By the end of your senior year of high school, you should have most of your college plans in place. Most students will have made their choice for schools, been accepted, finalized the financial situation, and they are ready to begin school in the fall. If this is you, congratulations. The hard part is over. However, there are still a few things to do that you might have overlooked.
One of the most important things you can do is show appreciation to all the people who helped you through the college admissions process. For most students, these people will include teachers, counselors, and parents. So take a look back at the last few years. You should be able to think of at least a few people that gave you a significant amount of help.
First, consider your teachers. Was there a teacher that really helped pull your grades up, allowing you to get into your school of choice? Did anyone grab your interest for a particular subject, perhaps something you are now going to pursue in college? There are also the teachers who helped you by writing letters of recommendation. Take the time to thank these people. A good way is to write them a thank-you letter. This will show them that you took the time to think about a way to show your appreciation. Thanking them in person is also nice. The important thing is to let them know that you are grateful for their help.
Next is your guidance counselor. This person probably helped you out the most with the formal stuff, such as admission forms, financial aid applications, and so on. Students’ relationships with their guidance counselors will vary from person to person. Perhaps you were fortunate enough to develop a great relationship with that person. Maybe you went to a very large school and there just wasn’t a way to get that close to him or her. Either way, you should find a way to thank them for their help. In most cases, you can thank them the same way you thanked your teachers. Write them a letter or stop by and show your appreciation.
Finally, there are your parents. Parents are probably the people that help the most and are thanked the least. Take the time to thank them in some way. Take them out to dinner or help out more around the house. You will probably know the best way to show your appreciation.
Thanking these people will not take up too much of your time, and you will be happy that you did so. A little bit of appreciation can go a long way.