I finally submitted all of my college applications: UTD, UNT, UTA, UTSA, UT, and Texas Tech! After what feels like a million essays and a million different tasks for each university, I can officially say I’m done with the college application process. Since I had to tackle most of this very hectic process alone, I’d like to offer you some tips for college applications. 

1) Research how you’re applying 

For Texas residents, the two biggest application platforms are Common App and ApplyTexas. I personally used Apply Texas and took advantage of their free application week (Oct. 13-19), a period during which all Texas residents can apply to Texas schools for free. It’s honestly such a great deal, and you should definitely plan to submit (if you’re applying to any in-state schools) by Oct. 19 to avoid paying the crazy amount of money that applying to colleges usually costs. 

Most college application fees range from about $50 to over $100 per school. For instance, if I hadn’t applied through Texas’s free week, I would have paid $435 on application fees alone for my six schools (which is actually a minimal amount compared to some of my friends). So, definitely take advantage of that week if you can. 

Additionally, I recommend creating accounts for both ApplyTexas and the Common App and filling out your general information on both. Even if you’re mainly applying in-state, that way you can switch platforms easily if needed without spending hours transferring everything over at the last minute. Some of my friends waited too long and had to manually transfer all their information to ApplyTexas right before the deadline, so it’s definitely not worth the stress. 

If you’re applying to any California schools, keep in mind that the state has its own application platform, so fill out as much as you can across all platforms you might use ahead of time. Trust me, it’ll save you later. 

2) Use your summer wisely 

I spent a lot of time going back and forth with my essays throughout the process. I started with a few ideas and rough drafts early on, but as the deadline got closer, I realized some of them didn’t feel right. I wanted my essays to sound like me, so I ended up rewriting and editing a lot towards the end. 

If you’re like me and tend to rethink things as you go, give yourself plenty of time to make the necessary changes. That way, you’re not stressing out right before the deadline and can actually submit something you’re proud of. 

3) Stay organized

There are numerous components to your college application, making it easy to lose track of them in the process. To avoid this, I recommend creating a Google Doc (or a similar tool) where you can organize everything. For my applications, I had a single large document, with separate tabs for each school I applied to and sub-tabs for each essay I needed to write. 

Additionally, make sure to keep a screenshot or receipt of absolutely everything. On my personal laptop, I have a folder titled “college” where I keep receipts of all of my sent transcripts and SAT scores, just in case an error occurs. The biggest tip here is to save any relevant application information as a PDF, even if you don’t plan to use it in the future. 

4) Supplemental materials

Once you’ve submitted your application, make sure you have all of your transcripts, SAT scores, and letters of recommendation sent to your schools before you hit the submit button (and be ready for how quickly those costs add up). 

For example, 

• Dual credit transcripts (from Collin) cost $5 per university. 
• Our school provides three free transcripts (I would definitely recommend keeping one for yourself), and then it’s $3 for each additional one. 
• SAT score reports cost $15 per school. 

So yeah, the costs rack up really quickly. 

For letters of recommendation, talk to your teachers in person, not just over email, and give them at least a month or two to write it (unless they are particularly fond of you). And don’t ever feel bad if one says no, because you’ll definitely find others who are willing to! 

Suppose you’re applying through ApplyTexas. Please note that you’ll need to add recommenders through the individual university portals after submitting your application. For example, UT Austin’s early action deadline is Oct. 15, but their supplemental deadline (transcripts, scores, letters of recommendation, and resume) is Oct. 22, so keep dates like those in mind.

5) Submit a resume 

For most schools, you can (and absolutely should) submit a resume. I based mine on the Harvard resume template (the one all Harvard students are required to use) and just modified it for high school. Think of your resume as an extension of your activities list. 

ApplyTexas only gives you 80 characters to describe activity, and Common App gives you 150 characters, which is not nearly enough to explain four years’ worth of activities, awards, and leadership roles. A resume gives you more room to highlight all of those details you might not have had space for or simply forgotten. 

You can also use your resume to self-report AP scores. Personally, I didn’t want to pay to send AP scores to every college right now, especially since you’ll have to resend them again with senior year’s APs once you commit. Colleges usually only use them for credit after you’ve been accepted anyway, so it’s fine to wait. 

Keep in mind that, once again, students cannot submit resumes through ApplyTexas and must submit them through each university’s portal after submitting. And keep application deadlines in mind, especially for those applying early. 

The college application process is definitely stressful and expensive, but it’s also manageable if you plan. Make sure to research your application method(s), use your summer wisely, stay organized, submit all supplemental materials, and create a resume. I wish you all the best! Happy college application season! 

Before I Lea-ve, 

Remember, it’s okay to take things one step at a time!