COLLEGE BOUND

GUIDELINES FOR STUDENTS APPLYING TO COLLEGE

S. Watkins and S. Raihall, Counselors

Center for Arts &Technology

Pickering Campus

1580 Charlestown Road

Phoenixville PA 19460

610-933-8877 (PH) 610-983-9868 (fax)

revised 1/11
Attention Juniors! Now is the time to begin the process of college selection. This is a major endeavor for most people and can be a little overwhelming. We are here to help you through this process. We will work with you step by step until you have found the college that is going to best meet your needs.

This workbook should prove helpful in answering questions you may have going through the college selection process. We have included worksheets that will help you in organizing the information you need when applying to college and a timeline to help you meet deadlines.

Finding the right college and going through the application process takes a lot of work, but with sufficient research and planning, the pay back is great – an experience that is exciting and rewarding! Remember, an early start will make this a much more pleasurable experience.

GOOD LUCK!

TIMELINE FOR FINALIZING COLLEGE SELECTION

JUNIOR YEAR – SPRING SEMESTER

SAT I and/or ACT

Required junior year by many state universities, military academies and ROTC scholarships, rolling admissions colleges; required for early-decision candidates; optional but recommended for others. (Registration material may be picked up in the guidance office.)

Register online for these tests at --- For SAT

---For ACT

SAT II (previously known as the achievement tests)

Taken after completion of appropriate course, candidates for early-decision, military academies and ROTC scholarships may take achievement tests junior year.

AP EXAMS

Taken in May while enrolled in the appropriate course, i.e. American Government.

(Cost: $82.00)

ROTC, MILITARY ACADEMIES

Begin application process.

COLLEGE VISITATION

Preferably when college is in session.

COLLEGE APPLICATIONS

Should be completed on line during the summer

SENIOR YEAR – FALL SEMESTER

Submit Application

Check catalogs or websites for all deadlines. Allow at least two weeks for the Guidance Offices to process applications. (That is ten working days.) Applications with December 31st or January 1st deadlines should be submitted to the Guidance Office no later than December 1st.

SAT’s and ACT’s

Check websites for exact dates.

Financial Aid

Check college catalogs. Obtain financial aid forms through the mail, online, or through the Guidance Office. Fill out Financial Aid forms after January 1st. The forms are also online at (must first register for PIN @ All students applying for financial aid must fill out the Free Application for Financial Aid (FAFSA). Many colleges have their own financial aid form or use the Profile (put out by the CollegeBoard). Check Financial Aid Offices.

Financial Aid Workshop

Offered by Chester County Intermediate Unit (CCIU) for parents and students. The Guidance Office will post dates as they near. Home school districts also offer these workshops.

Letters of Recommendation

Ask the counselors and/or teachers for letters of recommendation before handing in applications.

SENIOR YEAR – SPRING SEMESTER

Mid-year Grade Report

Sent by Guidance Office to colleges upon student request.

College Notification

Letters accepting or declining admissions will be sent to student. Bring the original letter to the guidance office.

Local Scholarships

A copy of an acceptance letter must be on file with the Guidance Office before a student will be issued an application for a local scholarship.

AP Examinations

MAY – Cost per test: $82.00

Counselor Notification

Students inform counselors of their final college choice.

Final Grade Report (Transcript)

Sent upon student or college request.

TEST GLOSSARY

ACTAmerican College Test is used interchangeably with SATs for admission and/or placement. Check catalogues.

APAdvance Placement Test is given in May and is used for placement or college credit.

PLANPreliminary ACT Test that is administered in the fall of the sophomore year. It covers the skills and knowledge in English, Reading, Science and Mathematics.

PSAT/NMSQTPreliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test exposes students to college testing in the Sophomore or Junior Year. It identifies National Merit Scholars and outstanding minority students.

SAT IScholastic Aptitude Test is used for admission by most colleges.

SAT IICollege Board Achievement Tests cover special academic areas (e.g. Math, English, American History, etc.) Required by many competitive colleges for admissions and/or placement. Check catalogues.

RELEASE OF TEST SCORES TO COLLEGES

The student is responsible for having test scores sent directly from the testing organizations (College Boards/ACT) to the colleges. This is usually done on the same forms used to register for the college tests (e.g. SAT, ACT). If it is not done at this time, the student should obtain the “Additional Space Report Form” from the Guidance Office and mail with the necessary fee to the testing organization.

FEE WAIVER OPPORTUNITIES

Students unable to pay the fees of the SAT or ACT examinations may request a fee waiver from the Guidance Office. Such students also can request a college to waive the application fee. Eligibility requirement information is available from the counselors.

