Ventures Scholars Program | High School Resource Center

High School Scholars
Preparing for College
–	Achieving Academic Success
–	Planning
–	Applying
–	Testing Information
–	Thinking about Grad & Professional School

Applying to College

Applying to college? These links might provide you with helpful information!

EARLY DECISION/EARLY ACTION
COLLEGE APPLICATIONS
COLLEGE INTERVIEWS
COLLEGE RECOMMENDATION LETTERS
COLLEGE ESSAY
HELPFUL LISTS TO ORGANIZE YOUR APPLICATION PROCESS
ADDITIONAL LINKS

Receiving letters from colleges? These link might provide you with helpful information!

MAKING YOUR DECISION
ARE YOU WAITLISTED?
HAVE YOU BEEN REJECTED?

EARLY DECISION/EARLY ACTION

Early Decision and Early Action: Does the Early Bird Get the Worm?

Senior year has just begun, but already your classmates are talking about applying
to college. With all of the talk about college applications, you may be considering
whether or not to take advantage of some colleges' early decision or early action programs. But applying early is not a decision to make on the spur of the moment--no matter what your friends are doing. Take some time to think about whether Early Decision or Early Action is right for you.

Read more:
www.nacac.com/p&s_steps_0902edea.html

The Benefits and Drawbacks of Early Decision and Early Action Plans
The college-search process is both exciting and anxiety provoking. As a college
counselor, you know how challenging it can be to find a school that fits a student's
academic needs, personal interests, geographical preferences, and so on. You also know that during this process, sometimes a student hits upon his or her absolute perfect school.The question then is whether or not to encourage that student to take advantage of the school's early decision (ED) or early action (EA) plan.

Read more:
http://www.collegeboard.com/prof/counselors/apply/5.html

Early Action Versus Early Decision Admissions
There is a widespread belief that early action and early decision applications are in the
best interests of all students. Indeed, early action and early decision admissions policies have resulted in unprecedented numbers of students applying early to colleges. As a result, it is imperative that today's high school seniors make educated decisions about these early admissions options.

Read more:
http://www.collegeadmissioninfo.com/early_admissions.html

Applying Early Action: No Strings Attached
If applying Early Decision is too much of a commitment for you, you may want to try
"Early Decision light," otherwise known as Early Action. Early Action, like Early Decision,
allows you to get a jump on the college application rush by applying in the fall of your
senior year, rather than waiting until spring. (Only 18 percent of colleges, mostly private
colleges, offer Early Action.) While they can share the same fall deadline and have the
added bonus of an admissions reply before you put on your skis for winter break, there are some key differences between the two.

Read more:
http://www.collegedata.com/cs/content/content_getinarticle_tmpl.jhtml?articleId=10055

COLLEGE APPLICATIONS

The Common Application
The Common Application is the recommended form of 241 selective colleges and universities for admission to their undergraduate programs. Many of these institutions use the form exclusively. All give equal consideration to the Common Application and the college's own form.

Read more:
http://www.commonapp.org/

Contents of an Admissions Folder
When you apply to college, the college admission office collects a folder of information to consider as it makes a decision about you. There are five main areas of an applicant's "folder".

Completing College Applications
College applications can seem overwhelming at first glance. What needs to be done, and when?

College Application Checklist
Here is another application checklist that will help you organize as you send off your applications to college/university.

Read more:
http://www.wiredscholar.com/global/checklists/SchoolAppChecklist.pdf
(PDF file)

Keeping Track of College Applications
If you are a senior, you are probably knee deep in preparing applications. The following links provide some ideas for charts to help you track the application process.

THE COLLEGE INTERVIEW

The College Interview The Basics
A college interview is a chance to show that you're more than just test scores and grades. It's an exchange of information—you learn about the college and the college learns about you. It can last anywhere from 30-60 minutes.

Read more:
http://www.collegeboard.com/student/apply/the-application/135.html

Interview Checklist For Before, During, and After
Print out this checklist to make sure you are absolutely, positively ready for the interview.

Read more:
http://www.collegeboard.com/student/apply/the-application/120.html

Practice Interviews Warming Up for the Hot Seat
Before you do the real thing, try a practice interview. Invite a family member or friend to practice with you, each of you taking turns as the interviewer and the interviewee. That way, you'll become accustomed to both asking and answering questions.

