Many deadlines are fast approaching for college applications and scholarships. There is no doubt that seniors are feeling overwhelmed with the vast amount of work ahead of them.

There are many things that a student must complete in the following few months. Each student is unique and the requirements for each college differ across the country. Seniors are not the only students worried about college. It is important for students to begin thinking about what their plan is in the first couple years of high school. Being proactive with the college search can help significantly for the following years.

Perhaps the most obvious element coming up for seniors is the college application. This deadline changes based upon the college and if a student is planning on applying early decision or early action. Most college applications are due between January 1st and February 1st. Early decision applications are due November 1st.

There are many parts to a college application. Some applications require a letter of recommendation which is “a document in which the writer assesses the qualities, characteristics, and capabilities of the person being recommended in terms of that individual’s ability to perform a particular task.” There are many people a student can ask for this: A trusted adult like a teacher, manager, or coach.

If the student is planning on asking a teacher, it is best to ask a teacher well in advance, giving them plenty of time to write a letter. Teachers are busy and often have lots of work outside of school. A polite thing to do after someone writes a letter of reference is to give him or her a thank you note. This shows that the recipient is thankful for the teacher going out of his or her way to write a positive letter.

College is possibly one of the most expensive decisions in a person’s life. Most likely, a high school student will not be able to afford college out of pocket. There are many resources for students to pay for college. The list includes: loans, scholarships, and grants.

Scholarships are available for any student. Scholarships and grants do not have to be paid back. There is a common stereotype that students must have an excellent GPA or strong academics in order to receive scholarships, but there are scholarships for students of every kind–from first generation to left-handed students

There are many scholarship websites out there for students to filter through and find what fits for them individually. Scholarships often times require the student to write an essay on a certain topic and judge his or her abilities. There are scholarships specific to a college, state, or major, but there are also scholarships that apply to any school.

Some great websites to look for scholarships include Sallie Mae, Nerdwallet, Scholarships.com, Weird Scholarships, and the Scholly App. It is strongly encouraged that any student attending college should spend time applying for scholarships because it can drastically change the price of attending college. Check out these links for scholarships: https://www.scholarships.com/, https://www.salliemae.com/, and https://www.fastweb.com/college-scholarships/articles/the-weirdest-scholarships

Rocky is very lucky to have so many resources that help students with the college process. Ms. Fassnacht in the College and Career Center says the most important things for students to remember is, “Each college is different and it is important for students to know what each college requires and when the deadlines are.”

The College and Career Center has many workshops and helpful tips for whatever the plan may be after high school. All students, but especially juniors and seniors, are strongly encouraged to go talk to someone for help. The College and Career Center consistently has college representatives come to Rocky and talk with students. These resources are there for seniors and using them can extremely helpful during what can be a very stressful time.