The 2018-2019 school year kicks off in a flurry of activity as seniors and college counselors begin the college application process. With most colleges opening applications on Aug. 1^st, and with application deadlines as early as Nov. 1^st, preparations are underway. According to Marques Kaonohi, a college counselor, the class of 2018 applied to a combined 2,200 schools last year, with the class of 2019 expected to reach a similar number.

College counselors Cullen Arroyo and Kaonohi say that students should now be working on finalizing their list of schools, starting Common Applications, and securing their letters of recommendation.

To initiate the application process, students are required to meet “one-on-one” with their college counselors by November. Arroyo and Kaonohi state that “most” of their students have completed this requirement, and Arroyo believes that “around 1/4” of his students come in regularly.

Students are also reminded that counselors are busy, with overlapping schedules occupied with guidance, hosting college representatives, workshops, student meetings, and various other meetings. Kaonohi manages his busy schedule by “color coding everything”.

As the college process rolls on, Kaonohi reminds students to “research, organize, and start early”. Underclassmen should also be conscious of future plans. The “biggest mistake” students make, according to him, occurs when students don’t take freshmen/sophomore year seriously and end up with a GPA that makes their top choice schools “reach” schools.

Seniors are urged to routinely check the bulletin for scholarships, fly-ins, and other college opportunities.