Acuity College Counseling

#1 – Create Application Accounts

admin — Sun, 15 Aug 2021 00:00:48 +0000

Advice

For Rising Seniors.

Ten Ways Rising Seniors Can Get Ready to Apply to College

#1 – Create Application Accounts

The Common Application, accepted by more than 900 colleges and universities, officially opened on August 1st, and students can create their account at: https://apply.commonapp.org/createaccount.

Student can also use the Coalition Application, another form that allows students to submit one application to simultaneously to several schools. The Coalition Application is currently accepted at 150 schools, and information about it and how to create an account can be found at: https://www.coalitionforcollegeaccess.org/.

While lesser known, the Universal Application is accepted by 44 schools including several most selective schools such as Harvard, Duke and Vanderbilt. More information about the Universal Application can be found at:
https://www.universalcollegeapp.com/.

Smaller private schools and sometimes larger public universities may choose to use their own applications so students will need to visit each school’s website and follow specific directions found on the Undergraduate Admissions pages. For schools that use a state-wide application system, such as those located in California or Texas, students can also find application requirements, deadlines, and how to create accounts on individual college websites.

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#2 – Create Financial Aid Accounts

admin — Sat, 14 Aug 2021 23:00:18 +0000

Advice

For Rising Seniors.

Ten Ways Rising Seniors Can Get Ready to Apply to College

#2 – Create Financial Aid Accounts

Even though the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) does not officially open until October 1st, students can proactively create a Federal Student Aid (FSA) account at https://studentaid.gov/.

As a part of this process, students will be assigned an FSA ID number. This number will be of critical importance to students throughout the aid process in that it serves as their electronic signature.

This account also allows students to apply for federal financial aid via the FAFSA. States, individual colleges and universities, and private scholarship programs rely on the information provided in FAFSA so students should consider this form as important as their applications for admission.

Like the FAFSA, the College Scholarship Service (CSS) profile is used to assess a family’s income and assets and helps to calculate their Expected Family Contribution (EFC.) Primarily used by private colleges and some state universities, schools use the CSS profile to determine institutional grants, scholarships, and state aid.

According to the CSS program, ‘each year it provides access to more than $9 billion dollars in aid to thousands of undergraduate, graduate, and professional students.’

For more information on this program, and to set up a CSS account, please visit: https://cssprofile.collegeboard.org/.

Understanding, organizing, and applying for financial aid can be complex and time-consuming, and Acuity College Counseling is available to assist students and their parents as they plan and prepare to complete these essential forms.

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#3 – Develop an Application Management Chart

admin — Sat, 14 Aug 2021 22:00:52 +0000

Advice

For Rising Seniors.

Ten Ways Rising Seniors Can Get Ready to Apply to College

#3 – Develop an Application Management Chart

By now, many seniors have a good idea of the schools they think will be a good fit for them.

If a student is planning to apply to multiple schools, it is essential to stay organized so key requirements and important deadlines are not overlooked or missed. A good way to do this is by creating a chart that includes each school along with the application used, due dates and deadlines, testing requirements (if any) and if they accept letters of recommendation or need supplemental information.

It is also helpful for seniors to visit the admissions page of each school to see if there are specific requirements for admission that they will need to meet. They should also explore the school’s website to learn what each school considers as important factors when considering applications. When a student begins to populate their applications, this information can be helpful as they decide how to prioritize their activities, achievements, and recognitions.

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#4 – Visit Schools and Correspond with the Admissions Office

admin — Sat, 14 Aug 2021 21:00:38 +0000

Advice

For Rising Seniors.

Ten Ways Rising Seniors Can Get Ready to Apply to College

#4 – Visit Schools and Correspond with the Admissions Office

Whenever possible, a student should visit the schools they have selected, especially the ones where they have the most interest. If formal tours are not being offered, students can take a self-guided tour by walking around a campus to get a feel for what they like (or don’t) and if they could envision themselves there.

If a student is unable to visit a school, most colleges offer virtual tours that provide information that is equivalent to that given during a formal admissions presentation. When it is not feasible for a student to visit a school because of location or other factors, it is advisable to take the virtual tour because they can include footage of the campus and student interviews that can offer valuable insight into a school’s atmosphere and what it has to offer.

It is also advisable to begin an email correspondence with the school’s regional admissions officer responsible for the student’s area or state. This can be as simple as letting them know of a planned visit or asking specific questions about the school, degree programs, clubs, dorms, or campus activities.

