There are many things to consider when thinking about how to apply for college. Here are a few tips to help you as you begin your own journey:
Some helpful tips:
- Make a list of schools you are interested in.
- Visit every school you are able to/ have access to.
- Eat a meal or grab coffee with a person who attends the school when you are on the campus.
- Sit in on a class/lecture to gain a better understanding of what classes are like at the university.
- Take a formal tour at the school.
- If a representative from the college or university comes to your high school or area to hold an information session, attend the session. Introduce yourself and ask a question.
- Interview at every school you are interested in to help differentiate your application and increase the appearance of your level of interest.
- Keep an Excel sheet with dates, deadlines and requirements for each school—make sure you keep up to date on each school. Set reminders in your phone or calendar.
- Make sure to read instructions carefully on each application.
- Proofread everything you submit.
- Ask someone to read over your work.
How to Decide on a College
As you figure out how to apply for college and how to decide on a college, it is important to look at each school’s application statistics and facts. If you’ve decided to apply to Lehigh University, make sure to read carefully through the Lehigh Admissions site. It is a helpful tool to understand the requirements and deadlines. Admissions statistics are able to help you make a good decision about whether your scores and grades make Lehigh a target school. Also, review the application process and cost. If you decide to apply Early Decision to Lehigh, the deadline is November 1. The application deadline for regular decision is January 1. Both applications have a $70 fee. The common application is accepted, but there are extra supplemental essays that are required. Lehigh accepts both the SAT and ACT for standardized tests.
Admissions requirements act as a checklist for all of the components you will need to submit to apply. The first step is to make a Common App account, which nearly 900 colleges and universities use in the application process. If you would like to be considered for financial aid, this site will explain how to apply.
If possible, it is helpful to visit the university for a campus tour to see if you like the campus. If you are not able to physically visit, Lehigh admissions counselors might travel to an area near you. Another great option, if you are not able to visit campus and Lehigh is not coming to your area, is a virtual tour.