Questions that should be asked and answered include
What is the academic reputation of the school?
What is the size of the school?
What is the setting (urban, suburban, rural) of the school?
What academic programs does the school offer?
Is the student population diverse?
What types of financial aid opportunities are available through the school?
What is the weather like where the school is located?
There may be many other specific questions that individual students might ask. This inquiry is important in keeping the number of schools that a student wishes to apply to at a reasonable number.
In order to make better college selection decisions, it is important to understand the terminology used by college admissions specialists.
Candidate Reply Date - The date by which the student must notify the college of his/her intention to enroll.
This date is May 1 each year.
Early Decision - An early application process that means a binding commitment to attend.
The student and a parent must sign an agreement that, if accepted, the student will attend unless the aid award is
inadequate. The colleges share early decision lists; so if accepted, you must withdraw all other applications. Students not admitted under Early Decision are reconsidered with the regular decision applicants.
(SAT I, SAT II, and TOEFL tests should be taken in the spring of the junior year if considering this option.)
Early Action - An admission plan whereby a student can submit an application by November 1 and receive a decision by mid-December.
The Early Action student, if accepted, is not automatically bound to enroll. Students accepted under Early Action are not required to notify the college of their enrollment intentions until May 1. Check with each specific college to see if you can apply Early Action to more than one college with no penalty.
(SAT I, SAT II, and TOEFL tests should be taken in the spring of the junior year if considering this option.)
Rolling Admission - A procedure whereby a college accepts or rejects a student shortly after the student’s
application folder is complete. Most colleges use this system in selecting their incoming freshman class.
Wait List - A term used by institutions to describe a process by which the institution does not initially offer or deny
admission, but extends to a candidate the possibility of admission in the future.
If a student intends to apply to colleges and universities that are highly selective, some specific information must be considered.
Degree of difficulty and challenge in coursework All four years are carefully evaluated, with 7th semester reports critical
in individual cases. An important course should not be omitted because of fear of its effect on the grade-point average.
Class rank Grade-point average is often re-calculated by colleges using their own systems. Most selective colleges
compute GPA using only the five academic "college preparatory" disciplines.
Essays are important! An interesting, well-written essay can tip the scales in an applicant's favor, or vice-versa.
Take the time to do a good job - a significant personal experience and its effect on you is a good place to start.
Recommendations (from faculty, counselors, coaches, etc.) Be sure to request these well before any deadline!
Standardized tests (SAT I, SAT II, ACT) Spring of junior year should be the latest one's initial test is taken.
Most selective colleges desire the SAT I and SAT II tests. When the SAT I and SAT II are reported to a specific college
by an individual student, all prior results of that same test are included. Colleges also differ as to how they record this
data (i.e., some colleges will take the highest verbal score from one test date and the highest math score from
another test date, and some colleges may average all of the student's verbal scores together and all of his/her math
scores together).
Early Action/Early Decision The percentage of students applying for these two programs has increased significantly in
the last few years. The colleges are building their classes with more students who are early applicants.
These plans require students to know their first choice college in the fall of their senior year. A student interested in
these plans should be doing their college search throughout junior year.
