The Student News Site of Black River Falls High School

BRFHS Paw Print

The Student News Site of Black River Falls High School

BRFHS Paw Print

The Student News Site of Black River Falls High School

BRFHS Paw Print

Students Feel the Pressure of College Applications

College applications can be confusing and overwhelming to many underclassmen, but there are many people willing to help.

 Many students, like junior Emily Rodenberg, don’t know much about college applications.

 “I only know that you fill them out to apply for the colleges you would like to go to,” said Rodenberg.

 Guidance counselors are a useful resource when it comes to anything college. One thing many people wonder is how many applications to send out.

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 “It really depends on how certain you are about what you want to do, but probably not more than three,” said guidance counselor Eric Erickson.

 Another thing students want to know is what colleges are looking for on applications. They usually look at GPA, class rank and ACT scores.

 “Also, for the first time, colleges are looking at leadership roles and jobs outside of school,” said Erickson.

 Other things that go onto college applications include a letter of recommendation and a personal statement that explains why you would fit in well at that school.

 “Most public colleges do not require a letter of recommendation,” said Erickson.

 Before starting or sending any applications, it’s a good idea to do some research. Making sure you are applying to the right colleges is a big deal, especially when each application costs $35.

 There is also one other thing to try and remember: take the ACT. It’s very important to have that done before filling out any applications.

 “The most important thing [to get accepted into college] is to take the ACT,” said Erickson.

 The ACT is offered from the end of sophomore year to the beginning of senior year. Most colleges will not accept someone that did not score high on the test, so study for it.

 Erickson recommends starting college applications at the beginning of senior year because many colleges begin accepting them around September 15th.

 “Start [applications] early and try to do a bit everyday so it doesn’t seem like so much,” Erickson said.

 Advice is greatly appreciated to those filling out applications, especially when it’s coming from a fellow student.

 “Don’t procrastinate filling them [college applications] out.” said senior Carter MacIntyre.

 Erickson agrees that procrastination is a very bad thing when it comes to these applications. Now that the UW system has converted to a paperless application system, it makes it easier to get started right away.

 “Don’t wait until April, by then many [colleges] are already full,” said Erickson.

 This is especially true when it comes to the three most popular schools in Wisconsin: UW-Madison, UW-Eau Claire, and UW-La Crosse.

There are many options to get help with college applications, and one way is online. A great website, recommended by the guidance counselors, is www.apply.wisconsin.edu. This website can help you with not only your applications, but maybe even deciding on a school.

 “If anyone ever has questions or concerns [about college applications] they can always ask guidance and we will help,” said Erickson.

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The Student News Site of Black River Falls High School
Students Feel the Pressure of College Applications