Some schools offer virtual appointments with admissions officers. Often, this person will be the regional representative that will handle a student’s application so whenever possible, these visits should be scheduled. Along with providing ‘a face to go with a name,’ these visits are a good opportunity for a student to self-advocate and express their interest in a college directly to the person who will play a role in their admissions decision.

While not all schools consider ‘level of interest’ to be important when making admissions decisions, every time a student contacts a school it is noted in their application file. While no one can guarantee that showing interest in a college will ultimately have an impact on a student’s chances for admission, it is better to have a file that includes examples of interest as opposed to one that doesn’t.

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#5 – Plan for Standardized Tests and Submitting Scores

admin — Sat, 14 Aug 2021 20:00:17 +0000

Advice

For Rising Seniors.

Ten Ways Rising Seniors Can Get Ready to Apply to College

#5 – Plan for Standardized Tests and Submitting Scores

Very few students love the idea of taking tests, and the opportunity to forego them can be appealing. Why take a test if you don’t have to?

While many students are taking advantage of test-optional policies that are currently in place at more than 1,650 four-year US colleges and universities, it is a decision that should not be made lightly. Students should leave the door to testing open because they may find their ‘perfect’ school requires scores, and they do not want to be left scrambling to meet a registration deadline or be ill-prepared for the SAT or the ACT.

It is also not advisable to skip testing if a student plans to apply to a highly selective school that accepts less than 20% of its applicants. In this case, most of the applicants are likely to have exceptional profiles that include rigorous curriculums, strong GPAs, and in-depth accomplishments.

Since test results are a metric that can used to predict academic success, if a student has done well with standardized testing it can be beneficial to submit their scores. If their scores are not within or above the median range that the school has published on their website, then a student may want to consider taking advantage of the opportunity to go test optional if it is offered.

Regardless of a school’s acceptance rate, if a student decides to go test optional, they will need to demonstrate academic ability with other parts of their applications such as thoughtful, well-written essays and stellar teacher recommendations.

While testing is rarely anyone’s favorite pastime, before a final decision is made to ‘test or not to test,’ it is important for a student to be completely familiar with the admission requirements at each school they are considering.

For an up-to-date list of the four-year US colleges and universities that will be test optional for Fall 2022 admissions, visit https://fairtest.org/university/optional.

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#6 – Evaluate Senior Year Courses

admin — Sat, 14 Aug 2021 19:00:45 +0000

Advice

For Rising Seniors.

Ten Ways Rising Seniors Can Get Ready to Apply to College

#6 – Evaluate Senior Year Courses

Because the rigor of a student’s chosen high school curriculum is generally the first thing a college will consider during the admissions review process, the fall semester of a student’s senior year offers a final chance to demonstrate they have challenged themselves through academics.

A senior may want to touch base with their guidance counselor or academic advisor to determine if they should consider changing or ‘upping’ their classes so they can meet very important factor in the college admissions process. They may also want to review their past courses to make sure they are not only on target to complete the criteria for graduation, but that they will also fulfill the basic course requirements held by the colleges where they plan to apply.

While these requirements can vary, most colleges and universities will want to see that a student has completed a core curriculum that includes:

English 4 years
Math 3 years
Science 2-3 years
Social Studies 2-3 years
Foreign Language 2-3 years
Art 1-2 years

At schools considered to be most selective (accepting 20% or less of its applicants) there will be an additional expectation for higher levels of math, science, and language arts derived from Honors, Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) classes.

As with all aspects of the college admissions process, students need to familiarize themselves with the academic expectations at each of the schools where they want to apply. If a student is planning to pursue a specific degree, such as those in STEM programs, they will want to make sure that they have taken the kinds of classes that demonstrate their interest and abilities. When applying for a specific major, a lack of supporting curriculum can have an impact on admission decisions.

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#7 – Enhance Extracurricular Activities

admin — Sat, 14 Aug 2021 18:00:34 +0000

Advice

For Rising Seniors.

Ten Ways Rising Seniors Can Get Ready to Apply to College

#7 – Enhance Extracurricular Activities

The fall semester of senior year also offers a final opportunity for a student to enhance their overall profile.

