Applying for college is very difficult, all colleges have different requirements, and different aspects that will make it easier or harder for students to get in.

Before students apply to a college, they need to decide on how they want to apply. There are two options: early decision and just submitting it normally. Early decision is where students choose to go to a college, this means they are absolutely going to go there. Students are unable to change where they want to go if they are accepted, unless specified by the college. Early decision is best for people who have their mind 100% set on said college. It allows more time for students to plan their life out, and the college gets back to them sooner. However, applicants who do not do early decision can keep their options open. 

Colleges have multiple things they look for in a student when they read over applications. They look at the student’s GPA, who they are as a student, (as in if they challenged themselves in school, take leadership classes, etc.) They want to know if the students are a good fit for them, and if they are a good fit for the student. Some colleges are test optional, test optional means students do not have to submit your SAT or ACT scores to the college. Even if the student submits their test scores, it will not change their chances of getting into the college if the college is test optional. 

The BVSW counseling department provides a variety of different resources to use to find and apply to colleges. Some of these include: Discussion with seniors and their families about the application process, assistance with college essays, use of Naviance to help high school students plan their life beyond graduating from high school, mock interviews and much more. “Our door is always open,” counselor Casey Weber said.