With a new school year comes another group of seniors frantically preparing for their college applications. For many, the die has already been cast, and their final efforts will focus on their applications and essays, financial assistance, and perhaps another round of college entrance exams. A student’s senior year is about finishing strong and fulfilling that presentation, cementing a position as a viable candidate, and eventually becoming an accepted student.

Teachers and parents can help guide students to present the best possible application. Younger students have much to learn from the process, too. Indeed, one can argue that students’ actions in their freshman through junior years make them attractive candidates to potential universities.

The Houston Chronicle notes five areas where students can distinguish themselves in the application process:

· Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate classes and tests

• SAT or ACT college-entrance exams
• Clubs and extracurricular activities
• Applications and essays
• Applying for scholarships and financial aid.

Here is a deeper look at each of these five critical elements.

Strength of Class Schedule

Strong grades help students differentiate themselves from their competitors. If one student takes the easiest classes possible and graduates with 4.0, and another student takes all honors and AP classes and graduates with a 3.5 average, the student with a stronger strength of schedule would have an advantage. Encourage students to seek out the most rigorous schedule possible through honors, AP, IB, and dual enrollment courses .

SAT and ACT Scores

Grades are most important, but test scores represent an important variable in the college admissions process. Education website Petersons.com notes that the larger the university, the more likely test scores are to represent a significant factor in the decision process. Regardless of how a potential university weighs the results, strong test scores can tip the scales in a student’s favor.

Extracurricular Activities

Grades and test scores paint a picture of academic performance. Extracurricular activities taken up during free time demonstrate personality and character. Student government can indicate leadership, sports can show teamwork and commitment, and public service shows can indicate a passion for one’s community. Even a part-time job demonstrates character assets like time management and commitment. An application that has no or few extracurricular activities also makes a statement, but not a favorable one.

Applications and Essays

How important is a student’s application and essay? Joie Jager-Hyman, president of College Prep 360 and former admissions officer at Dartmouth College, put it succinctly in a TIME article: “No one ever gets into college because you write a great essay. You can not get in because you write a really bad one.”

We think a well-prepared application and essay might make the difference in your application. But as Jager-Hyman noted, a poor one can definitely serve as a means to disqualify your students’ attempts to get into universities. Prepare accordingly.

Applying for scholarships and financial aid

Perhaps as difficult as applying for college is making sure a student can pay for it. There several forms of financial aid available to students , including grants, scholarships, work study programs, college loans and private funding. It is critical to understand the difference between the different forms, and how to apply for grants, scholarships, work study programs, and college loans with your students’ applications.

How do you prepare students for college?