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Steps for Completing College Applications | College Coach Blog

Ian Fisher College Coach

Written by Ian Brook Fisheron June 12th, 2014

I began my career in admissions by walking backwards as a student intern, giving guided tours, interviewing students, and reading applications for my alma mater, Reed College. After graduating, I began full-time work in admissions, reading thousands of applications primarily from the Western United States, especially Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico. (I got to eat the best food on my travel!) In my last three years at Reed, I directed admissions for the entire continent of Asia and served as the director of marketing and communications for the admission office, honing our official voice for web, print, and social media. This helped me to develop a sharp eye for what works (and what doesn’t) in college essays. While Reed is not known (at all!) for sports, I was able to find my competitive outlet with the ultimate Frisbee team as a player and, when I graduated, a coach. After nine wonderful years at Reed, I left Portland to pursue a M.A. at the Stanford Graduate School of Education. When I graduated and joined College Coach, I was living in Palo Alto, California, an experience that helped me learn so much about the UC and CSU system and high school programs all around the Bay Area. In the end, I missed the rain too much, and moved back to Portland in the summer of 2016.
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With school winding down and summer break dominating most high school students’ thoughts, it hardly seems the time to think about college. But for high school juniors, the flip of the calendar from May to June marks the steady countdown towards winter’s application deadlines. Of course the summer is the time to relax, find enrichment, read a good book (or ten), and catch up with friends. For the savvy student, it can also be the time to move the college process forward, by  visiting schools, beginning to draft essays, and filling in applications. This allows students to bank valuable hours that can be used for other activities during the very busy senior fall. If you’re looking to get ahead this summer but don’t quite know where to begin, look no further. Our own Beth Heaton spoke with Briana Boyington at USNews & World Report helping her to create an interactive college admissions timeline for rising juniors. Don’t know when to start visiting schools? Beth can help you mark the calendar. Not sure where to slot essay writing into your summer plans? August may be the best time to get the ball rolling and maintain your momentum through application season.  Worried about financial aid forms? Create your schedule now to make sure you don’t miss a deadline. Often the first step to success in college admissions is sitting down with a calendar and planning out the year. Don’t waste another day: click through and get started! New Call-to-Action

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