So I’ve Committed to a College...Now What?

By Jody Bell

May 1st — sometimes ominously referred to as “Decision Day” —  marking the day in which most colleges require students to accept or reject an acceptance letter. 

The months leading up to Decision Day are full of stress, overthinking, and of course excitement…but what happens after May 1st? There are still two whole months of high school left and a whole summer, what are seniors supposed to do? 

In my case, I was on such a frantic high leading up to my decision on my college that I felt a bit lost in May. AP exams were nearly done, I was set to leave for college in August, and my classes were relatively easy…. somehow I was feeling a bit lost.

I’ve found that this is a common feeling amongst seniors. Senior year as a whole is a transition period, but during these summer months students have one foot in high school and one in college. It is a gray area that can sometimes be difficult to be made fulfilling and meaningful.

That’s why we’ve put together the 4 things you should do to capitalize on this time professionally, academically, and personally, so you can feel good come August. 

Learn more about your college and dig deeper

You may feel as though you know your future college inside and out. Honestly, that’s a good feeling to have given you have already committed! But I can promise you, what you’ve been exposed to is the polished version of your college that has been marketed to potential students. 

As a current student at my college, I’ve noticed these little differences: how the food at the cafeteria tastes better when there is a tour, or how the professors seem a bit more enthusiastic when speaking to parents of potential students. These small details are rather insignificant in the larger picture, but if you have the ability I would recommend trying to get to know your college at a deeper level while you have the time. For example, if you’re nearby, email your admissions counselor and ask to sit in on a summer class and tour the empty dorm rooms. You could also get to know the student body a bit — each college usually has a Facebook page for the incoming class where these students can meet each other before stepping foot on campus. I actually found my freshman year roommate through this group and we are still friends to this day!

Of course there are also the logistics, notably your living arrangements. If you are living in a dorm, there are usually fairly strict rules and requirements for what you can bring. For example, no candles or wax melts, only specific extension cords are allowed, and many mini-refrigerators must be below a specific wattage. If you wait to purchase some of these items and understand these limitations, you may find yourself scrambling during move in.

Build on your professionalism

In a lot of ways, college is the first major step of your professional career – which may sound a bit startling especially if you don’t know exactly what career you want. 

But the truth is, even young professionals that have freshly graduated don’t quite know what their lifelong career will be. Professionalism is the act of working towards a career, and part of that is figuring out what career choices you want to explore.

From May until August you have an outstanding opportunity to explore potential career paths outside of the classroom. Back when I was in high school I loved my AP U.S. History class, and thought that I was going to go to law school. But I spent a few weeks shadowing at a local firm and ended up realizing that while I may find the course interesting, the industry wasn’t for me. Having these epiphany moments early could save you from some huge headaches later on and can help you figure out what courses are really relevant to try out. 

Depending on what industry you are hoping to explore, try to do an internship, shadowing experience, or even take some online courses related to the field!

Finish high school strong 

You just spent the past 4 years trying to get good grades so you could have many different options for college. Now that you’re in college, you may wonder, what’s the motivation?

Well, the short answer is that most colleges require you to submit your last quarter grades to the institution right before you attend. Additionally, if you transfer to a different college, they will be looking at your ending marks and last quarter performance in your classes.

I know it may seem a bit pointless, but think about how far you have come to have as many options as possible – with just a bit more motivation over a few months you are able to keep your options open. 

Make some memories!

There is something so incredibly special about your last summer in high school. 

Once you go to college you truly become your own person – you learn how to live on your own, make entirely new friends, and start to uncover what the next few chapters of your life will look like. While that’s incredibly exciting, coming home and spending your summers at home during college feels different than the summers you spent in high school. In my experience, it feels slower, and forsaking the independence I had living on my own and readjusting to living with my family was hard. Even reconnecting with some of my dearest high school friends was difficult because we had all changed so much since graduation. 

While that may sound bittersweet, it is a natural part of growing up and being in one of the exciting times of your life. That being said, you should relish in these last few months and understand how unique this time is. Soak up every moment of family life, see your friends as much as possible, and take the time to reflect on this chapter of your life coming to a close in the most exciting way possible. 

If you’re a graduating senior, Girls With Impact wishes you the best of luck and the biggest congratulations. We are so proud of you and cannot wait to see where this next step takes you. 

If you want to chat about college, summer plans, or anything else, or if you have an idea for a blog post you would like discussed, feel free to email me at jody.bell@girlswithimpact.com. 

Jody Bell, 20 is Girls With Impact’s Editor in Chief and a program graduate from Greenwich High School. Girls With Impact is the nation’s only online, business and leadership program for girls 14-24, turning them into tomorrow’s leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators.