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Are You Sure Your Applications Are Complete? 10 Items Every Student Should Double-Check

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It’s so important for you to confirm that your applications are complete and that all required components have been received by the schools to which you have applied. Application requirements vary by school, making it all the more important to stay organized.

The easiest way to do this is to create a list of your schools and the specific materials required by each one. Then, verify online (check the online service your high school uses or consult the online tracking system many colleges assign to applicants) or by phone whether each school has received the following components:

  1. The Common Application or Universal College Application
  2. Individual school application and/or supplement, if applicable. This may include an essay or personal statement.
  3. Standardized test scores (SAT, ACT, AP, SAT II, TOEFL)
  4. Official high school transcript
  5. Mid-year grades
  6. Guidance counselor letter of recommendation
  7. Letters of recommendation (from teachers, coaches, employers, etc.)
  8. FAFSA
  9. CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE and/or other school- and state-required financial aid forms
  10. Application fee

Please remember—it’s your responsibility to confirm that your file is complete!

To organize every step of your college application process, check out The College Bound Organizer in the College Countdown Bookstore.

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Tagged in: Admissions Office College Applications

Anna Costaras and Gail Liss are coauthors of The College Bound Organizer, the step-by-step guide to getting into the college of your choice. As cofounders of Bound to Organize LLC, the authors are dedicated to empowering students to successfully navigate the complicated college application process by providing a logical, easy-to-use organization system.


Anna Costaras holds a BS and MBA from New York University Stern School of Business. She is the founder of a college-bound mentoring program for disadvantaged students from her community. She also serves on the Board of Directors of Adventures in Learning, an educational enrichment program for children in need of after-school support.


Gail Liss earned an MBA from New York University Stern School of Business, studied at The London School of Economics, and holds a BA from the University of Rochester. Gail serves on the Advisory Board of Young Women’s Leadership Network, which supports The Young Women’s Leadership Schools and College Bound Initiative.


See The College Bound Organizer in the College Countdown Bookstore.

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