The January 1st deadline for college applications loom behind not just John Dewey seniors who haven’t submitted their application yet, but for everyone planning to attend college during Fall 2025. This date is a crucial time for our John Dewey students applying to universities through platforms like CUNY and the Common App.
Applying to colleges is a long process, it includes steps such as researching schools, writing essays, and securing recommendation letter. Meeting deadlines is an important aspect. Many schools especially competitive ones, set January 1st as the cutoff for regular decision applications. This gives students until the end of December to polish their application.
College counselor Stephanie Wolkoff, plays an important role at John Dewey high school for helping juniors and seniors in their college process. “They [students] get anxious and maybe they think it’s harder than it is. It’s just the act of getting started [that’s the hard part],” Ms. Wolkoff said. She believes that once students get started with the application they can easily finish it because it’s the underlying fear that stops them. She advises students who still haven’t applied yet to start with their application whenever they get the chance to and not wait until the last minute.
One of the most common struggles students face is writing their compelling personal statements. These essays allow applicants to showcase their unique stories, but they can be intimidating under pressure. “If you’re doing the best that you can and you gave it your all that [should] help boost confidence.
Sometimes there are students that want to [give it their all] but they can’t. Maybe they have to work, maybe they have family responsibilities, that’s okay too, because you can put it in your application. There’s work, family [duties], and you can explain the reason why your grades were low at a certain time, ‘because I was going through X, Y, and Z,’ as long as you show progress after that. It’s just giving it your all,” Ms. Wolkoff said. She explains how if students give their all throughout their four years in high school then they should be confident in applying to colleges. If they had shortcomings due to personal reasons during a certain time period, they can always justify it as long as they progressed later on.
Some seniors like Mindy Zou feel as though the college application process was not that challenging. “It was pretty simple and straightforward, just a [lengthy] process,” Mindy said. She has already done her CUNY application and recently finished her Common App. “[The process] depends on which colleges I’m applying to. Because some colleges require supplemental essays, some colleges require more than one question. The CUNY application is different because you’re filling out one thing for all the CUNYs that you’re applying to, all the sections are listed out and on the side it’s also a section, so it’s more organized whereas in the common app you have to go through multiple tabs to find something,” Mindy said. Getting your CUNY applications done first, and then the Common App can be more efficient as the process is simpler and can be done quicker.
If you’re looking for advice from someone who has already done her applications, you can get it from Mindy. “Do your research, and also don’t wait until the last minute, rushing is not good because your application won’t be as good quality as it could be,” Mindy said. To pro-procrastinators like myself, she emphasizes the importance on getting started right away and doing enough research on the colleges that you will be applying to.
Final Tips
- Double-check requirements: Ensure that you have completed every section of the application.
- Request documents early: Schools may be closed during winter break, so ask your counselor for transcripts in advance, and ask your teacher about writing recommendation letters for you.
- Submit ahead of time: Avoid the stress of a midnight rush, especially on New Years’ Eve, by submitting your application at least a day early.
Submitting your college applications is a significant milestone, but the journey doesn’t end there. After January 1st, the focus shifts to preparing for the next steps in the admissions process, including financial aid, interviews, and decision notices.
Freshman and Sophomores, you should be thinking about long term extracurricular activities, preparing for your SATs, and creating your college list with the majors you want in mind. For those preparing for the January 1st deadline, take a deep breath–you’re almost there. Juniors, you’re next! Remember, this is just the beginning of an exciting new chapter. Good luck to all applicants!
