ANATOMY OF A COLLEGE APPLICATION:
APPLICATION:
Most applications will open between August 1 and September 1 and can be found directly on the college’s website.. The earliest deadlines belong to schools with early admission plans and are typically between October 31 and November 15. Even for colleges that have rolling admissions (continue to accept applications as long as there is room in their programs), I still recommend planning to have all pieces of the application completed by the end of first trimester so that you can move onto other things and you’ll also receive your decisions back earlier.
Pro-tip: keep track of your username and passwords and do so in one place! Seems like a no-brainer but it’s an easy step to bypass and you’ll likely forget these things when you need to return to finish your application or check it’s status and will be frustrated when you have to fumble around with resetting them!
TRANSCRIPT:
All colleges and universities will need to see the record of your coursework taken through high school. Some schools will have you self-report your transcript so you don’t need to send a transcript at all. Other schools will accept an unofficial transcript you can send on your own. For schools that require an official transcript be sent, you will request that it be sent through a secure, online platform called Parchment. There is a small fee attached to sending each transcript. (www.parchment.com). Note: if you have taken PSEO courses you will also need to request your college transcript be sent directly from the college to wherever you are applying.
For help navigating Parchment, check out this handout: PARCHMENT HANDOUT .pdf
APPLICATION FEES:
The majority of colleges also charge some kind of application fee. These range from $20 upward to $100 an application. Keep in mind, October is College Knowledge Month in MN and all MN state schools (not U of M) waive their application fee at some point in the month. Also, if you qualify for free or reduced lunch, you are eligible to receive application fee waivers. Some applications will allow you to self-report this status and waive the fee automatically. If you have schools that are charging and you need a fee waiver please see your counselor or Ms. Kimble.
TEST SCORES:
Although most colleges have gone test optional, some still require that a test score is submitted. For test optional schools, if you choose to submit a score, many will accept it self-reported and verify it if you choose to go to that school. Others will require that it is an official score, sent directly from the testing company. If you are required to send an official score report, you will login, request, and pay for your score report at: www.actstudent.org. If you have questions or don’t have your score report from February (needed to make your ACT student account) see Ms. Kimble.
LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION:
Most applications do not require letters of recommendation. For more selective schools or for schools that complete a more holistic application review, a letter or two may be required, never more than that. So, be considerate of your teacher’s time and only ask for letters after you know you need them for your application. You should ask them a minimum of 2 weeks in advance and make sure they know where the letter needs to go (Common App, mailed, etc.).
So, who should you ask? Classroom teachers who you have had while in high school are usually a safe bet. It should be someone who knows you and can speak to your potential and ability within the classroom but also someone you have a good overall relationship with.
If you need a helpful template to complete to give to your recommenders, check this one out: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BrXVS43KzPX-tgtiEbGBJ-tbxy_OrYuL-icRUMbibz0/copy
ESSAYS:
Similarly to letters of recommendation, many applications do not require that you submit an essay or personal statement. Schools that are more selective or that have a more holistic admission process tend to be more likely to require this portion in their application. If you are required to write an essay for your application, keep in mind it is an opportunity to showcase yourself. This is going to help the admission staff reading your application understand who you are as a person, beyond numbers and paper; it’s your time to shine! My favorite resource when it comes to college essay help, which I highly recommend, is The College Essay Guy, Ethan Sawyer. Check out his site and a ton of great resources at: www.collegeessayguy.com.