Preparing to Apply

Academic Planning

A simple first step in preparing for college is outlining the classes you’ll take in high school. Keep in mind that if you plan on applying to our engineering or business programs, you’ll need to take pre-calculus, at a minimum, before graduation. 

To find out which classes you’ll need, visit our freshman admissions page.

Tip from UD admissions: Talk to your school counselor in the fall of your freshman year and make a plan for your high school courses to meet admission requirements for your interest areas. If you’re not sure yet what you want to major in (and believe us, that’s OK), you can create a plan to make sure you’re prepared for college in general.

Start Building Your College Resume

When we’re looking at your application, we’re hoping to get a sense of your involvement outside the classroom so that we have a fuller picture of who you are—your interests, your personality and how you spend your time.  (But remember, grades are the most important part of any college application, so keep them up as your first priority.)

Tip from UD admissions: Explore your interests by getting involved in extracurricular activities related to things you might want to study in college. You’ll get a better sense of what you enjoy while also demonstrating qualities like leadership and teamwork on your resume. And keep in mind, we’re looking for quality over quantity. If you only participate in one or two activities after school, but you do it consistently over a few years, that shows us a lot about commitment and perseverance.

Build Study Habits

In roughly four years from now, you’ll be taking challenging college courses, and most likely, you’ll be doing it without the watchful eye of your parents or teachers.  

There’s no better way to prepare for college than by establishing good study habits. And in the meantime, practicing those strategies will improve your high school GPA and strengthen your college application.

Tip from UD admissions: Where do you work best? What time of day are you most productive? How do you plan ahead? Finding how you study best and establishing a plan to stay on track with long-term assignments is crucial to success in college. Try using digital planners, a calendar or reminder apps to find what works best for you.

Explore Majors and Careers

At the University of Delaware, students apply directly to the major they're interested in. Giving yourself time to explore interests and career paths during high school will help you decide which major will be best for you.  

Yet, while it’s helpful to know what you want to study, it’s not required. As many as a third of our students enroll as undeclared or undecided (which at UD we call University Studies)—meaning, they didn't pick a major when they started college. And another one-third switch majors after starting school. And that’s OK too!

Tip from UD admissions: Choose elective classes that allow you to try out different subject areas. Participate in summer programs or seek out part-time jobs or internships that allow you to get a feel for some of the careers you’re considering.

Take Challenging Courses

Taking honors level or Advanced Placement (AP) courses shows us you’ll adjust to the demands of rigorous college courses. We look at applicants in the context of their school, so if your school doesn’t offer honors of AP courses, that’s OK.

Did you know that you can receive college credit before you even start your college search?

Students who take an AP course and receive an exam score of 3 or higher can receive course credit at the University of Delaware, which means you won’t have to take that course again in college. Earning AP credit saves you time and money, and gives you more options for declaring a second major or adding a minor with the free space in your schedule.

We also accept many dual-enrollment or early college course credits. If you’re able to take a college course over the summer or at a local college, you may be able to receive college credit for it. Visit our Transfer Credit Matrix to see which of your courses may be accepted.

Take the pSATs

Prepare for the SATs by taking the pSATs. You’ll get familiar with the types of questions, the format of the test and your areas of strengths and weaknesses.

Tip from UD Admissions: The test usually takes place in October and is typically free. We suggest taking it both during your sophomore and junior year, that way you can identify what you may need to work on and where you’re showing improvement.

Your junior year is when you should really begin thinking seriously about college: which schools interest you in what areas of the country, and what majors and careers you’d like to explore? This is where your earlier preparation will make all the difference. And if you haven’t been able to plan your freshman or sophomore years, that’s OK, but this is when the exciting work of looking into college kicks into gear. 

Explore Majors

Picking a major can be a difficult decision. It sometimes feels as though you're deciding what you want to spend your whole life doing with that one choice. But that isn’t really the case. You can always apply as undeclared (which at UD we call University Studies).

As you’re thinking about this decision, a good question to ask yourself is: What do I like to do? If you like reading and writing, look at the humanities (English, history, philosophy) or the social sciences (communications, political science, sociology). If you like art, look at the arts. If you like chemistry, look at the majors that involve chemistry (there are many of them). The main thing to remember is: If you enjoy the classes you’re taking then you’ll probably do better in them and you’ll enjoy your time in college that much more.

Visit our Major Finder to see which programs align with your interests.

