5 Tips for Starting Your College Application

College Hall as a red-brick building with a stone front entryway. It is surrounded by green foliage and in front of the building is a statue of St. Ignatius.
August 16, 2024
Claire Silva, Associate Director of Undergraduate Admission

The college application process can be daunting, especially as you have so many other things happening in your life: school, friends, activities, work, etc. We hope these 5 Tips for Starting your College Application to Gonzaga (or really any school that uses the Common App 😊) will help you get going:

 

1. ✔️ In the words of Nike…Just Do It. Starting is sometimes the hardest part but knowing you don’t need to finish in that same sitting is the key. Start small. Create your account on the Common Application website. If you’re a senior, the Common App opens on August 1. You don’t have to know all the places you want to apply to get started.

  • Fun Fact: More than 1000 colleges and universities use the Common Application! Hopefully, that means less work for you!

 

2. 📝 Look at the Common App Essay prompts now! Get an idea of what essay prompt you would like to write and start brainstorming. Maybe you have an essay that you already wrote that you could adapt or update? Start a note on your phone when you have an idea.

  • Fun Fact: Did you know, the last essay prompt is ‘Share an essay on any topic of your choice.’?

 

3. 📅 Make it part of your weekly routine to work on your college applications. Carve out a couple hours each week to chip away at college application tasks.

  • Fun Fact: Just two hours a week on college apps adds up to over 100 hours a year—a great head start to your college admissions process!

 

4. 🤗🧸 Talk to your friends! See if they have started their college applications. Have a fun college app working session with your friends. Everything is better with friends.

  • Fun Fact: It is said that the company of good friends reduces stress in life.

 

5. 🙋 Make it fun and don’t be afraid to ask questions. Think about all the adventures you will have and the new people you will meet throughout your college journey. Remember we are here to help you navigate the college admission and selection process.

  • Fun Fact: Did you know that YOU have an admission counselor at Gonzaga? Find your counselor here.

 

Ready to start your application, visit our website!
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