Ready When You Are: The College Admission Process

“I’m running a few minutes late!”
“I’m a bit ahead of schedule.”
“Looks like I’ll be right on time.”

Time is a valuable commodity. As we all work through the frenzied pace of busy lives, it is nearly impossible to avoid the issue of timeliness, and whether or not we are running late, early, or on time.

So, it should come as no surprise that this topic also comes up as students and families contemplate the college admissions process. Parents and students often reach out and say, “Are we too early for this question?” “Have we started this process too late?” “When is the right time for us to begin thinking about this?”

The good news is that the right time to start thinking about college is very simple and very personal: when you are ready. While this will manifest in different ways for different families, it is important to know that when you are ready to begin thinking about college, and all aspects of the admissions process, you will be on time!

Of course, in the College Counseling Office, we will ensure that you are ready for application deadlines. With several exceptions, regular college applications and financial aid materials are due on or around January 1 of a student’s senior year; however, many schools offer programs that have rolling or early deadlines on or around November 1. We help our students meet their deadlines by offering 1:1 meetings, drop-in sessions, essay review, and group help nights, and also imposing the famous “Dana deadline,” which is a date ahead of the actual deadlines so that applicants do not have to worry about being late, as they will be on time for us and therefore early for their schools.

While you can therefore guarantee that we will help you manage the dates and deadlines that pepper your application process, what can you do in the meantime to ensure that when you are ready, that you are also prepared?

Just like any aspect of the college admissions process, which we tailor to every student and family, there are different answers to the question of what families can consider before they are rising seniors.

In general, 8th grade students can start to think about the subjects they most enjoy, and choose summer reading or activities that relate to those interests. It may be helpful to know that anything that you do during the summer before 9th grade can be included in your applications. So, if you have questions about summer, whether that means working, camp, travel, service, or participating in a meaningful summer program, you can reach out to the College Counseling Office and we can help you—and students across all grades!—consider the options and opportunities that are right for you.  

For students in 9th and 10th grade, this is a wonderful time to become active in Dana Hall’s many student clubs, particularly as you immerse yourself in exciting Dana Hall courses that may introduce you to new fields of inquiry such as Physics, Computer Science, Journalism, African Studies, Architecture, or Mandarin, to name a few. As you develop an interest in a subject, social cause, or activity, you can expand those skills inside and outside the classroom in ways that fit your schedule and preferences. This is also a good time to focus on your coursework, and begin to think about standardized testing. But, as in everything else, while College Counseling will ensure that you are fully informed, we will work with students to develop a proper testing plan when they are ready. 

It has been said that, “We must use time as a tool, not as a couch.” The same is true for the college admissions process. You will meet the process when you are ready. And we will be there at every step to make sure you are prepared when that moment comes, right on time.