Most popular questions regarding the admission process
1. What
do colleges look for in students?
Answer:
Colleges look for students with high academic achievements
(high GPA) and long-term commitment to school and extracurricular
activities. Along with a high GPA, colleges look for students
that have taken a difficult curriculum of courses (AP, International
Baccalaureate, Honors, and college prep courses) and have excellent
SAT and/or ACT scores. Generally, colleges and universities
look for students who demonstrate:
- High GPAs.
- A challenging course curriculum (AP, International Baccalaureate,
Honors, and college prep courses).
- High SAT and/or ACT scores.
- Long-term commitment to activities (years of involvement
in activities students are passionate about).
- Leadership.
- Outstanding letters of recommendation.
- High quality application essays.
2. What
are my chances of getting into the colleges I applied to?
Answer:
Your chances of getting accepted to the colleges you applied
to can be found by comparing you GPA and SAT and/or ACT scores
to last year’s enrolled college freshman class. To
find statistics on last year’s college freshman class,
go to each of your college’s websites and search for “freshman
profile.”
3. What’s the difference
between early application (or early action) and regular application? Is
there an advantage of one over the other?
Answer:
Early
application and early action are the
same thing. Deadlines for early
applications depend on the individual colleges, but usually are between October
15 and November 30. Regular admission deadlines generally are between
November 30 and March 1. The advantage of the early application process
is that it shows you have a genuine interest in the colleges you’re applying
to (which gives you “bonus” points in the eyes of college admission
officers) and you will know which colleges have accepted you before the December
holidays. The early application process does not require you to commit
to enroll to college until May 1.
4. Is
it necessary to write a student résumé?
Answer:
Yes. Your student
résumé serves many purposes. It shows
college admission officers you are serious about college because
you have gone beyond the minimum required application forms
to provide “something extra.” In addition,
a résumé provides your most important information
to the adults writing letters of recommendation so they will
be able to writer superior recommendations on your behalf.
5. How important
are my college application essays? Do admission officers
even read them?
Answer:
Yes, the quality of application
essays is very important. While your GPA and SAT
and/or ACT scores show “what” you’ve accomplished,
the essays tell college admissions officers “who” you
are. Composing a memorable essay will capture admissions
officers’ attention; writing about something unique and
personal will show admissions officers your character and how
you will best fit into their college community.
6. Who
should I ask to fill out my letters of recommendation, my teacher
or my counselor?
Answer:
You should ask
an educator that knows your outstanding work and knows
you as a person. Generally, high school counselors don’t
know the accomplishments and character of students well enough
to write stellar letters of recommendation. Therefore,
we recommend you ask a teacher who really knows you and provide
that teacher with a copy of your student résumé as
a reminder of your accomplishments.
7. I plan to apply to colleges
only in my home state to avoid the high cost out-of-state tuition. What
do your recommend?
Answer:
The more expensive out-of-state tuition is charged only by
public colleges and universities (State schools). Private
colleges and universities charge the same price
to students regardless of their state of residence. Don’t
hesitate to apply to private schools (out-of-state or in-state)
based solely on the cost of attendance; private schools can
give so much in scholarships that the total cost of attendance
may be lower than the cost of attending a public school.
8. What
is the FAFSA?
Answer:
The FAFSA
(Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is the largest
step in the financial aid process. It is an application form
required by virtually all colleges for students to be eligible
for need-based financial aid from Federal and State governments,
as well as from the colleges themselves. It is a very
thorough application and asks for lots of personal and financial
information including:
- Social Security and driver’s license numbers.
- Estimated 2007 earnings from employment and other sources.
- Bank statement information.
- Financial investment information.
- Financial benefit information (Social Security, veterans’ and
welfare benefits).
- Additional personal and financial information.
The official deadline for submitting the FAFSA application
in most states is March 1, however, it should be submitted
as early as possible in January to maximize student’s
potential for receiving financial aid.
9. Why
is it so important to apply as early as possible for financial
aid?
Answer:
Financial
aid is given out from “pools” of money on a first come, first
served basis. If you apply for aid just before an application deadline,
there may be very little or no money left in the financial aid “pools” because
the aid has already been awarded to other students. So, applying late
in the process may eliminate you from receiving any money even if you are eligible
for large scholarships and grants.
10. What’s
the difference between the FAFSA and the CSS/PROFILE financial
aid applications and why do some colleges require both?
Answer:
The FAFSA
(Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is the application
form used by virtually all colleges to determine students’ eligibility
for need-based federal and state government financial aid,
and institutional financial aid from the colleges themselves. The CSS/PROFILE is
used by hundreds of colleges and universities to award additional
private financial aid funds. Some colleges require both
application forms because they award both government and private
fund financial aid.
11. I plan to apply to
as many scholarships as possible. What do you recommend?
Answer:
Students should focus on applying
to scholarships in which their qualifications match the
scholarship guidelines and the intent of scholarship sponsors. For
example, if you’re planning to major in biology with
a pre-med emphasis and you have excellent grades, years of
volunteer service at the local hospital, and a good track record
of helping others, apply for scholarships intended for students
pursuing medical or science-related careers. Think twice
about applying for scholarships intended for future political
leaders or History majors. Apply to only scholarships
you have a reasonable chance of winning.
12. How can I qualify for
scholarships when both my parents work and my family income
is so high?
Answer:
Regardless of family income, students are eligible for merit-based
scholarships. If you have high academic achievements,
you may receive significant merit-based scholarships based
on your GPA and standardized test scores. In addition,
you may be eligible to receive community service related scholarships
based on your dedication and involvement with extracurricular
and volunteer activities without consideration of your family’s
income.
13. Besides
taking the campus guided tour, what should I do on a campus
visit?
Answer:
Schedule an interview with an admission officer and, if possible, with
a professor who teaches in the department of your major. Visiting
with these college representatives will allow you to get answers
to questions you may have about the college and your major
department, as well as to make great impressions. Hopefully,
you will make such a favorable impression with the professor
that he/she will make a phone call to the admissions office
on your behalf.
14. Should
I spend overnight at my favorite colleges to really check them
out?
Answer:
Absolutely. We highly recommend spending overnight
in student dorms at the colleges you are considering
attending to check out all aspects of dorm life, experience
campus activities first-hand, observe the types of students
that attend that college, and get a real “feel” for the campus. You
should be familiar with all aspects of your colleges before
you commit to attend one for four years.
15. Once
I get accepted to college, I can back off a little from studying,
right?
Answer:
No. Almost all colleges and universities require copies
of your fall
semester grades in January and your final spring semester
grades after high school graduation. If your grades decline
dramatically, the college in which you enroll may require you
to take additional summer courses at your local community college,
place you on academic probation during your first semester
of attendance, or even rescind your acceptance. Don’t
slack off on your coursework.
16. When
I send in my Enrollment Confirmation Form on May 1, what do
I do next?
Answer:
Look to the MyCollegeCalendar.org college prep steps to see
what to do over the summer to prepare for entering college
in the fall. Also, during the summer the college to which
you have accepted enrollment will send you instructions regarding
freshman orientation, class pre-registration and other documents
to complete.
|
