College Application Checklist: What You’ll Need Through the Process

How to Use This College Application Checklist

Applying to college is a long process, and a college application checklist keeps it from feeling overwhelming. But, if you keep track of your deadlines, have essential documents handy, and communicate with your teachers and counselors, the process becomes much easier. [1] To help you understand the essentials, I’ve compiled a college application checklist of things you’ll definitely need, probably need, and might need. We hope this will help you conquer the daunting college application process and take one step closer to getting into your top-choice school. 

What You’ll Definitely Need

• A List of Schools You’re Applying To – Here is the first entry on our college application checklist and this goes without saying. Obviously, you cannot apply to college without having schools on your list in the first place. Make your list very carefully, keeping in mind reach, target, and safety schools.
• Personal Statement – Your personal statement is a crucial part of your applications. Colleges need to know who you are and what your story is, so make sure your essay shows what makes you distinctive.
• Letters of Recommendation – Admissions officers want to understand what you are like in the classroom, and how your teachers and counselors view you. Make sure to choose a teacher who knows you and your abilities, and talk to them about recommendation letters as early as possible. Get to know your college counselor and teachers on a deeper level. The better they know you, the better these letters will be.
• High School Transcripts – Many students forget this step when thinking of college application essentials. Your transcripts show the classes you’ve taken and the grades you’ve received. This academic record is essential for admissions officers to determine whether or not you’re ready for the rigor at their institution! Your transcript helps admissions officers understand your academic abilities, as well as your areas of interest and prowess.
• Mid-Year Report – A solid performance in your mid-year report can boost your profile if you’ve been deferred from your ED/EA school. It usually includes your GPA and updated grades from your first semester of senior year and is submitted directly to the school by your counselor. This may give your Regular Decision application the edge it needs to get noticed among the rest of the pool.
• Final Year Report – As the school year comes to an end, your college counselor must send one final update to provide a full picture of how you’ve performed during your senior year. It is very important to keep up your grades for the final year report because if you experience a major fall in grades, your acceptance could be rescinded! You never want that!
• SAT/ACT scores – Testing policies vary by school: several selective colleges have reinstated testing requirements, while many others remain test-optional, so check each school’s current policy. Either way, it’s good to have a test score as it adds another layer to your profile. Make note of the test dates, registration deadlines, and the day scores are released to have enough time to send them to colleges. Plan accordingly and study hard – aim to get a high score on your first or second sitting.
• List of Extracurricular Activities – No college application checklist is complete with just the academics. Colleges want to know that you have interests outside academics! Your extracurriculars should demonstrate leadership, tangible achievements, and commitment throughout your time in high school. Hopefully, you’ve been actively pursuing extracurricular activities from the very beginning of high school.
• List of Honors – If you’ve won a national competition or had research published in a journal while you’ve been in high school, you definitely want colleges to see those achievements! These awards can help set you apart from your peers, so fill them out very carefully and highlight the honors that have made the most impact.
• Application Fee or Fee Waiver – Most colleges charge an application fee, and students with demonstrated need can often request a waiver. Check each school’s waiver policy early. For example, the fee can be waived if your family receives public assistance or aid with food services, if you live in a subsidized or foster home, or if your school guidance counselor can provide a supporting statement.

What You’ll Probably Need

• Different Application Systems – While most schools use the Common Application, you might have to use different platforms if you are applying to schools within the University of California or ApplyTexas Systems. Some schools also accept the Coalition App on Scoir, so be prepared to get acquainted with other platforms.
• AP or IB Test Scores – Since the SAT Subject Tests were discontinued, AP or IB exam scores are one way to show your ability in your best subjects. These tests can help showcase your best academic areas to admissions officers.
• Supplemental Essays – Supplemental essays convey your interest in a given school, and show the admissions officers why you might be a good fit. Almost every school asks why you are interested in their institution or has some sort of question they’d like answered. Some schools, like Amherst College, ask about an extracurricular you’re interested in, which is a good opportunity for you to mention how you’d continue the activity in college. Pay close attention to the prompts and be as specific to each school as possible when answering them.
• Interviews – Although every college does not require an interview, chances are, one of your colleges might ask you to interview with them! Some schools offer interviews to most applicants, while others offer them only when an alumni interviewer is available. The opportunity to interview with a school, whether with an admissions representative or an alumnus, gives you a chance to show them your character, what you’re like as a person, put a face to the name, and add color to your application.
• FAFSA – If you’re applying for financial aid, you should be filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA. To fill this out, you’ll need the following information about you or your parents:

• • A StudentAid.gov account for you and each contributor, plus your Social Security number
  • Federal tax information, which is transferred directly from the IRS with each contributor’s consent
  • Alien Registration Number (if not a citizen)
  • Bank Statements and Records of Investments (if applicable)
  • Records of Untaxed Income (if applicable)

What You Might Need

• Peer Recommendation Letters – These are less common when it comes to your college application checklist. Dartmouth College, for example, accepts a peer recommendation from anyone you consider a peer, as long as that person is not in a supervisory role in your life. [3] This recommendation can be a meaningful way to show what you’re going to be like as a roommate, friend, and classmate.
• Arts or Research Supplement – If you have a skill in the arts – whether you’re a visual artist, music composer, stage actor, or film director – and believe you have work(s) that can highlight your talent, consider submitting an arts supplement if a college allows you to do so. Or, if you’ve conducted research in a particular area and have been published in a journal, add this as a research supplement. However, since these are not required, only submit them if you believe they can really set you apart from the rest of the candidates. Professors are often the ones looking at them, and they are seeking the best of the best.
• Letter of Continued Interest – If you’ve been deferred from your Early Decision or Early Action school(s), or waitlisted by a top school, you should definitely send a letter of continued interest. Admissions officers want to know that you are still thinking about their school, so emphasize your interest in the college, advocate for your abilities, and provide any updates such as improved scores, academic achievement, significant progress in a project, etc.
• Graded Paper – Some schools ask for a graded paper. Princeton, for example, asks all applicants to submit a graded written paper from an English, social studies, or history course taken in the last three years of high school. [4] Choose a paper that best reflects your writing style and one you are proud of! Select a paper that received a solid grade and represents the quality of your work.
• Resumé – Most schools don’t require resumés, but some give you the opportunity to upload one. If you believe your application doesn’t capture all of your achievements and activities, you can use the resumé to further highlight your accomplishments and honors. However, don’t be too repetitive – admissions officers have a lot of reading material to cover!
• NCAA/NAIA Registration – If you are an athlete applying to a Division I or II school, register with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Eligibility Center or the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Eligibility Center well before your senior year. If you wish to play Division III, you can create a Profile Page in the NCAA website to receive relevant updates. 
• Academic Explanation in the Additional Information section – If your GPA experienced a sudden drop due to a death in the family or severe illness, use the Additional Information section of the Common App to explain the circumstances. If a college asks about disciplinary history in its own questions, answer honestly and briefly.

Submitting all the necessary documents and information on time is a big part of the college application process. [2] Keep a calendar of college application deadlines and start gathering your college application essentials as soon as possible – a missing letter or transcript should never be what gets in between you and the right school for you.

Ready to Take the Next Step?

If you want to stay organized, avoid costly mistakes, and present the best application possible, InGenius Prep can guide you through every item on your college application checklist. Our Former Admissions Officers help you plan your deadlines, refine your essays, build a strategic school list, and ensure that every document and requirement is completed with confidence.

Get a clear, honest read on which path actually fits your goals, and the specific next steps to build a competitive application. Click here to book your complimentary consultation.