Waiting for College Acceptance Letters: 5 Things to Research

Costa Mesa College Tutoring Tips: 5 Things to Research While You Wait For Your College Acceptance Letter

It’s that time of year when students have sent in their college applications and scholarship forms but are still waiting to hear back. Most students get notifications from colleges in April or May and so still have a couple of months to sit around and wait. Unfortunately, the waiting game can be rather unproductive and leaves students feeling stressed out and overwhelmed. When students hear back from colleges, they won’t have a whole lot of time to make a decision as to where they’ll spend the next four years, but there are some things they can start researching while they wait for that all important life-changing news – start prepping for college with the help of a private Costa Mesa college tutor from TutorNerds while you wait for your college acceptance letters.

1.  The specifics of academic programs

If students have a strong first and second choice it’s a good idea for them to sit down and look at the specifics of the academic programs they have applied to. Will freshman be able to get all the classes they need to graduate in four years? If they are undecided, are there different programs within their areas of interest available to them? Are there options for students to major in one field and minor in another? Students shouldn’t overwhelm themselves with hundreds of questions about each university before they find out if they’re accepted, but it wouldn’t hurt for them to look at the top three issues on their wish list while they’re waiting to find out.

2.  Financial aid and scholarships

One of the most important issues for students is figuring out how they will pay for college. Students may have an option of receiving financial aid directly from the school, or they may have to rely on government or private programs. There are also tons of scholarships, big and small, out there but all of these things require a ton of research. Students should fill out any applications they can and gather any crucial financial information about themselves or their household so they can make application deadlines with ease.

3.  Relocation advice

If a student has decided they’re most interested in attending an out-of-state school, it’s a good idea to talk to a few recent grads about relocation advice. Students will have to decide what they’re going to take with them, where they’re going to live, and what their new living situation will be like. It can be stressful when high school seniors have to deal with all of this at the same time as AP exams, and finals so it doesn’t hurt to find out about important logistical details early (READ: 5 Ways to Start Prepping For AP Exams).

4.  Student employment

Another thing students will need to learn about, regardless of where they decide to attend college, is how they will obtain student employment. Convenient on-campus jobs go fast, and summer positions and internships are often filled long before the end of spring semester. If students are going to be relying on part-time employment to pay their tuition or even just for the pocket money they should do a little bit of research about what types of jobs are available and put together a one-page, easy to read student resume. Even if students didn’t have an after-school job in high school, they could still include volunteer experience and community service projects that promote their work ethic.

5.  Student satisfaction

Students often forget to look at the level of satisfaction of current students and recent graduates at the institutions they are applying to. Are current students confident they’ll graduate on time? Are underclassmen able to get the classes they want or need? Are they impressed by their professors and TAs? Student satisfaction is a crucial element to having a positive college experience, and in-depth research is definitely worth the time.

Heading to college next fall? Hit the ground running with private Costa Mesa tutoring this Spring and Summer. Our tutors work with your schedule. Call us today for more information.

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