The Dreaded College Application Process
by Amalie Ise, Junior, iPreparatory Academy | with Ms. Keller, sponsor of the Phoenix Flyer
by Amalie Ise, Junior, iPreparatory Academy | with Ms. Keller, sponsor of the Phoenix Flyer
Applying to college is a task that all iPrep students will face. But the College Application Process is a mountain that seems insurmountable too many. Much of this information was given and learned in a Junior College Advisement Meeting led by Ms. James.
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Prep-Work:
The first realization for any senior is being realistic about their GPA, standardized test scores (SAT or ACT), and resume (clubs, school activities, extracurricular activities, and volunteering). Most iPrep students create their first resume in Careers Class or when they apply for Internship. However, when creating a resume for college, students should not forget to highlight all the academic achievements and special projects they have done or are still doing (as a senior). |
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Another great piece of advice is to always request letters of recommendation in person and EARLY (at the end of junior year or in the summer before senior year), doing it online results in not getting a letter. The best advice is to ask teachers or adult supervisors where the student and adult have a good working relationship, where the student achieved or made improvements, or where the adult has a background in the field of study that the student is interested in.
And, then there’s the good ‘ole college essay. This is another topic, all together. Maybe tune in to my next article about college essays, but as we hear from any student or person who has written this: Be prepared to write several drafts of the college essay.
And, then there’s the good ‘ole college essay. This is another topic, all together. Maybe tune in to my next article about college essays, but as we hear from any student or person who has written this: Be prepared to write several drafts of the college essay.
Applying– Do Your Research:The first thing a student must do before submitting an application is to consider where they would like to apply (do research). Ms. James, our guidance counselor, suggests creating a list of schools, approximately 3-10, that matches your interests. Ms. Keller, who has been advising students for, well, what feels like forever and with a little help from some graduating seniors, has some pointers when researching schools:
The application itself should include their personal information or a personal essay, their high school transcript, SAT/ACT scores, and letters of recommendation.
- First, look at location, size, and majors.
- Do you want a small environment (fewer than 5,000 students) , a medium school (5,000- 15,000 students), or large university (over 15,000)? What does this all mean?
- Do you want to be in a city or a small town? Do you want to be in the north, midwest, south, or west? Have you considered international universities?
- Look at the majors offered and the specialized programming. What do you think you would want or need? Some schools have specialities or even honors programs.
- Then, narrow down your list (remember 10 schools is a good amount).
- You should have three categories of schools BASED on your high school GPA and Standardized Test (SAT or ACT) scores.
- You should have 3 “safety schools,” which are schools that have an 80% acceptance rate for your scores.
- You should have 3 “reach schools,” which are schools that have an acceptance rate of 50 to 80% for your scores.
- And you should have 1-3 “dream schools,” which have a 15 to 30% acceptance rate for your scores.
- You should have three categories of schools BASED on your high school GPA and Standardized Test (SAT or ACT) scores.
The application itself should include their personal information or a personal essay, their high school transcript, SAT/ACT scores, and letters of recommendation.
WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT DEADLINES?!?!?!
There are different kinds of deadlines student must meet including Early Action, Early Decision, and Priority Deadlines:
There are different kinds of deadlines student must meet including Early Action, Early Decision, and Priority Deadlines:
- Early Action (EA) is when a student applies earlier than most students, but it’s not binding (binding means you must commit to going to that school). Apply to as many colleges EA as needed or that you can.
- Early Decision (ED) is a binding contract that students, parents, and Ms. James, a guidance counselor, will have to sign. When a student applies for an ED Decision and gets in they MUST go to the college no matter what. A student will only apply to 1 ED school.
- Priority Deadline is the final day to submit an application for a student to have a higher chance of getting into a college. This is an important date because applying after decreases the likelihood of getting accepted.
- Rolling Admissions means that the University will evaluate the applications as they are received. Decisions will be released in chunks rather than all being released on the same day.
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FINANCIAL AID!!
