Start Your College Application Season: Creating your College List
Learn about what you should do when crafting your college list
This email is written to you by Jasmine Ngo
Tigerway Team Members and Families,
Welcome back to school!
A new season has approached with seniors facing college application season! Now it's time to start thinking about your college plans.
As the new academic year approaches, we're excited to share some valuable tips that will help you kickstart the year with some confidence! Whether you're a lower-class man, high schooler, or college student, these strategies will set you up for success and ensure that you make the most of the upcoming year.
If you are a rising senior and need help reviewing your college applications and essays, book a call with us to help you get into your dream school! We not only help with college application and essay review, but we also help with preparing for college application season. This includes reviewing resumes, creating college lists, finding helpful programs to enhance your leadership experience, and more!
In this email, we will be covering the first and most important step in the college application journey: creating your college list. We will be guiding you through the process of crafting a well-rounded and personalized list of colleges and universities for your aspirations and goals!
Make sure to have a CommonApp Account to apply to your schools and explore the requirements!
Let’s Create Your College List
Self-Reflection
Before starting the college research, take some time for self-reflection. Ask yourself:
What are my academic interests and strengths?
What are my career goals and aspirations?
Do I have any specific location preferences?
What size of a school do I envision attending?
What is my budget for college?
Are there any extracurricular activities or clubs that I want to continue in college?
By understanding your preferences and goals, you'll have a better understanding of creating a list of colleges that align with your values and ambitions.
Research
Now that you have a better understanding of yourself, it's time to research colleges. Use resources like college websites and online forums such as Niche and USNews to gather information. Consider factors such as:
Academic programs and majors offered
Location and campus environment
Admission requirements and deadlines
Financial aid and scholarship opportunities
Campus culture and student life
Diversify Your List
Your college list should include a mix of reach, match, and safety schools.
Reach schools: These are colleges where your academic credentials are below the school's average admitted student. It's a stretch, but not impossible, to gain admission
Match schools: Your academic credentials are spot on with the school's average admitted student
Safety schools: These schools have admission criteria where you exceed the standards. They serve as your backup options
A well-balanced list gives you options!
Visit Campuses
Whenever possible, visit the campuses of the colleges on your list. This will help you get a feel for the environment and determine if it's the right fit for you.
Get Guidance
Don't hesitate to reach out to your school's guidance counselor or college advisor for assistance. They can provide valuable insights and resources to help you with your list.
Stay Organized
Use a spreadsheet or college application platform to keep track of application deadlines, requirements, and financial aid information for each school on your list.
Apply Strategically
When the time comes to apply, prioritize your applications based on deadlines, essay/question requirements, and your level of interest in each school.
Remember, creating your college list is a dynamic process! As you learn more and refine your priorities, your list may evolve. Stay open-minded, and trust yourself to make the best choices for your future.
At Tigerway, we help our students achieve success on both the current and new Digital SAT. We strive to keep our students up-to-date with our wide collection of resources from our digital library. In addition, we assist students in developing effective strategies for tackling SAT problems and provide individualized support to help each student reach their goals.
Our Online Private Coaching program supports SAT/ACT, High School Courses (Regular/Ap), and College Admissions Strategy. If you are interested in our program, please contact me, Program Officer Jasmine Ngo, or Coach Larry Cheung. Please give us a call today for a roadmap session on how academic coaching, SAT/ACTs, and college consulting can help you. We currently have a waitlist for private coaching and it will be first come first serve.
Feel free to read the other emails that we’ve sent out from our Substack Email List - all public:
2 Digital SAT Problems to solve if you’re taking it in 2024
How to think about planning ahead for College Admissions as an underclassmen
What hard work can do for you in terms of personal growth and SAT Scores rising
Tigerway is a proud Founding Member of the National Test Prep Association (NTPA) where the NTPA consistently communicates with the College Board’s SAT Exam Team and ACT Exam to understand the future of academics and standardized testing.
Connect with us Today - get your Grades, SAT/ACT Scores, and increase the likelihood of admission offers into the most selective U.S. Universities:
Text us directly on our website: https://www.tigerwayprep.com/
Or book a call with our program officer Jasmine Ngo to get priority status on the private coaching waitlist where our private coaches help students academically and with individualized college strategy.