Tips for preparing your children for college

It’s officially college admissions season! Preparing your kids for college can be stressful. The admissions process is daunting, with so many deadlines. Students and parents can feel overwhelmed. But knowing what to expect, can ease the pressure.

We got the inside scoop on the college admissions process from Lindsey Ringenbach, Director of College Consulting at Advantage College Planning, and former Assistant Director of Admissions at UNC Chapel Hill.

Ringenbach works with students and families as they go through the college search and application process. She helps them navigate the admissions journey, while helping them find the school with the best fit.

What are the different deadlines colleges use in the admissions process?

Ringenbach: There are a variety of deadlines. Colleges can offer early deadlines, regular deadlines, rolling deadlines. It’s as if there’s new language or vernacular that a student has to know in order to go through this process. So really having an understanding of what a student is committing to and when they are applying makes a big difference.

What is the difference between Early Action and Early Decision? What are the advantages to applying to college early?

Ringenbach: When a college offers an early deadline, they can offer either an Early Decision deadline or an Early Action deadline. The distinction between “decision” and “action” is a big one.

EARLY DECISION: When a student is applying to an institution through an Early Decision deadline, they are making a commitment to that college. Essentially they are saying, I will attend your university, if you offer me admission. If a student is looking at an institution that is highly selective and it is their first choice, then applying Early Decision might make a lot of sense to that student and family.

EARLY ACTION: Students should choose to apply to a college through an Early Action deadline, if they are ready to submit their application by mid-October through early December (deadlines vary, of course, but most fall in that range). Colleges with early action deadlines release admissions decisions by late December through late January. The advantage to this deadline is receiving the decision much earlier than regular deadlines, which release decisions in late March. Students are not committed to attend the college, but still have the advantage of learning of the decision early in the senior year.

What does it mean if the college provides rolling admission?

Ringenbach: If the school offers rolling admission, a student can submit their application as soon as they are ready. So for some students that could be as early as August of Senior year. But for other students that might mean later, in February or March of their Senior year. Maybe a student wants to focus that first semester on their grades, maybe boosting their GPA and applying a little bit later. The rolling option gives students the flexibility of applying in a time that matches their progress.

What is your best advice for college essays?

Ringenbach: I always encourage students to think about their strengths. To fall back the things that they are good at. We all have gifts. We all have things that we can’t wait to share with the world, and colleges are loving to hear about that. Include your gifts!

Ringenbach also suggests that students and families select a range of schools that include a “reach school” that may be outside of the student’s academic profile, a “realistic school” that is more within their academic range and a “backup school” where the student may have an academic profile that is stronger than the average student that is applying.

Ringenbach says cost should also be a big consideration for families. College can be very expensive, so families should make sure that the college is the right financial before accepting any offers.

Sloane Heffernan is a two time Emmy Award winning journalist and former WRAL-TV anchor/reporter. In June 2021, Sloane transitioned from journalism to launch Storymore, a brand storytelling business. Sloane now uses her storytelling skills to help businesses clarify their message and create a deeper connection with their desired audience.