The College Application Process

What Are Colleges Looking For Transcript (Challenging courses, Positive GPA trend, grades) Rigor of Available Curriculum (Courses offered and courses taken) Standardized Tests (SAT, SATII or ACT) Personal Essay

Make it personal Be creative Have a teacher proofread

Letters of Recommendations (Usually two to three) Special Skills/Talents/Activities

Musical, Artistic, Athlete Community Service Volunteer School Activities

School Data (School Profile) Other (Diversity, Gender, Geographic) Recalculated GPA – Colleges have their own process, so everyone is on

an equal playing field.

Types of Admission Early Decision (ED) – Students apply early in the fall of senior

year and notification of acceptance or denial is usually sent by mid-December. If accepted, a student is required to sign a commitment-to-attend document, as well as withdraw all other applications.

Early Action/Early Notification – Similar to ED, except that the applicant is not committed to attend the college if accepted.

Notification Deadlines: Rolling Admissions – Admission decisions are made on a continuous basis and notification of acceptance is sent three-five weeks after receipt of completed application materials. Regular Admissions – Colleges have a specific deadline dates and colleges will notify a student by a certain date.Wait List – A response to the applicant indicating that their application was acceptable but the limit of accepted students has been reached; wait listed students may be admitted after May 1st, if space becomes available.

●Develop a list of potential colleges: Safe Schools – one that you know exceeds the admissions requirements (academic safety and financial safetyTarget Schools – one that you know you meet admissions requirements, however they are competitiveReach School – Highly competitive schools that you may or may not meet admissions requirements.

●Check Admission Requirements and deadline dates●Visit colleges if you have done so already. If this is not possible, use virtual tours

SAT/ACTRequest SAT scores be sent directly from college

board and ACT scores from www.actstudent.orgOfficial score reports are required by most colleges

(Score reports are $11.25)If you are registered for the October or November

2013 SAT test, you can send for 4 free reports to you colleges at time of registration.

It is ok to send all your scores – colleges will take your best critical reading, math and writing scores

Don’t hold off applying until you receive your scores. You will indicate that you are taking either SAT/ACT on your application.

Subject TestsMay be required by many highly competitive

colleges, make sure to check the admission requirements of each of the colleges you are interested in applying to.Subject tests can be taken when the SAT is

given, except for March.Each subject test is an hour in length and a

total of 3 can be taken on during one test date

The College ApplicationSubmit applications electronically (preferred)

Follow directions and check requirements (many have supplemental forms that teacher and counselors need to complete)

Apply early!!Common Application –

https://commonapp.orgOver 400 college/universities participateApplications (including transcripts and

recommendations) will be sent to multiple colleges

Transcript Request Sign on to your parent/student access via the district website (

www.pburgsd.net) Log into your account

● Once logged in, click on “Forms” under the “Student Data” tab

●Click on “Student Transcript Request”●Check off the appropriate box(es) regarding the school (s) you are applying to●Fill in the information for you colleges (Name, Address)●Click Submit

**DO NOT DELETE ANY SCHOOLS FROM YOUR LIST****Allow 10 days for the processing of transcripts**

Letters of Recommendations Please allow teachers and your counselor a few weeks to write your

recommendation Complete The Request for Teacher Recommendation Form when asking

teachers (available in the guidance office and on the guidance website).

Submit an Activity Resume with the recommendation form (examples on the guidance website) Make wise choices, a teacher who knows you well. Doesn’t need to be a

class you received an “A” in. Can also ask for a coach, advisor, or employer for one of the

recommendations

Letters of RecommendationsYou must also complete a Senior Questionnaire

when requesting a recommendation from your counselor

If your are not applying through the Common Application, you must supply the teacher and the counselor with a stamped envelope(s) addressed to the college(s) and attach any necessary supplemental forms**Please check to make sure you have the

correct admissions address for your colleges**

Upcoming EventsCollege Mini Fairs:

October 10, 2013 at 1:00 pm in Cafeteria 149-159 (Please see your counselor by October 8th if

you are interested in attending) October 22, 2013 at 7:00 pm in Cafeteria

PHS Financial Aid Seminar - October 15, 2013 at 7:00 pm in the high school Auditorium