Strengthen Your Application

Maintain a strong GPA: Colleges look for a solid academic record and your junior year transcript is a important in college admissions, so aim for high grades in all your classes—especially the classes related to your college major.

Build relationships with teachers: A strong letter of recommendation includes specific examples of achievement and character. The more a teacher knows you, the more they can speak on your behalf.  

If you would like to send a letter of recommendation from one of your teachers (at UD it’s optional), it’s a good idea to plan ahead. Some teachers may only write a certain number of recommendations every year. Some may want you to supply them with the past work you’ve done to refresh their memory. And no recommender wants to be rushed. You don’t want that either. A rushed letter of recommendation isn’t always the best letter.

Begin your essay: Save yourself time down the road and get started on your college application. Browse essay prompts in the Common Application or research essay requirements for individual colleges. Start research and brainstorming. 

Meet with College Counselors

Your school counselor is a great resource to guide your college search. Talk with them about your interests and work with them to find schools with strong programs that match your interests. Discuss college admissions timelines, as many colleges begin accepting applications in late summer before your senior year. (UD’s application opens August 1 every year.)

Start Your College Search

Start researching colleges: Each college or university offers something different. Consider factors like size (how many students attend), location (East Coast, West Coast, city, suburb, ect.) and academic focus to get a sense of how each type of school fits your goals and preferences. College search tools like Appily or Naviance are a great place to start. You can search for schools based on your interests, geographical area, student population and more.

Create a college list: Narrow down your list of potential colleges based on your interests, academic goals and location preferences. 

Visit campuses and attend fairs: There’s no better way to get a feel for a school than by visiting campus or talking to a representative from their admissions office. If possible, take a tour, do some research about the location around campus and speak to faculty and current students. 

Attend a summer college program: See if the colleges you’re interested in offer summer college programs, like UD’s Edge or College Scholars Readiness Institute. Enrolling in a summer program will give you experience taking a college class, an insider look into a school and possibly credit towards your degree. 

Take the SAT or ACT

To apply to UD, you don’t need to take the SAT or ACT. And if you did take it, but think your high school transcript speaks for itself, then you don’t need to submit t your scores with your application.

Many universities and colleges have begun to make test scores optional for students, but not all! So make sure to look into the policy of the schools that interest you.

To find out more about UD’s testing requirements, click here. If you choose not to send your test scores, you are still eligible for scholarships. We make the evaluation based on your academic performance in high school.

Tip from UD Admissions: Take the SAT or ACT more than once. Most students score better with each attempt.

Senior year is where all your planning and preparation throughout high school really pays off. The deadlines for college applications come quicker than you think. So, preparing ahead of time can be the difference between an extremely stressful senior year and an exciting one. 

Here are our suggestions for the beginning of your senior year:

Before senior year begins

It’s important that you look at the classes you need to take to get into the college or program that you want. At UD, this varies depending on your major. For instance, if you plan on applying to our engineering or business programs, you’ll need to take pre-calculus, at a minimum, before graduation. To find out exactly which classes you should have taken by the end of your senior year, visit our freshman admissions page.

Early fall

If you haven’t already visited campus, this is a great time to do it. Taking a tour and seeing campus is the best way to decide if UD is the right place for you. Simply find a tour date on our website that works for you. Can’t make it to campus? Use our virtual tour to explore UD from your couch.

Fall

Continue to investigate majors that interest you. On your UD application, you’ll put down your first and second choice majors. 

Fall or early winter

Depending on how you are applying, timelines will differ. If you’re applying Early Action, the application deadline is November 1, so early on in your senior year, you want to put your final touches on your college essay (see the college essay section for suggestions) and begin the application. If you apply Early Action, you’ll hear from us sooner (by the end of January at the latest), meaning that you’ll have more time to make your final decision about where to attend college. If you plan to apply by our priority deadline, January 15, you’ll have more time to apply, but less time to make your final decision after an admission letter arrives. The choice is yours. More information on application deadlines below. 

Winter

All applications submitted by our January 15 priority deadline are automatically evaluated for scholarships. For first-year students, there are no extra essays to complete or boxes to check or secret handshakes. Everyone is evaluated. For need-based aid, make sure to fill out your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Though the deadline isn’t until the summer, filling out your FAFSA early will show you how much you’ll pay for school (including merit and need-based aid) so that you and your family have the information you need to make financial decisions long before the deposit deadline.