Adviser Blog: College Application Week. The Time to Apply, Apply, Apply!

by Kaitlyn Godfrey, College Adviser, Wallace Rose Hill

Every year the College Foundation of North Carolina hosts an event called College Application Week. College Application Week is a time where college advisers, counselors, and volunteers from local community colleges or universities work together to get as many college-bound students to fill out their college applications as possible. Additionally, many colleges waive their application fees for College Application Week so students are able to apply to many schools (including North Carolina A&T, UNC Pembroke, North Carolina Central, and Winston Salem State) for FREE. This year’s College Application Week was November 13th-17th.

College Application Week is one of the most important weeks of the year for a college adviser. We aim to have all our college-bound seniors to have their college applications submitted by the end of College Application Week. Planning for College Application Week starts weeks, or even months, in advance. Schedules are meticulously created so that all of our students are allowed a time to fill out their college applications, college representatives can visit, and on-site admissions events can be organized. Activities centered around college awareness are also organized, and events designed to celebrate our seniors with submitted college applications are planned.

There are many factors that go into submitting a complete college application, especially since the Class of 2018 is the first class that must complete the additional step of RDS (Residency Determination System) from the beginning of application season. RDS determines whether the student is eligible for in-state tuition. A list of steps explaining how to successfully submit a college application can be found below.

General Steps for College Applications:

1. Complete the Residency Determination System (RDS) to receive your Residency Certification Number. You will need information from your parents, so it is recommended you complete this step at home.
2. Decide which schools you would like to apply to by researching admissions requirements (GPA, SAT/ACT scores, etc.), school size and location, programs offered, and the atmosphere of the campus.
3. Create a list of at least 3-5 schools that you would like to apply to
4. Complete each application fully through CFNC, the Common App,or the school’s individual website. Take note of which schools require letters of recommendation and essays. Make note of the deadline of
   the school to ensure that you have all needed materials in by that date. Don’t forget to provide your RCN number!
5. Make sure that each school you submitted an application for has a copy of either your SAT or ACT scores (or both).
6. Complete the FAFSA as soon as possible!