Applying to college is simple. Getting applications done on time is the killer. But don’t worry—you just need a plan.

You’ve Got Options

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If you think you might be interested in a college, check out its website. Look into its departments, programs, courses, extracurricular activities, and location. If you already know what you want to major in, make sure the college has a good department for it. If you don’t know what you want to major in, make sure the college offers a variety of courses.

When college admissions officials are selecting students, they’ll usually look at your grades, SAT scores, and class rank. They’ll want to see if you’ve taken tough courses like AP or honors classes. Colleges also look at extracurricular activities, letters of recommendation, and your essays if they’re required.

Size Up Your Chances

Sort your choices into three categories. First, there are your fallback or “safety” colleges, the ones you think you’d get into for sure. Next are your match or “good chance” colleges, which tend to accept students with grades, class rank, and SAT scores like yours.

Finally, choose a shoot-for-the-moon college or two, places you don’t think you’ll get into, but where you’d like to go if you could. It’s worth a shot.

And don’t automatically dismiss a college because it’s too expensive. If you’d really like to go there, apply. Once you get in, you’ll find out how much financial aid they’ll offer you.

Essays May Be Required

Once you have your colleges picked out (many counselors suggest seven to 10), it’s time to start writing essays. The regular City College of New York (CUNY) admission doesn’t require an essay, but certain CUNY campuses, State University of New York (SUNY) schools, and other colleges do. Review the college websites for details.

College admissions officers read your essay to get to know you better, so you should give yourself plenty of time to write it. And make sure you put a lot of you into it. Don’t fuss too much about making it sound smart with big words you wouldn’t normally use. Check out StatementofPurpose.com for tips on how to write your essay. Then, make sure your English teacher or some other helpful person takes a look at it. You don’t want something as small as a spelling or grammar error to affect your chances of getting in. Don’t give the essay to your reader the day before the application is due, either. They will have suggestions for improvement and you’ll need time to make the changes.

Recommendations and Deadlines

Many schools ask applicants for recommendation letters from teachers and counselors. Make sure you ask people who have known you for a while so they can say good things about you. Again, don’t wait until the day before the deadline. Give them time to write an impressive letter.

Keep in mind that there are three types of deadlines: early decision, early action, and the regular deadline. An early decision application is binding: If you apply to a school early decision and they accept you, you have to go to that school. You can only apply early decision to one school.

Helpful programs:

• OPTIONS Center for Education & Career Choice: A free program that offers high school students college free counseling and SAT prep courses. For more information, call 212-873-6600 and ask for OPTIONS or go to goddard.org/options

Helpful websites:

• CollegeView.com covers schools throughout the country and includes a special section on historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs).

• CollegeBoard.com covers colleges and universities throughout the country.

• PrincetonReview.com surveys students to rank schools in categories like “Diverse Student Population,” “Professors Get High Marks” and “Dorms Like Dungeons.”

Updated from the Sept/Oct 2005 issue of YCteen. Janill went on to graduate from Hunter College.