With the school year just beginning, most seniors are at the very least relieved to be almost done with high school. Little do they realize that senior year is the start of the rest of their lives. Within the first months of senior year, students must narrow down what schools they want to attend for the next few years, or decide if they even want to go to school.

This may seem daunting for most students, but not to fear. Believe it or not there are some things that students can do with their applications that will help them stand out in the midst of thousands of other students who are competing for the same spots.

“Show leadership, show community involvement, show consistency in the activities you do, and show your interests,” said Ms. Beverly Groth, a Milford High School counselor. These are the four main things that colleges are looking for most of the time.

The most important thing for students to keep in mind is that accuracy is key. Students should tell the truth about what kind of person they are. Students must write their own essays and should not allow parents to do it for them.

Brenda Granroth, Milford High School’s Career Development Facilitator, talks about the importance of getting your application, and essays in as early as possible. “The earlier the better,” she said. The  recommended deadline for college applications is Halloween.

Another tip from Granroth was to have multiple people look over your essays, for example, an English teacher. “If you send in a paper with multiple errors they are just going to throw it in the trash because you didn’t take the time or effort needed,” said Granroth.

Counselors and teachers usually recommend applying to 4-6 schools, but be aware that not every school has the same application process. Some schools require multiple essays, some schools want none. Some schools require fees for application, but at others it is free. It is really important that students take time and find out what certain schools are expecting from them.

“Every school is different,” said Granroth, who emphasizes how students really must do your research on the schools they are thinking about.

“Some applications can be filled out in 10 to 15 minutes and it is simple, but others seem easy and then you get stuck on a question or need a document that you don’t have. This makes the application process take much longer,” says Sarah Delaney, a senior at Lakeland High School.

The Common Application is another form that students should be aware of. With the common application, students can choose which colleges receive the application.

With the Common Application, it is extremely important to make sure that you do the research on what schools accept them. “Common Apps are nice, but I applied to eight colleges and after I was done filling it out I realized that only one of the schools I applied to accepted it,” said Delaney.

Find out more about how to apply for the common application at http://www.commonapp.org/.

It is also crucial for students to know the types of help offered to them right at school. Groth also talked about the importance of students getting to know the timelines, dates, and resources offered to students.

An option that students should be taking advantage of is going to the college visits scheduled at school, so that they can make an impression on the representatives from the college and maybe they might remember them when they go back and see that name on an application. Students can sign up for these visits in the Career Resource Center.

Another opportunity that is open to students is that if they have extra time during lunch or seminar, they can go into the Career Resource Center located in the library, and start writing out essays and applications right here in the school.

Students are also encouraged to go visit their counselors if they are feeling stressed out about the application process. Although it is probably better to visit English teachers for mechanics, counselors can help you with content in your essays.

Remember, colleges are looking for honest people who are true to themselves. High School may be coming to an end for seniors, but their journey into the future is just beginning.