICE) against my own will. I though it was stupid for me to start looking at colleges so early. It was a good idea my parents forced me to go.

ICE is a big college fair that Parkland Community College hosts. Many colleges from around the area set up booths in Parkland’s gymnasium with representatives and handouts to give to interested high school students.

My next step in the college process was visiting schools. During my junior year, I visited Brown University in Rhode Island. In the summer before senior year, I visited DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana, Carthage College in Kenosha, Wisconsin, Dennison University in Granville, Ohio, Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington, Illionis, and Georgetown in Washington DC.

During my senior year, I visited Augstana College’s swimming team in Rock Island, Illinois. Visiting colleges is important in the college applying process, because you want to get a feel for the school you might be spending the next four years of you life at. It’s also a great way to learn about the school, and get a visual of the campus.

After finding schools your interested in, the painful part begins. Filling out applications. Filling out college applications is not hard work, but tedious. My biggest struggle was just finishing one. It was common for me to start an application, and not finish it for months. If I could pass on one piece of information about the college application process to underclassmen, I would tell them to set deadlines for applications and to stick with them.

Even though the whole college applying process is a pain in the neck, it is a very good feeling to get a packet in the mail, or a letter from a college, congratulating you on being admitted to their school.