The College Admissions Process

Public and Private Colleges/UniversitiesGrandview Senior Parent/Student Workshop

September 17, 2012

Jillian McGlincheyAdmission Counselor

University of Colorado Boulder

Types of Post-secondary InstitutionsThere are over 4,000 colleges and

universities in the United States alone

Technical or Vocational SchoolsOffer programs toward a particular occupationOften accredited differently (not transferable)

Open Enrollment SchoolsPrimarily community and junior collegesOpen to anyone, small classes, transferable

Selective and Highly Selective Schools

Use GPA, tests, essay, etcFour year schools: public or private

What do I Want?Academics

What do I Want?Activities

What do I Want?Location

What do I Want?Other things to Consider

Campus size – total enrollment, class sizes, resources Cost and available financial aid – wait until you get a

financial aid package before eliminating any options General campus environment – religious affiliation,

political environment, school spirit Competiveness – your realistic chance of getting admitted

based on GPA, test scores, classes, activities, and the

school’s applicant pool and admission rates.

Remember…There is no one college that is right for everyone. Evaluate your

priorities and consider what is the best fit for YOU.

Visiting a College Campus

Try to visit several of your top choices Visit different campuses in your area,

even if you don’t plan to apply, so you can experience multiple environments

Take the official tour offered by the school if possible

Decide what additional information you’d like to get while on campus, and make arrangements ahead of time

What to Expect When ApplyingAt Most Institutions Application for admission (some use Common App) Application fee – online or mailed High school transcript (grades 9-12) SAT and/or ACT scores

Variable by institution Essays Letters of recommendation Interviews Additional tests (e.g. SAT subject tests) Mid-year reportsEarly Decision vs. Early Action/Notification

The Application

Factors in the CU-Boulder Decision Holistic review process Academic History

Course load Difficulty of classes Cumulative GPA Grade trend Test scores Strength of current schedule Minimum Academic Preparation

Standards (MAPS) completed Additional Factors

Volunteer and work experience Unique talents or backgrounds Extenuating circumstances

Minimum Academic Preparation Standards

ENGLISH 4

MATH 4

NATURAL SCIENCE(includes biology, chemistry, and physics)

3

SOCIAL SCIENCE(includes US and world history, and

geography)3

FOREIGN LANGUAGE(single foreign language)

3

Test Scores

Scores Used for AdmissionsEnglish 25Math 28

Reading 22Science Reasoning 27

Composite 26

ACT (Test 1)English 24Math 28

Reading 21Science Reasoning 27

Composite 25

ACT (Test 2)English 25

Math 26Reading 22

Science Reasoning 25Composite 25

Middle 50%

Middle 50% of Admitted FreshmenGPA 3.3-3.9

Percentile Rank 65-89

SAT Total 1090-1270*

ACT Composite 24-29

Admitted Transfer Students

3.21 average college GPA

2.5 minimum college GPA to be considered

With 24 or more completed hours of transferable coursework

decision will be based on college record

*SAT total includes critical reading & math scores only.

Tips and Recommendations Know and meet all deadlines (for

honors and scholarships as well as for applications)

Make yourself stand out in essays Ask for letters of recommendation

well in advance of deadlines Be realistic about admission

chances and have backup plans Ensure that your application is

presented appropriately Seek advice, but do your own work

on applications and essays

In the end…

You are choosing a community. Make sure it’s the right one for YOU!

Jillian McGlincheyAdmission Counselor

University of Colorado Boulder303-492-8316

Jillian.McGlinchey@colorado.edu

Connect with your admission counselor!