Samantha Stuckley, a 2015 graduate of Lehighton Area High School, didn't expect to spend her summer applying to colleges.

Stuckley began applying to schools last fall as a senior in high school. She applied to four colleges and was accepted to three. But as the school year came to a close and it was time to make a final decision, she began doing more research and found more schools that offer her intended major of small animal science. She expects to apply to at least two additional colleges this summer."It's been a long and stressful process," she added.A growing trendStuckley is part of a growing number of high school students waiting to make their final college decisions until summer. Students are applying and enrolling later for various reasons, sometimes waiting until after high school graduation to begin formally applying."We are still accepting applications for both first year and transfer students for fall 2015," said Nancy Wunderly, director of admissions at Kutztown University. "We will continue to see applications throughout the summer. This has been a trend in the last few years."She noted that most students do follow the traditional timeline of applying to colleges in the fall of their senior year of high school."However there are always students who are unsure about their plans, or they make plans for going into the military or planning to study abroad and those plans change," said Wunderly."There are numerous reasons why students might make the decision to apply later in the summer. We're aware of that. They still have time, throughout the entire summer, to get things done in the enrollment process."As a community college, LCCC typically has a large number of its student body apply and enroll in late spring or summer. These are often students who have applied to other colleges, but have perhaps just received their financial aid packages from four-year schools and are looking for options that are less expensive or closer to home."We'll see students trying to scramble at the last minute to change their plans," said Cindy Haney, the vice president for Enrollment Management at LCCC."They may have decided to go to college and done everything from applications to enrolling at another college, but for some reason things don't work out."Summer timelineWhen students follow a traditional timeline, they are often accepted and enrolled at colleges by spring. They'll spend the summer attending college orientation, registering for classes, securing financial aid and arranging payment plans.Students who apply later in the summer have a more compressed schedule, but it's still possible to complete the process before classes start this fall.Perhaps one of the most important things students will do during a typical orientation is registering for classes. Most colleges offer course planners online or through an academic adviser, but won't allow first-time students to register online on their own. The earlier students enroll at a school and attend orientation or meet with their adviser, the earlier they can register for classes."The earlier they attend Connections (Kutztown's orientation), they will have a wider variety of class selection," said Wunderly."Not to say that those coming later won't be able to get classes. They just won't have the wide selection that you might have if you're registering earlier.""Course selections fill up," agreed Haney. "Students might not get courses in the time slot that they would like. The earlier that they register, the better the chance they have of getting the schedule that they want and need."Payment must also take place before students can attend classes. Waiting until the last minute might mean scrambling to find funds or financial aid. For example, students who register for fall classes now at LCCC have three days to secure financial aid, arrange a payment plan, or pay in full."It's in their best interest to get their ducks in a row quickly, but we do allow students to register up to the start of the semester," said Haney.Ready to apply?Nearly all colleges now offer online applications. Start preparing for your application by gathering the materials needed.These materials vary from school to school, but might include high school or any college transcripts, SAT or ACT scores, essays or letters of recommendation, and the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, if you hope to qualify for aid.While it's important to get your application started soon, admissions counselors can't accept or deny students entry to their school until they receive all required materials."When in doubt, pick up the phone and give us a call," said Wunderly. "Even though it's summer, we always have admissions staff available to talk to students."While Lehighton grad Stuckley has found that it's easier to contact college admissions offices in the summer since she's home during business hours, she encouraged other students not to wait much longer.Perhaps the biggest drawback to applying in summer is trying to get transcripts, SAT scores, and letters of recommendation from your high school after graduation, she said."Start as soon as possible. Don't wait," she said. "It just gets harder and harder."