I Submitted My Applications! What Do I Do Now?

Congratulations! You submitted your first round of college applications. What a relief! But after the euphoria wears off, you may be wondering, “So what do I do now?”

Good question! Fortunately, I have some helpful answers ready for you. 

Attend Class and Keep Studying!

Your senior year isn’t over until you walk across the stage at graduation. School doesn’t become optional once the confetti flies on the Common App. In fact, it’s time to step up your game.

What?! It’s true. Now is your opportunity to finish strong by continuing to practice those skills that helped you achieve so much already. Remember: Applying to college is just the beginning. You have four more years of hard work ahead of you.

I’ll elaborate on this step in a separate post, but in the meantime, keep going to class and doing the best work you can.

Check Your Admissions Portal

Soon after you submit your applications, you’ll receive an email from each college directing you to the admissions portal. Check your portal frequently for updates. There may be questions about your application, or you may need to submit additional materials. Your portals are also where you’ll get important notifications, including your admissions decisions!

Continue Researching Your Colleges

It’s not just about whether these colleges choose you; soon you’ll have to make a decision about which college you want to choose! Keep learning what you can about them so that you can make the best decision for yourself.

Check the admissions page for online and in-person events, and attend the ones you can. Not only will you learn more about each college, admissions will see that you're engaged and interested (which can only help when they're reviewing your application).

Other great resources are YouTube and TikTok. Students love to post videos showcasing how they spend their days or weekends at various colleges. These are an ideal way to gain insight into what life is really like at college from a student's perspective, without all the marketing polish.

Apply for Institutional Scholarships

While students are considered for many merit scholarships simply by applying, colleges offer additional, more competitive merit scholarships that often have a higher dollar value. Find these opportunities on the financial aid page, online scholarship portal, or your admissions portal.