August, 2010
Since you have only a few weeks left of vacation, don’t forget to take some time before school starts to relax, enjoy yourself, and maybe just chill. You need to be rested and full of energy to begin tackling both your schoolwork and college applications.
1. TESTING
• If you have any last minute testing to take care of, make sure that you are signed up for fall SAT, Subject Tests, or ACT testing.
The College Board URL to register for both the SAT I and Subject Tests is:
http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/sat/reg.html
To register online for the ACT, go to:
http://www.actstudent.org/regist/index.html
• If you plan on applying Early Action or Decision, October is the last test date that will get your test scores to the colleges on time.
2. COLLEGE LIST
• Your college list should be finalized by the end of this month.
• Decide whether or not to apply early to a college/s. Early Action, Early Action Single Choice and Early Decision deadlines are usually October 31 or the first of November; some are November 15. Check the college website for the exact date. Students receive early admissions decisions by the middle of December.
• Put together an Application Due Dates list for your college list.
http://admissionpossible.com/checklists/appduedates.pdf
3. RELATIONSHIPS WITH COLLEGES
• Make sure that the colleges on your list know you are interested in them. If you haven’t already, call or email each admissions office on your list. Ask when their representative will be visiting your school (or your home town).
4. FILLING OUT THE APPLICATIONS
• For students who play a fall sport or are engaged in time-intensive extracurricular activities, try to get at least one college application completed before school starts.
• From the chapter on Completing College Applications in my book adMISSION POSSIBLE: Getting Into the College of Your Choice, here are the steps involved in completing an undergraduate application:
a. Determine which school you want to apply to and whether it uses its own application, the Common Application or the Universal College Application.
b. Through the college’s admission website or the Common Application Requirements Grid, find out what and when forms must be completed
+ Determine if the school has a Preliminary Form that must be completed and by what date (E.g., USC has a Preliminary form)
c. Complete all the forms for which you are responsible
d. Download and fill out your section for other required forms (e.g., Counselor School Report, Teacher Evaluation forms, etc.) and distribute them to appropriate recommenders
e. Identify essay questions
f. Decide on a focus for your application and topics for the essay questions
g. Write, edit and upload essays onto online application
h. Gather any supplemental materials (e.g., activities resume, art portfolio, etc.)
i. Photocopy and then send in all application materials by the due date
j. Contact College Board to send transcript of SAT and/or Subject Test scores to college and/or contact ACT to have ACT transcript send to college
k. Have your high school and other academic transcripts sent to the college
l. Make arrangements for an admissions interview (if possible)
m. Two weeks after all application materials have been sent, check with the college to make sure all your materials have been received
n. Make sure Mid-year Report is sent to the college after first semester grades come out
You can access the Completing Applications chapter for free at
http://admissionpossible.com/guides-new/guide11/TOC-undergrad-applications.html
5. STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL BACKGROUNDS
• Art and performing art students should begin putting together their portfolios
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