CAREER AND COLLEGE CONFERENCES

College Admission Officers and Speakers from various careers hold informative sessions for students prior to arrival.

ADVANCED PLACEMENT

Students may qualify for advanced college placement by means of: 1) the Advanced Placement examinations; 2) College Board’s achievement examinations (SAT II); and 3) the College Level Examination Program (CLEP). Contact the college admissions office for detailed information.

Achievement examinations (SAT II) are administered throughout the year as part of the College Board Testing Program.

Students considering CLEP should visit

COLLEGE FAIRS

College Fairs provide an opportunity to quickly obtain information directly from a number of different colleges. In the fall, several hundred colleges are represented at the Philadelphia Fair. The Chester County College Fair is scheduled for the fall. For information on college fairs, search the internet or check with your guidance counselor.

ADMISSION POLICIES

TRADITIONAL (Regular)

Under this plan you must apply before a given date, for example, February 15th and then by April 15th of the same year the college will give you their answer.

ROLLING ADMISSION

Under this plan you apply at any time prior to a deadline date and will receive a decision as soon as your file is completed on a “first come, first serve” basis.

EARLY DECISION ADMISSION

This plan is only for those who are sure of the college they want to attend and whose probability of admission is high. If accepted early, you are obligated to attend the college so you should be aware of this commitment before you apply. Additional requirements may include taking the SATs in your junior year and an early financial aid form supplied by the college.

EARLY ACTION

This plan is only for those who are sure of the college they want to attend. If accepted early, you are NOT obligated to attend the college. This is not binding. If accepted, you may compare admissions and financial aid offers and wait to commit to the college until later in the year.

OPEN ADMISSION

This is the policy of a college to admit high school graduates and other adults generally without regard to conventional academic qualification, such as college prep subjects, high school grades and admission test scores. Thus virtually everyone who applies is accepted. Community Colleges in Pennsylvania have an open admission policy.

DEFERRED ADMISSION

This option permits you to gain admission to a school one year after you graduate. Consult college catalogs to determine which schools make this plan available.

EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH THE ARMED SERVICES

The Guidance Office maintains current information regarding the Armed Service Programs, ROTC and ROTC Scholarship Programs and Service Academy bulletins.

Representatives of each branch of the Armed Services visit our school during the year. It is very important to begin investigating service options during the junior year. For detailed information, contact the local recruiting offices, or:

PROCEDURE FOR SENDING COLLEGE APPLICATIONS AND TRANSCRIPTS

  1. If not requested at the time of testing, instruct the College Testing Service(s) to send your latest SAT and/or ACT scores to the colleges of your choice. Additional School Report Forms are available for this purpose in the Guidance Office. Even though your test scores may be on your transcript, many colleges require that the scores be sent directly from the Testing Services.
  1. Follow application instructions. When the application is completed, you may meet with your counselor to review application materials. When your application is complete, hand it in to your counselor only. NEVER leave application materials on a desk! DON’T FORGET THE APPLICATION FEE! SUBMIT A TRANSCRIPT REQUEST FORM WITH EACH APPLICATION. These forms can be obtained from the Guidance Office.
  1. APPLICATION DEADLINES ARE YOUR RESPONSIBILITY! Submit completed applications at least 10 school days prior to deadlines for processing.
  1. LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION: Students requesting a letter of recommendation from a teacher should give the teacher a stamped, addressed envelope and recommendation form (if required) to be sent directly to the college/school or have the teacher return the recommendation letter to your counselor to mail in with application.
  1. THE COMMON APPLICATION. Certain colleges use a common application form. This form can be used for more than one college if the college is a participating college. (They are listed on the application form). You should keep the original copy of the application and send photocopies to each college to which you are applying. The school report form should be given to the Guidance Office with a list of colleges and their addresses to which you are applying. The teacher evaluation form should be given to the teacher of your choice along with addressed, stamped envelopes.

REMEMBER: APPLYING ON LINE IS ALWAYS THE BEST CHOICE!!

WHAT COLLEGES ARE LOOKING FOR

Before you begin to fill out applications, be sure you have a clear understanding of what the colleges are looking for when they establish their admissions standards. Selective and highly competitive colleges basically use the same criteria in selecting a freshman class from a bright and highly motivated group of applicants.

Most colleges evaluate their applications academically and non-academically to give applicants an overall rating. The academic evaluation is usually the more important of the two.

