New campus academic advisor Evangelina Tello continues the occasional column, College Corner, for The Feather Online. She shares college prep advice and offers college counseling in her office. Tello can be reached via email: [email protected]. Her office hours are M/T/Th 8 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., Wed/Fri., 8 -noon. She encourages students to set up appointments during these hours but has an open door policy as well. This is Tello’s first article, replacing long-time academic counselor, Michelle Warkentin, Oct. 26.

As the weather turns cooler and the leaves change color, a new season is upon us. To seniors, this season is most notable for the appearance of college application deadlines. Not always the favorite amongst high school seniors, but nonetheless very important.

As the new academic counselor, I am excited to embark on this new adventure, helping or assisting students along the path to meet their educational goals, aspirations, and application deadlines.

I should clarify that there are a variety of approaches to college application deadlines and the best course of action can be tailored to the individual student. As I met with a few seniors recently, a common concern voiced was, “Why can’t there just be one deadline? It’s so stressful to try and keep up with them all.”

To delve further into this concern and highlight the benefits of multiple dates, let’s first explore the types of application deadlines.

The first being the Early Action Deadline, which allows students to apply early, and by doing so, they will receive an early decision as well. The deadline to submit this application typically falls sometime in November, depending on the college; make sure to check with admissions or the college’s website for the specific date.

Students who submit an application by the deadline can expect to hear back on the admission decision by early January. This is significantly sooner than the regular decision window, which falls later in the spring.

Another type of college application deadline is the Early Decision Deadline. It is important that students understand that by submitting this application, they are committing to one specific school if accepted. This route is best suited for students who are very sure of the school that they want to attend. If they are accepted, they must immediately withdraw all of their other college applications.

The Early Application Deadline requires students to submit their applications a mere few weeks before the Regular-Decision Deadline and allows students to receive admissions decisions sometimes months before regular applications. It provides them with time to weigh out multiple options if they are open to multiple colleges and also allows them to examine different financial aid packages they are offered. — Evangelina Tello

Students should also make note that they will have committed to attending the specific institution in its entirety, which includes financial aid packages. This means if a financial aid package isn’t sufficient enough for a student to attend, they will have to find alternative ways to pay for tuition which can include taking out student loans.

A benefit to this application allows students to communicate just how serious they are about attending a particular college of their choice. If accepted, there is no uncertainty of where they will attend next fall.

The final type of college application deadlines is the Regular-Decision Deadline. This gives students a little more time to get their test scores and admissions essays in order. As stated previously, students can expect to hear back on an admissions decision sometime in the spring.

As stressful and overwhelming as this season can be for high school seniors, I would encourage them to take a little bit of time to think during the next week about their future plans for college. Although multiple deadlines can be difficult to keep track of, a benefit of this is that it allows students to pace themselves when it comes to submitting applications.

Seniors have to juggle multiple responsibilities, and between the bustle of finishing up their last year of high school and attending all of the various campus events offered, identifying what college or colleges they have their sights set on can help when it comes to choosing the best application deadline to aim for.

The Early Application Deadline requires students to submit their applications a mere few weeks before the Regular-Decision Deadline and allows students to receive admissions decisions sometimes months before regular applications. It provides them with time to weigh out multiple options if they are open to multiple colleges and also allows them to examine different financial aid packages they are offered.

For students who have a top choice and every other application is “just a backup,” then the Early Decision Deadline may bode well for them.

The Regular-Decision Deadline does offer students who need additional time to prepare their admissions essays and have their best SAT or ACT scores available. If students don’t mind waiting a little longer to hear back on an admissions decision, then this route may be ideal for them.

College application season involves a new tide of educational waves that soon-to-graduate seniors will have to learn to navigate. If they have set their compasses to lead them to the applications and deadlines that are best suited for them, they will be on the journey to success as they lift their masts and set sail on yet another adventure in their academic careers.

For a previous college information article, read College Corner: Words of wisdom from the class of 2017. For another article on admissions and applications, read College Corner: College applications options. Finally, seniors can check out the CollegeBoard website for more information on college applications and the process.

Evangelina Tello can be reached via email: [email protected].