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The College Application Process – First, Don’t Panic

Let’s talk about applying for college.

I heard absolute nightmares about the stress caused by college applications. A friend of mine told me she had been sweating about the college application process, and rejection, since her sophomore year of  high school.

Ouch.

The truth is that many military spouses want to go back to school, but, the application process intimidates them.

I’m with you! My parents walked me through my first applications as a high school senior, and without them I would have made a nice mess. I had a pair of experienced eyes looking over my shoulder and footing the application fee, which took a lot of stress away.

When I decided to marry my husband, I knew that I would have to do it on my own. Even with two years of college experience under my belt, I felt nervous applying to transfer my credits to a new university that offered online classes. 

If you feel that way, don’t panic! Especially if you have never applied to college before. Let me put your mind at ease. Here is what you can expect when you commit to taking that step. 

After you have completed your virtual or campus college tours, and you have made your school selection, you need to submit your application. 

Finding the application shouldn’t give you any trouble, and I’ve never seen a college without one online.  Just check the website and look around if you can’t find it right away. Colleges want you to apply so they usually don’t make it a where’s Waldo situation. 

However, you will likely need a variety of information to complete the application.

First, the college will want to know your contact information. Sometimes it will give you an option to create an account so you can come back and finish the application later if you need. That part just depends on the school.. 

You will also need to fill in your education history. This includes the names of schools, dates attended, GPA, and if you have transfer credits. 

Side note, if you have AP credits from high school, first great job, but second, you won’t need to count those as transfer credits. When I filled out my application the first time, I didn’t know if those counted or not. 

These transfer credits only apply to college credits earned from another higher education institute.

There will also probably be a space for you to indicate your financial planning – how you will pay for school. It may ask if you plan to use financial aid, what type, scholarships, and if you’ve previously received any financial aid. This is the section that scared me the most.

I worried that I would check the wrong box, or fill it out incorrectly, and I wouldn’t have a chance to get the financial aid I needed. If you’re like me, don’t get too worried about it. This information isn’t set in stone, but in good faith, fill it out to the best of your knowledge and ability.

Lastly, there is usually an application fee. Again, that depends on the school. When I applied online as an undergrad, the university I chose required a fee, but my money was returned once I received my acceptance letter. 

I have never had to write an essay for an application to an online university, but  some schools may require it. I had friends that worked, erased, scribbled, crossed out, and played basketball with copies of their college essays, but I tried not to put that much pressure on myself. 

I think the schools want to see a glimpse of your sparkling personality and how you will be an amazing fit for the college. It should be professional and fulfill the requirements, but don’t forget to write like a person instead of computer.

By this point you’ve probably filled everything out, so hit submit. Triple check that you agree to any pop-ups so that you can be 1,000 percent sure that your application went through. I have skipped that step and had to redo everything!

After that, you should receive a confirmation that your application went where it needed to go and a typical acceptance time frame.   

Look out for a letter a few weeks later, too. I kept my acceptance letter on a bulletin board by my computer, as motivation. When I graduated, I placed it behind my diploma, in a frame.

Once they have accepted you, you will find out your student ID number and login information. Don’t lose these. 

Seriously, save the email, print the email, sticky note the login and ID onto your screen monitor, but whatever you do, don’t make yourself look irresponsible by having to ask for another copy. 

You don’t want to start your college journey by losing something so valuable. You will need your ID for practically everything: sending an email to your professor, advisor, essay headings etc. Keep it in several safe places, and don’t rely on memory, even if you have the best one in the world.

You should also receive an email from your academic advisor who will help you every step of the way. Feel free to ask them any questions. I once had an advisor tell me to never feel guilty for my questions because she enjoyed helping students. It seems that most sincerely feel that way.

The email from your advisor should also include information about your next steps: what forms need to be filled out, signed, where to register for classes and request financial aid, and most importantly an open and welcome invitation for every tiny question you could have. 

And that’s it! You’re finished with the application process. As a courtesy move, email your advisor back with your intent to enroll in the program, which happens upon registering for courses, and communicate the date by which you would like to start.

Likewise, if you have decided you would no longer like to attend a college you have been accepted to, it is best to email that university and let them know your decision. Many times there are a finite number of spots that can be filled, and if you never let them know your decision, they can’t move someone off of the wait list to fill your now empty seat. 

Go into the process prepared and try not to be anxious. I totally understand feeling nervous and overwhelmed, but you will get through the application and start cruising toward your major. I did, even after clicking the wrong high school on one of my applications. Whoever came up with final reviews was really onto something!

 This part of the sentence, combined with the paragraph below, it is hard to tell if you are talking about application essays or essays for a class assignment.

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