A. ACADEMIC CRITERIA

  1. Demonstrated academic achievement – YOUR HIGH SCHOOL TRANSCRIPT AND CLASS RANK ARE OF THE UTMOST IMPORTANCE. Special attention may be paid to Grades 9, 10 and/or 11.
  1. Quality of courses – Have you taken advanced or AP courses? Have you followed a particular discipline through to the highest level offered?
  1. Testing – Your SAT and ACT scores, supported by your achievement test scores, have been verified as a reliable predicator of college success when evaluated in combination with high school grades.
  1. Teacher Recommendation – Select the teachers thoughtfully and try to ask someone who has seen you at your best. Colleges prefer recommendations from teachers you had in high school.
  1. Demonstrated motivation – Do your records/recommendations show your motivation for a particular course of study?
  1. Mid-year Transcript – A student’s academic performance in the senior year can solidify your acceptance or in some cases, colleges will rescind offers of admission due to poor academic achievement.

B. NON-ACADEMIC CRITERIA

  1. Your activities and interests – What have been your primary involvements in your current high school, your previous school or in your community? Remember that two or three well-developed interests are preferable to a longer list of partially pursued clubs and activities.
  1. Evidence of leadership in activities.
  1. School recommendation – We will send one letter of recommendation to each school which uses this in their admissions process. This letter covers your academic and non-academic interests, ability and motivation.
  1. One outside recommendation – This can be helpful ONLY if the writer knows you well and can relate information that is not provided by us. Letters from powerful alumni, your family or parents are of little help and tend to bog down, rather than help, the admissions process.
  1. Personal part of the application – Do you take the time to fill out the biographical data neatly, completely and IN INK! Type if possible. Can you express yourself well in writing? Those essays are important! Don’t rush through them at the last minute just to turn in your application.
  1. Personal interview – At the most selective colleges, the interview on campus or with an alumnus/a can be significant.
  1. Special Talent – The admissions Committee is looking for uniqueness in your admission credentials, a different or exciting consideration that sets you apart from the other candidates and may produce a favorable decision for you. Selective colleges are looking for outstanding musicians, writers, actors, athletes, editors, photographers, etc.
  1. Children of Alumni/ae – You will receive careful attention at most colleges and at some, you can expect to get preferential treatment IF all other credentials are equal.

CHOOSING A COLLEGE

There are several important characteristics that must be considered when choosing a college. Your college choice will affect not only the four years after high school, but also the rest of your life. Below are some of the major characteristics to consider:

A. SIZE:

Do you want to be part of a large campus where you can meet new and interesting people? Do you enjoy being a part of large groups? Would having a lecture with 500 people interest you? Do you want to be part of a large campus, which may contain miles of buildings and facilities, or do you want small classes with low teacher/student ratios. Would you like to be able to walk to your classes, as opposed to taking a bus? Do you prefer to have 100 people in your dorm as compared to 1000? Do you want to join activities and know most of the members? These are questions that will help you decide on the size of college or university you wish to attend.

B. LOCATION:

Many students from rural communities may wish to spend four years in an urban setting in a large city. Others will prefer to continue living in a rural or suburban setting. Also consider the distance from your home. Do you want to commute or come home on weekends? Would you prefer to travel across the country?

C. ACADEMIC SELECTIVITY:

Colleges vary as to the academic standards they require of their entering freshman and upper classmen. Obviously, students should select a college at which they will be challenged and yet meet success. In addition to selectivity, students should research the program and major which they plan to pursue. How large is the department? What percentage of the professors holds a Ph.D. in their field? Does the school have a graduate department in your field of interest? At collegeboard.com link you can search colleges and universities using the above criteria.

D. REACH, REALISTIC, SAFETY SCHOOLS:

Reach – This is the school you have always dreamed of attending, but you are uncertain whether your grades and test scores are high enough. The admission criteria are competitive and a small percentage of applicants are admitted.

Realistic – These are the colleges of universities where you would be happy and comfortable. The academic programs fit your interests, abilities and needs. Your qualifications closely match those of the average student admitted.

Safety – These are schools where your grades and test scores are in the upper end of the requirement range. Schools in this category should be secure for you.

E. EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES:

Activities play a large role in a student’s college career. They may lead to career opportunities through contacts and experiences. Check to see if the college has a soccer team, international exchange program, student government, marching band and/or fraternities and sororities. These activities are very important to most college students.

F. FINANCIAL CONCERNS

Of course, college cost will be a major concern to students and parents. However, it is important to remember that private schools often have large endowments and will offset their cost by offering students generous financial aid packages. This makes many schools once thought untouchable, attainable to many students.

At this point, a preliminary investigation of colleges can begin. You should begin gathering information using available resources and meeting with college representatives. A broad list including ACT, SAT I AND SAT II should be pursued.