Don't Click Submit Before Reading This Checklist!
As you get closer to the point of submitting your boarding school applications, you might notice the nerves kicking in a little. That’s totally normal. You’ve probably spent months writing essays, taking tests, gathering recommendations, and trying to keep track of different school portals. By the time you reach the final review, it’s common to feel like you just want to get it over with. But slowing down and being extra cautious at this step can make your application noticeably stronger.
Below is a straightforward, user-friendly guide to help you double-check everything before you hit that button!
Read Your Essays One More Time
Your essays don’t have to sound perfect or overly formal, but they should sound like you. A couple of things that help:
- Read your essay out loud.This can feel weird at first, but it’s truly one of the best ways to catch mistakes or sentences that don’t sound natural.
- Look for the small stuff. Names of schools, teachers, programs, places, etc. These details matter, and they’re surprisingly easy to mix up if you’ve written multiple essays.
- Have one other person look at it one more time. Not to rewrite it, but to say, “This part is unclear” or “I don’t get what you meant here.” You’d be surprised what fresh eyes notice.
Don’t worry about making it sound fancy. Clear and sincere is preferable over polished and generic!
Get Your Documents in Order
Every school asks for something slightly different, so keeping track of the individual requirements is half the battle.
- Make a simple checklist for each school. Nothing complicated—just the basics: essays, parent statements, transcripts, test scores, recommendations, interviews.
- Label your files clearly. Admissions officers appreciate when documents are easy to identify.
- Check the format. If a school says “PDF only,” they mean it. If they want something uploaded through their portal and not emailed, stick to that.
This step can feel boring, but it’s usually what prevents last-minute panic.
Follow Up on Recommendations and School Forms
While you don’t control what your teachers write, but you do have control over helping the process stay on track.
- Make sure your recommenders received the request links (sometimes they land in spam or junk folders).
- If you haven’t already, tell them your deadlines. Many teachers are writing for several students at once.
- Check in with your school office about transcripts or counselor forms. It’s perfectly acceptable to ask politely if everything has been sent.
People are generally happy to help with this process, you just need to give them a nudge and enough time.
Confirm Your Test Scores Were Sent
If you’re sending SSAT or TOEFL scores, log into your testing account and confirm each school is listed as a score recipient. It takes less time than you think.
For students applying from outside the U.S., keep in mind that score reports sometimes take a bit longer to process, especially across time zones and different systems. The earlier you check, the better.
Do a Final Portal Check
Before you submit anything:
- Look for red warnings or missing items.
- Make sure your parent or guardian completed their part of the application.
- Double-check your interview status.
- Review your contact information. (It would be unfortunate for a school to email you at an address you accidentally mistyped.)
This last sweep usually only takes a few minutes, but it can save you from surprises later.
One Final Tip: Keep Track of Time Zones!
If you are applying from a different country, or even just from a different time zone within the same country, make sure you take note of the specific time that your application is due. Keeping a list of when each application is due in relation to your own time zone ensures that everything is submitted on time and you don’t accidentally miss any deadlines.
Take a Breath, Then Submit
Once everything is complete and you’ve checked the details, take a moment to look things over one last time. At this point, you’ve done the work and put together a clear, accurate application. Schools are looking for completeness and authenticity—if you’ve covered the requirements and represented yourself honestly, you’re in a solid place.
When you’re satisfied, submit it, and take a moment to celebrate!
If you need any last minute support or assistance with your application, Sesameed is here to help–contact us anytime!