Read more:
http://www.collegeboard.com/student/apply/the-application/138.html

College Admission Interviews: Putting You with Your Name

Your chance to stand out from thousands of other applicants

Read more:
http://www.collegeview.com/articles/CV/application/college_interviews.html

Preparing for your College Interview
At most schools, interviewing for college admission is optional. However, it is still a good opportunity for you to demonstrate your outstanding qualities and to learn more about the college at the same time. If you do decide to interview with colleges, here are some tips to help you out.

Read more:
http://www.ecampustours.com/collegeplanning/preparingforyourcollegeinterview.aspx

The College Admissions Interview
Does the prospect of talking face-to-face with admissions officers give you fits? Before your nerves get the better of you, learn what to expect - and how to ace your college interview.

Read more:
http://www.fastweb.com/fastweb/resources/articles/index/102606?id=

RECOMMENDATION LETTERS

Getting the Best Letters of Recommendation
Think of applying to college as if you were applying for a job. For both, you need to demonstrate that you have what it takes to succeed

The Recommendation Letter
The recommendation letter is just another tool that a college or university will use to get to know their applicants a little better. Its purpose is similar to that of the college essay and interview as it can set you apart from the thousands of other applicants and bring you one step closer to receiving your acceptance letter.

Four Steps To Getting Perfect College Recommendations
In college admissions, application forms and essays give admissions officers your own perspective on your achievements. However, to get another person's viewpoint they often turn to your letters of recommendation.

Read more:
http://www.quintcareers.com/college_recommendations.html

COLLEGE ESSAYS

Writing Essays
One purpose, obviously, is to give us a sample of your writing. Liberal arts colleges place a premium on strong writing skills. We look for a mastery of the mechanics of writing (grammar, syntax, and organization) as well as for fluency and originality. Your essay gives us a taste of the maturity of your thinking and writing, and of your readiness for a competitive liberal arts program.

Essay
Gaining entrance to just about any college continues to get harder as more and more applicants are applying for a limited number of spaces. How can you improve your chances to being admitted to the college or university of your choice? By writing a stellar personal essay as part of your college application.

Read more:
http://www.quintcareers.com/college_application_essay.html

College Essay Question Help
Sample essays.

Read more:
http://www.gradschools.com/info/cyberedit/lo_college.html

The Personal Statement
Writing your personal statement can be one of the most satisfying--or frustrating--writing experiences you'll ever have.

Read more:
http://students.berkeley.edu/apa/personalstatement/

Writing the College Essay – The Process View
The easiest way to begin writing a college essay is with brainstorming, clustering, or listmaking. There are other ways, but these are the simplest. With brainstorming, you simply write down everything you can think of about the topic, without rejecting any idea.

Read more:
http://www.calstatela.edu/centers/write_cn/essaypro.htm

Writing the Essay: Sound Advice from an Expert
Ninety percent of the applications I read contain what I call McEssays - usually five-paragraph essays that consist primarily of abstractions and unsupported generalization. They are technically correct in that they are organized and have the correct sentence structure and spelling, but they are boring. Sort of like a Big Mac.

Read more:
http://www.virginia.edu/undergradadmission/writingtheessay.html

HELPFUL LISTS TO ORGANIZE YOUR APPLICATION PROCESS

Application Form Tracking Worksheet
All these forms! Different schools may collect a variety of forms necessary to complete your aid application, sometimes making it a challenge to keep track of them all. Duplicate and use this worksheet to track forms and correspondence for each school to which you are applying.

Read More:
http://www.nasfaa.org/subhomes/financialaidnight/ApplicationFormTracking102606.doc

ADDITIONAL LINKS

How Many College Applications? Finalizing Your College List
Some students send as many as 15 applications, while others send only one. To ensure a successful match, apply to a diverse group of schools and be realistic about the strength of your application. Here are a few things to keep in mind as you create your list.

Read more:
http://www.collegeboard.com/student/apply/the-application/102.html

Why 20 Is Too Many: Understanding the Application Frenzy
Colleges and universities across the country have reported record-breaking numbers of applicants over the last few years. For example, the University of Vermont had a stunning 36.6 percent increase in applicants from 2005 to 2006, according to data from the National Center of Education Statistics. Applications to the school have more than doubled since 2001. At Boston College, the number of students applying early action rose 20 percent in 2006, and regular applications increased by 15 percent. Is this phenomenon the result of a sudden surge in the number of high school graduates? No, the main reason for the application increase is that high school seniors are applying to 20 or more colleges rather than the traditional five to eight. The fact is, however, that 20 is way too many.

