As senior year begins, the appeal of being at the top of the school is juxtaposed by the intimidating task of applying to colleges. Most seniors at Glenbard South will be applying to colleges or universities this fall with the hope of being accepted into their dream schools. These applications can be very stressful, demanding, and time-consuming. Fortunately, there are a few ways to offset the difficulties students face while filling out these applications.

        The first solution is to stop by the guidance office. Glenbard South’s guidance staff are experts in college applications and everything that these applications involve; they can help students narrow down the list of colleges to choose from, make sense of test scores and GPA and assist with the process of sending the applications in.

         Another convenient resource is the Common Application. Students can find the Common App at www.commonapp.org. This tool is extremely helpful as it allows students to apply to multiple colleges with one application, which greatly facilitates the application process. With over 700 universities worldwide using the Common App, college applications are now much less daunting than they used to be.

         There is also Naviance, a college planning program that is widely used by South’s guidance department. One’s Naviance account can be matched with one’s Common App account in order to further facilitate the application process. Naviance offers many helpful tools such as a resume builder, career match activity, college search and more. In addition to all these, students can request transcripts and letters of recommendation through the program, which can be found on Glenbard South’s guidance webpage.

         Once a student is accepted to college, the search for scholarships becomes a major priority. Although the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is a good way to cover costs, most students still need scholarships to meet their needs. The University of Illinois Senior Book recommends that students seek community, organization and school-based scholarships by speaking with community leaders and guidance counselors. While online scholarships can seem convenient, they are often too good to be true and many can turn out to be a scam. Therefore, students should conduct thorough research before applying to online scholarships.

          Although beginning the application process seems scary, these resources are a great way to help students get through the challenges of senior year. Through using resources such as the guidance office, the common app, Naviance and community scholarships, applying to college can be a breeze.