Financial aid is very important upon applying to colleges. To be eligible for any financial aid, families must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FASFA) application. This includes grants and scholarships, loans, and work studies. FAFSA opens on October 1st, 2022 or the class of 2023 (approximately the same time each year). Some colleges require that the FASFA form be submitted with the application, so they can ensure that they will receive all the benefits. Check this! Here is the FAFSA link for more information: https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa |
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WHAT DO I NEED TO KNOW FOR iPrep?
Ms. James, our counselor, uses the system, Scoir, which is a college research and planning website that connects students to colleges for a smoother admissions experience. In Scoir, students can create/upload resumes, research colleges, and communicate with counselors and teachers. Scoir is also important because it is a system that expedites college documents to be easily sent to colleges. Scoir includes over 900 colleges and universities, so students can follow schools to keep up with them. For example, if there is an event at that school, the student will be notified and they will have the chance to attend. Scoir also gives important information, such as middle ranges SAT and ACT scores, along with GPA for schools on the platform.
Ms. James, our counselor, uses the system, Scoir, which is a college research and planning website that connects students to colleges for a smoother admissions experience. In Scoir, students can create/upload resumes, research colleges, and communicate with counselors and teachers. Scoir is also important because it is a system that expedites college documents to be easily sent to colleges. Scoir includes over 900 colleges and universities, so students can follow schools to keep up with them. For example, if there is an event at that school, the student will be notified and they will have the chance to attend. Scoir also gives important information, such as middle ranges SAT and ACT scores, along with GPA for schools on the platform.
IN THE END…
Colleges will also require a student’s final grades and high school transcript. Colleges are looking to see a trend of improvement over the high school years and rigorous classes. Colleges frown upon course work that “looks lazy,” and if a student underachieves or fails a class after they apply (2nd-semester senior year), the school can rescind (cancel) a student's application or admission (Keller has stories of students who were rejected AFTER being admitted for lack of completion of the course or failing a course in senior year).
Colleges will also require a student’s final grades and high school transcript. Colleges are looking to see a trend of improvement over the high school years and rigorous classes. Colleges frown upon course work that “looks lazy,” and if a student underachieves or fails a class after they apply (2nd-semester senior year), the school can rescind (cancel) a student's application or admission (Keller has stories of students who were rejected AFTER being admitted for lack of completion of the course or failing a course in senior year).
Tips From the Graduating Seniors:
Non-traditional applier:
Non-traditional applier:
- Javier Gomez- Parsons, The New School, Cornell, Brown, Harvard, Fashion Institute of Technology (F.I.T), Rhode Island School of Design (R.I.S.D.), Savannah College of Art and Design (S.C.A.D.)
- He regrets not starting his portfolio earlier and not knowing what he wanted to do.
- His advice is that, if you are thinking of going to a fashion (or for any art) school, put everything into your portfolio!
- Natalia Lima: Florida International University, Florida State University, and University of Central Florida,
- She regrets applying later and waiting too long to apply, which results in fewer spaces (So, apply as early as you can!). She feels that this decreased her chances of getting into some schools.
- Vanesa Lopez: University of Central Florida, Florida State University, University of Miami, University of Southern California, Boston University, and the University of South Florida.
- She underestimated herself and was intimidated by AP students– she feared that by not taking AP classes, she wouldn’t “look” as good to the schools when they compared her transcript to others. She says, “apply anyways!”
- Maria Sears: Spelman College, Clark Atlanta University, Bethune-Cookman University, Edward Waters University, and Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University.
- She suggests looking into scholarships because HBCUs can be “stingy about money”.
- She says to start planning at the beginning of the junior year.
- And, she tells you to be aware that many HBCUs prefer community involvement. Involvement is more important than test scores.
- Eymani Barrias: Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, Bethune-Cookman University, Edward Waters University.
- She agrees with Maria: HBCUs look for community involvement and involvement in Black organizations.
- She believes that they want to see your personality and define who you really are.
- She also feels that leadership positions in clubs and activities are important for your college resume.