Read more:
http://www.collegeboard.com/parents/apply/narrow-college-list/150489.html

Making Final Selections and Applying to Colleges
Before you finalize your list of colleges and universities to apply to, you should have completed the following steps.

Read more:
http://www.go4ivy.com/apply.asp

MAKING YOUR DECISION

Making the Final Decision
You've been accepted, maybe even to more than one school. You've now got a big decision to make. What are you going to do?

Read more:
http://www.collegeanswer.com/deciding/content/ac_findec.jsp

Making the Final Decision
After a year or more of working and worrying, it's done: you've received word from all the colleges to which you applied. All that remains in your college quest is making the final decision. Which college will you attend?

Read more:
http://www.nacacnet.org/MemberPortal/News/StepsNewsletter/Making+the+Final+Decision.htm

College Decision-Making Guide
If you've been accepted by more than one college, congratulations! Now YOU get to do the choosing. Here are some tips to help you make up your mind.

Read more:
http://www.collegeboard.com/student/apply/letters-are-in/103.html

Decision-Making Guide
You got "fat envelopes" -- now what? Congratulations, you got in! Of course, if you've been accepted by more than one college, you have to choose. Here are some tips for doing just that.

Read more:
http://www.yesican.gov/secondary/getting/makefinal.html

Understanding Acceptance Letters
You peer into your mailbox. You hesitate, then muster up the courage to open the letter and behold! It begins with a hearty "Congratulations!" Take a deep breath�you're in! But don't stop there�read on. There's important information in that letter. You may have some decisions to make and deadlines to meet.

Read more:
http://www.collegeanswer.com/deciding/content/ac_accltr.jsp

ARE YOU WAITLISTED?

What to Do When You're Waitlisted
You thought that as of April 1, your collegiate destiny would be sealed: You'd round up your acceptances and rejections, make a decision, and wash your hands of the whole admissions game. The energy you once poured into agonizing over your fate could be transferred to college-sweatshirt shopping and dialing up relatives to deliver the great news.

What Does it Mean to be Waitlisted or Deferred?
After all the frantic work of putting together an application, waiting for an answer can seem to take forever. Most applicants assume that eventually they will receive a letter with one of two simple outcomes: acceptance or rejection. Yet there are actually other possible outcomes � as if there weren't enough confusion already in the college search process!

Read more:
http://www.collegesofdistinction.com/subpagetemplates/articlepage.asp?articleid=43&section=counselors

Playing the College Waiting Game: Is it Worth the Wait?
How long will your other schools wait around for you while you're pining for #1 U. to let you in? How good are your odds? And, how long can you wait before you put your chances of attending any college in the fall at risk? Before you play the waiting game, consider these waiting words of wisdom, straight from college admissions officers and experts.

Read more:
http://www.collegebound.net/studentscoop/articles/march2001/top_feature.html

What to Do if You're Waitlisted - Boost Your Chances of Getting In
Colleges may put you on a waitlist if you meet the admission requirements,but they've already accepted the maximum number of applicants. You'll be offered a place only if space becomes available. If you get a wait list notice, decide whether you really want to attend the school before you agree toremain on the list. If you're eventually accepted, you often get only a few days to decide. Also investigate the conditions attached to being waitlisted; you may lose priority housing or financial aid options.

Read more:
http://www.all-saints.org/College/Handbook/Pages42-43.pdf

HAVE YOU BEEN REJECTED?

Getting Rejected and Moving On
Getting rejected from college can be like getting dumped by your first love. You were sure you were perfect for each other! Then the letter arrived, the truth came out, and now you're facing a long, hard bout of melodramatic self-pity.

Why Do Some Students Get Accepted To College and Others Do Not?
No doubt if you've already applied to college, or are thinking about doing so, the thought of rejection has crossed your mind. It may seem baffling why some schools may accept some students while rejecting the rest, but there are many criterion college admission officers look for, and some factors that set students apart.

Read more:
http://library.thinkquest.org/C005172/rejected.htm

Rejected: Now What? What to Do When Colleges Say "No"
"We're sorry, but we won't be able to offer you a place in our first-year class. We had many qualified applicants this year...."

This is not how you wanted your college letter to read, but there it is. After all of the work you put into your application and the months of anticipation, it's understandable if you're upset about the outcome. However, it's important to keep rejection letters in perspective and to understand that you have options.

Read more:
http://www.collegeboard.com/student/apply/letters-are-in/126.html

courtesy of Pomona College