Selecting a College & Becoming a
Competitive Applicant: a 4 year process
9TH GRADE
 Get serious about your studies. GPA & Class rank are important for acceptance into
most colleges.
 Develop effective study habits
 Strengthen your vocabulary by increasing reading
 Plan involvement in extra-curricular, class, & community activities purposefully
 Meet with your counselor about your plans for the next 4 years.
 Start browsing college literature and online resources to get ideas of schools you may
be interested in.
 Keep an academic portfolio and record of your co-curriculars to begin building your
resume. Resumes should include academic achievements, awards, honors, GPA,
leadership positions & school/community involvement.
 Start thinking about possible career interests.
 Begin saving for college!
10TH GRADECONCENTRATE ON ACADEMIC PREP AND CONTINUE TO
DEVELOP BASIC SKILLS AND CO-CURRICULAR INTERESTS.
 Fall Consider taking the PSAT on October 15th. The PSAT is a preliminary test that will prepare you for the SAT.
 Stay on top of academic work
 Get involved in co-curricular activities (*The level of involvement and accomplishment is most important,
not the number of activities.)
 Winter Visit college campuses while on vacation!
 Volunteer in the community
 Take a few career/interest inventories
 Keep browsing college literature to get ideas
 Spring-
 Register for the June SAT Subject test if you think you may apply to colleges that require or
recommend these tests.
 Plan for your summer- consider taking summer courses if necessary or participating in special
programs at our local colleges.
 Summer Consider working or volunteering
 Take the SAT subject tests you registered for
 Read to increase your vocabulary
 Visit college campuses while on vacation!
11TH GRADE
 Fall Begin college selection process.
 Attend college fairs, financial aid seminars, general info. Sessions, etc.
 Make sure you’re meeting NCAA requirements if you want to play Division I or II sports in college.
 Junior year grades are EXTREMELY important in the college admission process as well as for
scholarships and financial aid opportunities.
 Take the PSAT to become more familiar with standardized tests, and possibly qualify for the National
Merit Scholarship Competition.
 Winter Go over score results with your counselor. Consider registering for the ACT that will be given in
February. At GWHS, all juniors will take the state ACT in April, but you will likely wish to take it
more than once.
 As you explore various colleges, note if they prefer or require the ACT, the SAT, and/or the SAT
subject tests.
 Make preliminary lists of colleges you’d like to investigate further. Surf the internet, check in the
counseling office, and continue visiting campuses.
 STUDY for the ACT & SAT with online prep support. Consider taking the SAT/ACT prep course
offered in the Spring at West.
11TH GRADE
 Spring
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Update your resume
Request information from schools you’re interested in
Register for the May/June SAT and/or SAT subject tests
Register for the June ACT with writing, if you plan to retake it
Eliminate colleges from your list that you’re no longer interested in
Visit colleges during your spring break!
Start looking for scholarship opportunities, and what their requirements are.
 Summer-
 Take SAT and/or ACT tests you registered for in spring
 Get on the road to visit colleges. Seeing the college firsthand, taking a tour, and talking to
students can be the greatest help in deciding whether or not a school is right for you.
 Involve your parents and siblings in each step of the application process. The opinions of those
who know you best can provide helpful insight into which college is best.
 Begin preparing for the actual application process: draft application essays, collect writing
samples, and assemble portfolios.
 Register and send transcripts to the NCAA Clearinghouse if you hope to play DI or DII sports.
12TH GRADEAPPLY TO COLLEGES, MAKE DECISIONS, AND FINISH HIGH SCHOOL
WITH PRIDE IN YOURSELF AND YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS!
 Fall-
 Check application and financial aid deadlines for the schools to which you plan to apply. They
may vary.
 Meet with counselor- review school choices and admissions deadlines
 Register for the Oct/Nov SAT &/or ACT
 Begin asking teachers and counselors to write letters of recommendation- give at least 3 weeks
notice.
 Attend college fairs
 Attend weekly scholarship luncheons on Wednesdays, room 305
 Continue updating your portfolios/resumes/etc.
 Winter-
 Be sure when registering to take SAT/ACT to have your scores sent to the schools you’re
applying to.
 Keep back up copies of all applications submitted
 Don’t lose sight of your classes in the madness of applying to College.
 Ask your counselor to send your transcript again after first semester
 Complete the FASFA as early as possible (opens Jan. 1)
 Stay on top of things! Don’t procrastinate!
