As deadline day looms closer for many early action college applications, some seniors feel left behind applying to college. We’ve compiled a list of all the necessary steps in order to have a successful application season.

NC College Connect is a new program intended for seniors with a GPA of 2.8 or above meaning to offer students direct admission into up to 42 colleges in North Carolina. These schools can include Appalachian State, UNC-Charlotte, East Carolina and others. Students can find out if they qualify by visiting cfnc.org/nc-college-connect.

For most students looking to apply to college, the most standard path is through the CommonApp portal. Here students can list colleges they are interested in and begin to fill out questionnaires relating to their grades, classes, and family’s college history. All students will have to write a CommonApp essay used as a minimum barrier to entry for all colleges. The CommonApp essay has a 650 word limit and invites students to share a story that makes them unique.

Applying in the early action window offers slightly better admissions rates than regular decisions for students as a reward for sending in their applications before the first deadline. For many colleges, that date is November 1, however all students should check for their prospective schools. 

Once students have completed applications, most students should speak to their parents to decide if they should elect to qualify for financial aid. The FAFSA, or Free Application for Federal Student Aid. The form opened up earlier this month and takes information based on your guardians tax forms from two years prior. The sooner FAFSA is completed, the more aid they generally are eligible to receive, although every student’s situation is different.

With all of those steps completed, most students should be well on their way to applying to college. If any questions arise during your application process, we encourage you to reach out to your guidance counselor. To all our seniors applying this year, good luck!