So much time and effort go into submitting a college application. It can feel like a celebration and a relief to finally hit “submit” and relax until admission decisions start coming in. But don’t get too comfortable! Even after submitting a college application, there are still a few more steps for students to complete.
Here are 6 things to do after applying to college:
set up your application portal
Colleges will contact students after they apply with instructions to activate a portal with their school. This portal is a student’s online account and the main place where they and the college will interact moving forward. Students can find important information in the portal, such as:
A checklist showing a student’s application completion status and that the different pieces of the application (e.g., test scores, recommendations, transcript) have arrived at the college
Any additional steps required to complete an application, like self-reporting grades or test scores
Optional applications like honors program applications or scholarship applications (note: depending on the college, these may be located outside of the portal)
Admissions decisions may also appear in the portal
Activate a portal soon after applying to that college to ensure your application is complete, and check it periodically to make sure everything looks the way it should.
CHECK YOUR EMAIL
It’s important to stay on top of your email inbox after submitting college applications. Email is often the first place colleges will reach out to students if something is missing in an application or to make important announcements. Students should open every email from colleges to which they’ve applied so they are not missing any crucial information.
Don’t forget that many colleges also track their email open rates as a part of demonstrated interest. Consistently reading your emails after submitting your application shows that you are still actively engaging with that college.
We know your inbox is probably flooded with college emails by now, so it is okay to start unsubscribing from any colleges you know you won’t be applying to at this point. That way, the emails from the colleges on your list won’t get lost in the mix.
SEND PERIODIC UPDATES (IF NECESSARY)
A lot can happen between when a student applies (sometimes in early fall) and when admissions results are released (sometimes as late as April). If you have new information that you would like your colleges to know about, consider sending periodic updates. You might include:
Updated grades at the end of first quarter, trimester, or semester
New leadership positions, awards, or accomplishments not previously shared in your application
Any updates that you might have included in the Additional Information section of an application
It’s essential to follow the procedure laid out by each college. If they request that all updates go through the application portal, do not email your admissions counselor instead. Instead of making you look like you went the extra mile, it only makes you look like you can’t follow directions. It’s also important that you only share new information in these updates. It’s up to each college whether they will update your application to include the new information.
apply for financial aid & scholarships
If your family plans to apply for financial aid, file the FAFSA and/or the CSS Profile by each college’s financial aid deadline. Some colleges also have additional scholarship applications that students can access once they have submitted their general college applications.
Students considering outside scholarships can also use the time after they’ve submitted college applications to work on other scholarship applications.
MAINTAIN GOOD GRADES
Whatever you do, don’t let Senioritis kick in now that college applications have been submitted! This is not the time to coast to graduation! Stay focused in school and keep earning strong grades in your classes. Here’s why maintaining good grades even after submitting an application is a good idea:
Some colleges may request midyear grades, or if your early application is deferred, you may have to send your midyear grade report
Strong grades give you an update to send to colleges (see: Send Periodic Updates)
If your grades drop too much, a college can revoke their offer of admission
Students should also try to maintain the original senior year schedule they submitted with their application. Sorry, but that means you can’t drop AP Calculus for an early release period now that you’ve gotten into your dream college! Some schedule changes may be inevitable at your school, but you need to notify each college on your list about the change (and the reason for it).
BE PATIENT
This is maybe the most difficult item on this list. I call the period of time between submitting an application and receiving a decision “The Long Wait.” It can seem like an eternity! Sometimes, students start to second guess themselves, their strengths, and all their hard work during this time. Try not to let The Long Wait get to you. Control what you can control (working hard in class, sending appropriate updates), acknowledge that a lot of the admissions process is out of your control, and trust that you’ve done your best and that it—and you—are enough.