When should I start the college process? While it is never too early to start thinking about colleges it is best to start the process in the spring of your junior year. April break and Summer provide great opportunities to visit schools and if you wait until the fall of your senior year you will probably feel rushed in making a very important decision.
How do I find and research colleges? There are many resources for finding good colleges. The best place to start is to establish the major or subject area you are wishing to study in college. If you are undecided it is still easy to focus on other qualities such as proximity to Rhode Island, price, and general academic quality. A general google search for these things as well as using the resources of books, teachers, collegeboard, collegeprowler, US Weekly, and collegeconfidental will narrow down a list that further in person visits can narrow even further.
How do I plan a Campus Visit? Campus visits are great tools to find out more about a prospective college. The first consideration in making a visit are the normal traveling logistics, which can become much more technical if you have to travel further away. Beyond this you have to contact the admissions office, normally online, to inform them what time you want to take the tour. They might also offer many other opportunities such as meeting with a student, which you may want to take advantage of. Finally, once on the tour make sure you are attentive, picturing if you could fit on the campus.
When should I begin to apply? To get ahead of the game its always safe to begin planning some of your applications the summer before Senior year. While you do not have to have your application list finalized you can open an account on commonap.org and fill in the info needed. This is also a good time to start your college essay or any other supplements that you really want to prefect. To be comfortable it is nice to send the application a month before the deadline but Guidance must have your cover sheet two weeks before the deadline for proper postage.
Can I reuse essays? Sure, if two or more colleges are asking the same questions or are looking for the same material such as a personal statement. Instead of writing multiple similar copies of an essay focus on writing the best essay possible that you can reuse.
What should I hand into guidance? Three blue sheets from teachers (these are short recommendations from your teachers that your guidance counselor will use when writing your formal letter), orange brag sheet (filled out by you), pink brag sheet (filled out by your parents, optional), and Counselor School Forms (from guidance counselor/school forms portion of the Common App), along with two dollars for every college you are applying to.
When should I ask teachers to fill out Blue Sheets/Letters of Rec? The best time to ask teachers is before summer, around the months of May and June. This is nice for teachers because it first gives teachers plenty of time to fill out the necessary paperwork. This is also nice for you because it gives you plenty of time to find another teacher if your original choice is unable to. However if you do not get around to asking teachers in the fall you will still be fine.
Do all colleges use the Common Application? Not necessarily. While most do have the common application, many schools have a separate application which can be accessed on the admissions page of the individuals college website.
What are School and Counselor Forms? School and counselor forms are types of paperwork that must be filled out in order to apply to college. The East Greenwich forms can be found on this website or in the guidance office. The college forms can be found using the commonap website or the individual college’s website.
What days can I take the SATs and ACTs? The SATs are typically available on March 9, 2012; May 4, 2013; June 1, 2013; they are also typically available on the same Saturday of any year including the first Saturday of October, November, December and the last Saturday in January. The ACTs are available on February 9, 2013; April 13, 2013; and June 8, 2013. They will most likely be available on the same Saturday for any other year as well as the beginning of September, December, February, and the last week in October.
How do I send my SAT scores? Once you receive your score report, you can go onto the College Board website and log in; then you click on SAT and send scores. From there, you can type in the colleges that you want to send your scores to. You can also choose which of your test scores you would like to send.
How do I send my ACT scores? You go to actstudent.org and login or create a username and password. Click on “Send Your Scores” on the left-hand side of the page, select the schools you would like to send them to, pay, and press Send. Make sure to print your scores.
How many colleges should I apply to? While this answer will vary greatly from person to person most sources will reccomend from six to eight. If you have more maybe try to narrow down the list with a campus visit and if you have less maybe consider adding a couple to your list through online research. If after these actions your list does not change do not worry, as long as you're comfortable with it you're applying to the right number of schools.
How do I find out college deadlines? Deadlines for individual colleges are posted on their websites in the admissions tab. Also, deadlines can be accessed through guidance, college board, and the common app.
What is Early Action/Decision? Both of these options are provided by colleges to provide a decision (accepted/denied) for eager students. Early Action is non-binding and is therefore just like a regular decision except you get your decision is November rather than March of April. Early Decision is binding meaning that if you are accepted you must go to that school.
What is the Common Application? The Common Application is a standardized application that is used by hundreds of colleges allowing you to fill out one application and send them out electronically to multiple schools rather than filling out several similar applications.
How do AP Tests work? Advanced Placement tests are done by collegeboard in order to give you college credit for high school courses. Through out the year you will prepare for the test that you will be taking in May. Depending on the college a three or above on a five scale will give you college credit which can potentially save a great deal of money.