The Clock Starts Yesterday: 8 tips to kick off the college application process for high schoolers (or middle schoolers)

I remember being at Gymboree with my oldest (many moons ago) when a mom asked me, “Where do you think your son will go to high school?” In the sleep-deprived era of toddlerhood, I wanted to say, “Lady, I am so tired and I don’t even know what we are having for dinner, much less give a thought to where my 2-year-old would be attending high school.”

Fast forward two decades. I’ve now got two in college, as well as a high schooler with big plans and a middle schooler who also has big shoes to fill. Along the way, I’ve learned a few things to share that others who are just starting the college process might find helpful.

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With back-to-back seniors in 2023 and 2024, I learned so much going through the process. The undertaking is daunting and tedious, and it takes patience, support, love and understanding. It helps to dive into it knowing that no matter the outcome, your next chapter will take you exactly where you are meant to be.

I’ve seen all the emotions from my own kids: anticipation, stress, determination, relief, disappointment, happiness, excitement … all on repeat. But I’ve also seen their courage in putting themselves out there and offered the support they need when the offers and rejections came rolling in.

For parents standing at this point of their parenting journey, I’ve got 8 tips to get you started. This applies to middle school parents too!

13 Tips to Help the College Application Process

Start Writing Down Everything

Applications will be much easier with details organized. Encourage and help your child to make lists of clubs, involvement, volunteer opportunities, work experience, honor roll and anything they have done in the past four years. Search with a fine-tooth comb and include a brief description of each activity. This task becomes much easier if you catalog along the way. Everything counts.

Source Recommendation Letters

Start thinking about who your child will request to write letters on their behalf. You’ll need names, e-mail addresses and phone numbers. Some recommendations will be online through the Common App, but often a letter is nice to keep on file and use for scholarships later on.

Brainstorm College Essays

How does your child want to tell their story? The essay prompts from previous years are on CommonApp.com, but some schools require additional essays. It’s never too early brainstorm ideas.

Ace Your SAT/ ACT Tests

Registration is now open for fall testing. For schools that offer early action or early decision, these early fall tests might be a good opportunity to try and score your best. Students will still have through May of 2025 to qualify for the Florida Bright Futures program for the Fall 2025 semester.

Know Your Deadlines

Make sure you note down the deadlines for all the colleges that made your child’s final list, including  early action or early decision deadline. These are all clearly published on the colleges’ websites.

Consider a College Tour

If you can’t get an “official tour,” there are still many ways to explore! At this point, my 11-year-old has been to more than 10 colleges by default as she is brought along on family vacations and college tours. Visiting a college is a great way for the kids to see themselves living in this new environment.

Explore Possibilities and Pathways

My son only wanted to apply to one school. We not only encouraged him to apply to others, but we also began exploring all the pathways to get to his preferred school in case he wasn’t accepted as an incoming freshman. Many 4-year universities have pathways or transfer opportunities.

Familiarize Yourself with Common App

Common App opens Aug. 1. This is where the magic happens! If you’ve already started an account, every year on Aug. 1, Common App gets a refresh during which accounts are rolled over for the new application year. My advice is to have a backup of all details outside of this platform. It’s a best practice as you begin the process!

Explore Careers

There are pros and cons of declaring a major on your application. However there seem to be many benefits for declaring a major that you have a true interest in pursuing as a career. It can help open up department-specific scholarships and allow admissions to see how your past accomplishments are connected with your future ambitions. As with most things, nothing is set in stone, so if you do explore outside of your declared application major, it’s best to seek guidance from your college counselors once at school.

Talk to Friends

Do you have friends that have college-age kids? Talk to them! Learn from them! Chances are they’ve made some mistakes and can impart wisdom to you as your family begins the college application journey.

Senior Year Classes Still Count

Schools will still want to know what classes you are taking your senior year. In anticipation of questions that you will be asked on applications, ask your high school guidance counselor for your child’s student summary. This can help answer questions like class rank or GPA. This will also make filling out the Student Self-Reported Academic Record (SSAR) much easier.

Start Financial Planning

It’s time to take a deep dive into FASFA, Florida Pre-Paid and the many other ways to pay for college or trade schools.

Start Researching Scholarships

My middle daughter has Type 1 Diabetes. I began to research scholarships for her and built a list for her as I researched scholarship opportunities for my oldest two children.

Stay tuned for more articles on the college application process and more at tampabayparenting.com/teens or feel free to reach out with questions to Teens@TampaBayParenting.com. I’ll be writing more articles based on your questions! And if I don’t know the answers, I’ll be partnering with people who do!

Marisa Langford is the author of the blog Tampa Mama. She celebrates 20 years of blogging and parenting this year. This mother of four is a full-time working mom and Girl Scout Leader, and is involved in almost anything her children participate in. She has two children who attend the University of Florida, a public high school student, and one homeschooled middle schooler. She will be a contributing editor to Tampa Bay Parenting Magazine specializing in teen content. Follow her adventures at @TampaMama or email her your teenage parenting questions at teens@tampabayparenting.com

Photo credit: Marisa Langford | Originally published in the August 2024 issue of Tampa Bay Parenting Magazine.