College Application Process

Select a College that Meets Your Needs

Your criteria for choosing a college will likely be different from your friend’s criteria. First of all, you should select a school that offers a degree or training that meets the career path you have identified. In addition to finding a school that meets your career path, consider the following criteria:

Curriculum: What do you want to study? Do you have specific subjects in mind or do you want a more general education? Are you interested in a career that required professional certification, and does the school provide the necessary training? Do you want access to special programs, like study abroad and internships?
Student/Instructor Ratio: How much contact do you want with your professors? How much does it matter to you whether professors or graduate students teach your courses.
Size: Do you prefer large classrooms with hundreds of students or small classes with lots of student participation? Do you want to be on a large campus with many majors, an impressive library and a variety of things to explore and do? Or would you prefer a small college where you know everyone’s name?
Admission Requirements: What does the school require for admission? What are your chances of being accepted?
Campus Life: How is life outside the classroom. What special interest groups, activities, fraternities/sororities, and athletics do they offer? Is the campus and local community secure and in a safe location?
Housing Resources: If you plan to live on-campus, make sure you check out the quality of dorm life. Remember to check into the meal-plan. Does the school provide for any special dietary needs you may have?
Cost: How much can you afford? What types of financial aid does the school offer? (Be sure to review our Paying for College section.)

Make your own list and add all of the criteria that are important to you. Other ideas you may want to add are services for job placement or career guidance, percentage of applicants accepted, athletic programs, and many others unique to your needs.

College Fairs and Campus Visits

College Fairs can be fun, but overwhelming. It’s easy to get caught up in the fun and excitement and miss a good opportunity to learn about potential school candidates. Here are some questions you should ask the campus representatives:

What is your institution’s specialty, or what makes your school unique?
What are the classes like in the major I’m considering?
How large is your campus and student population?
How large is the surrounding community?
Do you offer advising or tutorial services?
What is the typical size of the freshman class, and how difficult are “first choice” core classes to get into?
What kind of on-campus and off-campus living options are available and what are the costs of housing and food services.
When do I need to apply for admission, financial, aid and scholarships?
Do you provide placement services for graduates?
How can I arrange for a campus visit?

College Fair Tip:

Print a few sheets of some self-stick address labels to stick on college contact cards. Include your name, address, phone number, e-mail address, high school, year of graduation, intended major. At the fair, you can stick the label on the college contact cards. Then you don’t have to fill out the same information over and over again at each college’s booth.

The best way to get a feel for a college campus is to visit. You may not be able to visit every campus, so narrow your list down to your top choices. Make arrangements for a visit two or three weeks in advance. Do not just show up. Review available college information (brochures, catalog, website) before you visit. While you are at the campus try to do the following:

Meet with an admissions staff member and any other important staff or faculty (financial aid officer, faculty member in the curriculum you’ve chosen)
Get a feeling for the academic and social atmosphere
See the living facilities, the recreation and study areas
Talk with student currently attending the school
Check out the community as well as the campus
Attend a class to get an idea of typical size, teaching style, academic atmosphere
Meet with the Financial Aid staff
Obtain a school calendar and catalog
Visit the campus library, bookstore, dorms and other facilities
Take notes on your visit

The College Application

Applying to schools means more than filling out forms. You need to understand each school’s application requirements, gather the necessary information, meet all of the deadlines, and pay a fee for each application submitted.

Types of College Applications

Customized: Many schools have authorized forms that must be requested by telephone, mail, or online. Check with your school about their online processes. Sometimes, schools waive the application fee for online college applications.
Common Application: More than 200 US school use the Common Application. You can get a copy from your guidance office, complete a copy online, or download a copy from the web.
Two-part Application: If your school uses a two-part application, submit Part I (usually name and address information) as soon as possible. The school will send you Part II after it receives Part I.

Application Requirements

College applications may have unique requirements, so read the instructions carefully. However, most will require at least the following:

The actual form completed correctly and on time
Official high school transcripts (and college transcripts if you have completed any college courses)
Official standardized test scores
Letters of recommendation
Essay

Official Transcripts: The transcript is your official high school academic record. It contains a list of your courses and grades, an explanation of the school’s grading scale, a list of class offerings, and your graduation date.

Sending Test Scores: When you take the standardized tests, you are asked to list the names of several schools that you are considering. The testing organization forwards your scores directly to those schools. If you apply to other schools after you take the test, contact the testing organization and provide the school information.

Letters of Recommendations: College applications usually ask for at least two letters of recommendation. Ask people who know your strengths to write these letters. Teachers and counselors are excellent choices. An employer or community leader can be another option if they know you well and can emphasize your good qualities and achievements.

Essay Questions: Essay questions on college applications help the admissions officers understand your motivations, creativity, and personality. Make your essays personal, but stay within the guidelines. Be sure you answer the question.