COLLEGE REQUIREMENTS |
 The standardized college entrance tests, SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test) or ACT (American College Test), are given to help you find a college that fits your needs academically. The test may point out areas of strength and weakness that might not show on your school record. These tests are helpful in your selection of college courses and programs. Please check with the guidance office for dates and places for these tests. Other tests to be considered by college bound juniors and seniors are PSAT (Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test) and Advanced Placement Test. Recommended high school courses for college admission are as follows: 4 English, 3 Math (Algebra I, Algebra II, Geometry), 3 Science, 3 Social Studies, 2 Foreign Language, and 1 Visual Art. Each college sets its own entry requirements. Check the college catalog to determine those requirements. |
COLLEGE APPLICATIONS |
 COLLEGE APPLICATIONS
The following are guidelines that students need to follow when submitting a college application:
1. Obtain the application from college, guidance office, or online.
2. Complete all student information sections thoroughly.
3. Ask teachers to write letters of recommendation, if necessary.
4. Turn in all completed portions of the application to the guidance office at least one week BEFORE the due date printed on the application. Be sure that those who are writing recommendations also know the guidance office due date, not the postmark date for the college.
5. Only supply an envelope if one is provided with the application. The guidance office will provide an envelope if there is not a university envelope. Applications will be mailed once all portions are reviewed.
6. Online applications: print a copy of the school information and deliver it to the guidance office so that a transcript can be mailed to the college. |
COLLEGE APPLICATIONS ESSAYS |
 THE DO'S AND DON'TS OF COLLEGE APPLICATION ESSAYS (by the student editors of CHOOSE THE RIGHT COLLEGE & GET ACCEPTED!, a Students Helping Students guide)
Writing college application essays can be quite a challenge--so we've put together our list of top do's and don'ts to help you get going and get through it with flying colors.
DO:
1. Leave yourself enough time to think about and write your essays. Definitely start before the fall of your senior year.
2. Make sure to answer the question posed by each essay topic.
3. Write about something that matters to you and that you care about.
4. Look over your applications before you start to see if any essay topics are repeated. You might want to choose those that are similar and minimize the number of essays to write.
5. Be honest and genuine in your essay--when you're faking something, it comes through.
6. If you're writing about a certain experience or person, focus on how this exprience or person has impacted your life in a significant way--just describing the experience is not enough.
7. Read your essay as if you were the admissions office and ask what it tells about you as a person. Does your personality and character come through.
8. Sound like a person when you write. Big words and overly formal sentences can make your essay sound stiff and forced.
9. Have someone you trust, like your teachers, guidance counselor, or parent read your essay and try to listen to their feedback.
10. Proofread, proofread, proofread, and when you think it's perfect, proofread again. A small spelling mistake can cost you.
DON'T:
1. Don't wait until the last minute to start working on your essays--when you're rushed you can't think as well and risk making careless errors.
2. Don't be intimidated by the task of writing essays--it's not easy, but you can do it!
3. Don't use cliches--they take away from the genuine and honest nature of your essay.
4. Don't exaggerate--you should play up your achievements but don't go overboard.
5. Don't recycle essays "blind." You can use the same essay for two different colleges if their essay questions are the same or very similar, but recycling essays without thinking can cost you the chance of admission.
6. Don't try to write what the admissions officers want to hear--be genuine and be you.
7. Don't overuse big words to sound impressive.
8. Don't whine--when writing about a difficult experience, focus on what you've learned from it and how it has made you a strong/smarter/more intersting person.
9. Don't make your first draft your last--you can always improve and it's worth the extra work.
10. Don't rely on your computer's spell checker--it misses tons of mistakes. Go over your essay carefully with your own eye and ask your parents or teachers to help in proofreading it. |
GETTING GOOD RECOMMENDATIONS  |
LEARN HOW TO GET GREAT RECOMMENDATIONS (by the student editors of CHOOSE THE RIGHT COLLEGE & GET ACCEPTED!, a Students Helping Students guide)
Despite what you may think, you can have an impact on the quality of your recommendations. By choosing your references carefully and making sure that you give them enough time, you can maximize your chances of getting stellar recommendations. Here are some suggestions:
* Choose the right people.
The person writing your letter of recommendation should know you well and should think positively of your academic performance and of you as a person. Teachers whose classes you've taken and who've witnessed your development are great resources, as well as guidance counselors who've seen you tackle challenges and grow as you overcame them. As you think about your choices, make sure that they're diverse enough. It's not a great idea to get two recommendations from two of your English teachers, for example.
* Be courteous and professional.
Schedule an appointment to make your request and tell your references how highly you value their opinion and how much you appreciate their effort. Be very clear about the deadline for sending in the recommendation and always, always leave ample time for your teacher to write it. Give your recommenders every piece of required information so that they don't have to waste time hunting for it. This includes: at least two copies of the forms the recommender needs to fill out (one for a rough draft), stamped and addressed envelope to send the recommendation, your name, address, and social security number (you will usually fill these in on the recommendation form itself). Think about giving copies of your essays to the teachers and counselors writing your letters. They might find it helpful to have some additional information about you, some of which they might not have known before. |
