Your winter holiday break gives you time away from your classes, but you should also use this time to improve your chances of getting into your dream college. Even if you’ve already been accepted to a school or you’ve sent off your applications, there are a few other tasks you can tackle over the two weeks. Here are 9 things college applications can do even while they’re celebrating with family and ringing in the new year.
1. Finish College Essays
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One of the most stress-inducing aspects of many college applications is without a doubt the essay portion. Students often struggle over which topic to choose and then find that after finally landing on a topic, they still have to actually write the thing!
If you haven’t quite finished your essays, write them during winter break when you’re free of homework and assignment distractions. Proofread your piece and ask trusted family members to give their thoughts on the writing.
Need some essay support? Check out these helpful essay resources:
- 300 Word Essay Examples | College Raptor
- How to Write an Essay Introduction | College Raptor
- A Comprehensive Guide to College Essay Format | College Raptor
- How to Write a College Application Essay: 13 Tips (collegeraptor.com)
- How to Write an Essay in an Hour: 7 Hacks to Save You Time (collegeraptor.com)
2. Double-Check Application Materials
College applications are more than your essay.
Winter break is the perfect opportunity to proofread everything in your college applications. Simple spelling or grammatical errors in your application can put an instant black mark on your chances for admission, especially if it’s a highly selective school. An email address typo could mean you never receive your acceptance letter.
You should also take this time to double check application requirements, even if you’ve already submitted it. There’s a lot of overlap in what colleges ask for, but it can be easy to confuse one school’s application list with another. It’s also all too simple to forget to upload your essay or resume to one school, even if you remembered with all the others.
Many college applications ask for some or all of these items:
- Contact information
- High school transcripts
- Personal statement
- College essay(s)
- Resume
- List of extracurriculars
- Letters of recommendation
- Application fee
- ACT/SAT scores
3. Submit Applications
Although many college applications for regular decisions are due on January 1, it doesn’t mean you should wait until December 31 or January 1 to submit your documents. College websites and submission portals are notorious for having technical difficulties during application deadlines, because so many students are trying to get their applications in at the last minute.
If you wait, you might not be able to gain access until after the deadline has passed. You can avoid this headache all together by submitting your paperwork a week or more in advance.
4. Consider Adding One More Safety School
The last thing you want to hear is that you should consider applying to another college, but if your list is lacking in safety schools, now is the time to add on. Several colleges and universities that accept most applicants have very straightforward application processes. You might just be able to apply to one more safety school in less than a day.
Some colleges also have later application deadlines or have rolling admissions, so you can simply start on the paperwork now and submit it later.
5. Write Thank-You Notes
How many people have helped you with your college applications? Over winter break, write thank-you notes to teachers who wrote you recommendation letters, guidance counselors and academic advisors who helped you apply for college and scholarships, and others who assisted. They’ll greatly appreciate the gratitude, and will be more likely to help you in the future should you ever need their help again.
6. Apply for Scholarships
Many scholarships have their deadlines in December, and winter break is the perfect time to capitalize on those opportunities. Some scholarships open up in January, which means you can get a real head start on applications.
7. Visit Schools Again (If Possible)
Your holiday break is also a great time to visit colleges, if you have the opportunity. You may have already attended an open house early in the year, but it’s always a good idea to visit more than once, especially if you’ve only seen “what they want to show you.” You want to get an accurate picture of the school you may be attending.
8. Complete the FAFSA (If You Haven’t Yet)
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) opens on October 1 each year (for the 2025-2026 award year, it comes available on December 1, 2024). The longer you wait to complete it, the less likely you’re going to be offered institutional and state scholarships and grants.
Many colleges have FAFSA deadlines in mid-February or priority application processes for their scholarships. Submit your financial aid application as soon as possible to increase your chances of getting free money for your education.
9. Take a Well Deserved Break
Don’t forget to actually enjoy your break. After all, it’s your holiday break and you deserve some time off! You don’t want to keep your nose to the college application grindstone too hard, but don’t ignore it either. Find a balance between time off and keeping on top of your application preparation responsibilities.
The best way to do this is to create a schedule. Set aside time to fill out the applications, write essays, and complete other tasks your college may be asking of you. You’ll also want to mark “free time” on your to-do list!
During winter break, it’s stressful to know your college application due dates are just around the corner. However, with the right planning and preparation, your application will be ready to go well ahead of time. At the same time, don’t deny yourself the break. Between college applications, scholarship applications, high school courses, midterms, extracurricular activities, and maybe even a job, you deserve some time off.
