College applications: at best, they’re stressful. At worst, they can be pretty terrifying. Everything’s crammed into the first semester of one of your busiest years of high school. Suddenly, you’re supposed to know what you want to do with the rest of your life. Pretty scary, right? Don’t worry. I’ve already gone through the process, so here’s my guide to getting ready and getting through application season.

The first thing to do is relax! Stressing won’t make your journey to college any easier or go by any faster. Now that’s out of the way…

Standardized testing. Yes, I know, it’s not fun. However, some schools do require it. Even if you’re applying to a test-optional school, a top score can give your application an extra boost. There are two major tests that most colleges look at, and you can take one or both. Given by the College Board, the SAT is the same organization that gives AP exams and has a maximum score of 1600. The SAT focuses on reading + writing and math. The second test you can take is the ACT, given by the ACT organization. This test has a top score of 36 and features reading + writing, math, and science. Both tests have optional essay sections that can be added on if you’d like.

So, when should you start taking these exams? Well, it’s really up to you, but many students choose to take it in the spring of their junior year and retake it during the fall of their senior year if need be. I chose to take my exams starting in the fall of my junior year so that I could retake as many times as needed throughout my junior and senior years.

The best way to prepare for these exams is, of course, to study. Both the SAT and the ACT have practice questions on their website, and there are lots of other guides online and in book form. Some students may additionally choose to study with special test prep tutors as well.

Once you’ve got your standardized testing out of the way and you’re satisfied with your scores, the next thing to do is to wait for the fall of your senior year. Then, college applications open. While you can apply directly through college webpages, as well as other software, many students, myself included, choose the Common App. There are over 1,000 colleges that you can apply to through the Common App. 

About that—what colleges should you apply to, and how many? It’s all based on your personal preferences. What factors are important to you when choosing a college? Create a list of them and use that list to help you narrow down your search. Starting in junior year, visit any colleges you are interested in to see if they’ll be the right fit for you. 

Once you have a list, it’s time to apply! Many sources recommend applying to multiple colleges. You can apply to as many as you like, although you should be aware that there is an application fee, usually ranging from $50 to $100 for each one. Some colleges will give you a fee waiver upon request. During the final week of October, you can apply to select in-state colleges for free through the Virginia College Application Week, which provides a code to waive the application fee. 

Now that you’ve taken your tests and figured out where you might like to apply, it’s time to start filling out your Common App. There are six sections you must fill out, plus an additional one where you can submit your courses and grades if one of the colleges on your list requires it. 

Under the Profile section, you’ll input your information, such as name, birthday, and address. The Family section is where you enter information about your family and their history. The Education section is where you’ll input your school, any institutions you’ve dual enrolled at, your current classes, your GPA, and any honors or awards you’d like to feature. Under testing, you can self-report scores you’ve received on various commonly accepted tests, including AP, SAT, ACT, and more. The Activities section is where you can provide information about any activities you’ve done – sports, clubs, community service organizations, and more. The final required section, Writing, is one you absolutely do not want to procrastinate on. This section is where you will write your Common App essay responding to one of the prompts given. Make sure to get an early start on it, revise it, and have someone look over it for you before you submit your application.

Under each school you apply to, there are a few more things you’ll need to do. Each school will want to know about any majors you might be interested in, what sports or activities you might want to do there, whether you qualify for in-state tuition if you’ve been convicted of criminal charges and more. Some colleges may also require you to respond to additional writing prompts, which you should give a fair amount of time and consideration to, just like your essay. Under each college is also a section where you can invite recommenders. Your counselor will submit one for you, and you can ask teachers to write one for you as well. 

Okay, now that you’ve finally completed your application, the last thing to do is submit it. Every college has a different deadline, and some have multiple. There are generally three types of application: early decision, early action, and regular decision.

Early decision is a binding commitment, meaning that if you’re accepted into that school, you have to attend there. This application type, as well as early action, which is not binding, are usually due around the same time. These deadlines are often in the fall and are a great choice to show a college that you’re serious about them. The final application type is the regular decision, with the latest deadline by early February. If you need more time or aren’t sure about a particular school, this could be the application type for you.

Once that’s done, you’re set! All that’s left now is to wait to hear back from colleges. Depending on the school and when you applied, you may hear back any time from late November through the spring. Whatever happens, know this: college applications and testing scores don’t define you, and you will wind up on the path that’s best for you. Best of luck on your college application journey!