Checklist for First-Year Applicants

A student looks through a textbook and types on their computer while wearing a mask.
November 20, 2020
Madeline Hueske

December 1 is fast approaching! If you have submitted your Gonzaga application, congratulations. If you haven’t, don’t worry! There is still plenty of time to get your application submitted, especially if you have used the Common Application for other schools. Here is a checklist to help you make the most of the days leading up to GU’s application deadline. 

  • Check in with your admission counselor! Now is a great time to make sure all your application materials are submitted, and that our admission office isn’t missing anything important. If you want to schedule an admission interview, don’t stress! We can still meet with students after the application deadline.
  • If you haven’t yet, fill out your FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). This form will assess you for need-based aid. For more information about aid options at Gonzaga, you can check in with our Financial Aid office.
  • Touch base with your high school counselor. They usually have a busy fall assisting students with college applications, so it’s not a bad idea to check in and make sure your letters of recommendation and transcripts have been submitted. 
  • Proof-read! Just a few small errors can have an impact on your application. Before you hit submit, run your essay and writing supplements through a spell-check and ensure that you’ve formatted your application correctly. Afterward, it would be a good idea to have a teacher, counselor, or someone else you trust look over your application for spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors.
  • Begin thinking about next steps, including scholarships. Gonzaga has a variety of application-based scholarships students can apply for starting now, and the deadline is January 1 (making the holidays a great time to work on them). We also encourage students to look around their communities and see if there are scholarships sponsored by local businesses, community-based organizations, religious groups, or anything else. Gonzaga also has a list of outside scholarships students can peruse.
  • Give yourself a moment to be proud of your hard work. Students have dealt with a lot this fall, from online classes to a lack of college visit opportunities. Submitting college applications is a huge achievement, and while it’s not the end of the process, you should feel good about your accomplishments so far.