Some students may start that feel they have ‘not done enough’ and will rush to join clubs or try new activities, but this is not a good strategy. Colleges are savvy, and they can tell when a student has done something for the wrong reasons. Students should consider ways they can increase their participation in extra-curricular and volunteer activities where they are already involved, but especially in those where they can demonstrate leadership.

Nearly all college applications contain a section dedicated solely to a student’s extracurricular activities. Schools use this list to determine what has mattered to a student outside or in addition to academics, and they learn how well-prepared a student may be to handle a college environment where their time will not be as structured as it was in high school.

Schools can also use a list of activities to ascertain the types of skills a student has developed that go beyond grades. A student that has been deeply involved in projects and programs that include working and communicating effectively with others or that require leadership skills show they are prepared are to be successful not only on a college campus, but in life as well.

From this standpoint, adding new activities during senior year does not provide the same benefit as deepening their commitment to existing clubs and organizations. This can be easily done by volunteering for special efforts or events, recruiting new members, helping to raise awareness about a group’s purpose, working with an organization to promote its visibility, or by helping to raise funds; all skills that are useful throughout life.

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#8 – Select the Optimal Essay Topic

admin — Sat, 14 Aug 2021 17:00:58 +0000

Advice

For Rising Seniors.

Ten Ways Rising Seniors Can Get Ready to Apply to College

#8 – Select the Optimal Essay Topic

Colleges want to gain a complete sense of their applicants, and the essay is an opportunity for students to share something that admissions officers may not find anywhere else in their application. The essay will be especially important if a student is not submitting test scores. Colleges must find a way to learn more about a student, and a well-written essay can provide the answer.

A student’s choice of an essay topic should be one that allows them to write with an authentic voice that ‘shows, not tells’ who they are and how their mind works. When colleges are comparing applicants that may have similar grades and accomplishments, this kind of essay can often help a student stand out during the review process. In addition, an essay that clearly demonstrates something that is unique to a student enables a college admissions committee to get a sense of their likeability and if they are a good fit for the school.

The Common Application offers a range of essay topics or prompts that allows a student to write about their life experiences, insights, important moments, or passions and interests. These prompts offer a student a chance to talk openly about themselves, their pursuits, or an experience that left an impression on their lives and how they grew from it. More importantly, each essay is opportunity for a student to display intellectual curiosity. That is, connecting their story to what it has taught them and how they have applied that lesson to their education.

The Common Application essay prompts for Fall 2022 admissions can be found at: https://www.commonapp.org/apply/essay-prompts.

Coalition Application essay prompts for Fall 2022 admissions can be found at: https://www.coalitionforcollegeaccess.org/essays.

Private colleges or larger universities systems often develop their own prompts or ask for personal statements that are supplemental to the Common Application or Coalition Application. It is important that seniors check each of their schools’ websites to determine if they will need additional essays or personal statements and make note of this on their Application Management Charts.

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#9 – Consider Teacher Recommendations

admin — Sat, 14 Aug 2021 16:00:55 +0000

Advice

For Rising Seniors.

Ten Ways Rising Seniors Can Get Ready to Apply to College

#9 – Consider Teacher Recommendations

Thoughtful consideration should also be given to which teachers to ask for recommendations. These individuals should be ones that can address a student’s academic abilities in a sincere and honest manner. While teacher recommendations often do not carry as much weight not as a student’s curriculum choices or grades, they are read with serious intent by admissions committees.

If there are special circumstances that may have had an impact on a student’s academic profile and ability to participate in extracurriculars, it can be beneficial to have a teacher, principal, or guidance counselor provide insight on how a student responded to the situation.

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#10 – Draft a Team

admin — Sat, 14 Aug 2021 15:00:42 +0000

Advice

For Rising Seniors.

Ten Ways Rising Seniors Can Get Ready to Apply to College

#10 – Draft a Team

Acuity will say it many times: applying to college is not rocket science. It is, however, time consuming and tedious, and students should not have to tackle this important moment alone.

As a part of Acuity’s ‘common sense approach to college applications,’ we urge seniors to help themselves by drafting a ‘team’ of supporters that can provide advice and, when needed, breaks from filling out applications and crafting essays and personal statements.

Good people to consider for membership in a support system include parents, guidance counselors, teachers, coaches, and of course, friends who are sharing the college admissions process at the same time.

Acuity is available to be a team member and can provide answers and insights into what colleges will look to find on a student’s application. Contact us for more information on how we support a student on their journey towards higher education.

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