12TH GRADEAPPLY TO COLLEGES, MAKE DECISIONS, AND FINISH HIGH SCHOOL
WITH PRIDE IN YOURSELF AND YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS!
 Spring Continue to submit scholarship applications. You may be eligible for more scholarships than you
think!
 Don’t take Rolling-admissions applications for granted. They will stop accepting after they’ve
reached capacity, so the earlier you apply, the better.
 Review college acceptances and financial aid awards. Be sure to compare financial aid packages in
your decision-making process.
 As you’re admitted, start to consider which schools are a definite ‘Yes’. Be sure to let the other
schools you’ve been admitted to that you’ve chosen another school as soon as you can.
 You must decide which offer of admission to accept by May 1st, at which time you should send in
your tuition deposit.
 Get ready for graduation! Keep your counselor informed of your plans so that your successes can be
celebrated!
 Summer Request that your final transcript be sent to the school you’ve chosen.
 Know when the payment for tuition, room and board, meal plans, etc. is due. Check with your
financial aid office about payment options.
 CONGRATS! You’ve made it through high school!
 Look for info. From the college about housing, roommates, orientation, course selection, etc.
 Pack for college, prepare for change, and have a great freshman year!
PSAT
 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying test
 Given only in October on 2 national test dates (Wed. 10/15 & Sat. 10/18)
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New changes will be introduced this year
Scored on 20-80 scale (comparable to 200-800 SAT scale)
Targeted to Juniors, but taken by sophomores and even freshmen
Cost- $14
National Merit Scholarship Program uses Juniors’ PSAT results to qualify
students for consideration.
 Score report mailed to schools, and provides significant feedback to
students on how to improve their SAT scores.
 PSAT practice test- given upon payment, or found online at
www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/PSAT/prep.
SAT
 Three Sections: Writing, Critical Reading, & Math
 Each section is scored individually to reach a total
score.
 The total composite score for all subtests combined
will fall in a range of 600-2400.
 Perfect score on each section= 800, overall exam=
2400.
 The essay score range is 2-12.
 Critical reading, formerly known as Verbal, includes
questions on reading passages and sentence
completion. Math covers arithmetic, geometry,
Algebra 1 & 2.
 Cost- $52.50
 Testing Time: 3 hours 45 min
 Students can take the SAT or up to 3 Subject tests,
but not both, on any one national test date.
 The SAT does penalize students for wrong answers,
so students are not encouraged to guess, rather to
leave answers blank.
 The SAT will change again in the spring of 2016.
Changes will include an essay analyzing a source,
focus on math that matters most, solving problems
grounded in real-world context, analysis and science
and in history/social studies, close reading, and no
penalty for guessing. The scoring range will also
revert back to 200-1600.
 Practice Tests: www.collegeboard/practice/SATpractice-test.
SAT Test
Date
Registration
Deadline
Late Fee
Required
November 8,
2014
October 9,
2014
October 28,
2014
December 6,
2014
November 6,
2014
November 24,
2014
January 24,
2015
December 29,
2014
January 13,
2015
March 14,
2015*
February 13,
2015
March 3, 2015
May 2, 2015
April 6, 2015
April 21, 2015
June 6, 2015
May 8, 2015
May 27, 2015
*SAT Reasoning only (No Subject Tests). SAT
Registration can be completed online at
www.collegeboard.org. Testing locations
available online.
SAT SUBJECT TESTS
 2-3 subject tests are required for admission by a small handful of highly
competitive colleges and universities, including specifically, the University
of California system.
 Each test is one hour long.
 Perfect score = 800, Score range = 200-800
 20 Subject tests including: English Lit, US History, World History, Math 1,
Math 2, Biology E/M, Chemistry, Physics, French, German, Japanese,
Korean, and Spanish
 All Subject Tests are not offered on the same dates, so students need to look
closely at the registration form.
 Cost: $26 registration fee, plus $26 per Language with Listening, and $16 for
all other tests.
 Practice tests: SAT Subject Test prep booklets:
SAT.collegeboard.org/practice/SAT-subject-test-preparation
ACT
 Four sections: English, Math, Science, &
Reading
 Scores on each section are averaged to
reveal the ACT Composite Score that
colleges use for admission
 Perfect Score= 36
 2013 National Average= 20.6
 Testing time: 3.5 hours
 Cost: $38 for ACT, $54.50 for ACT plus
Writing.
 Most collegiate institutions will accept
either the ACT or the SAT; many require
the ACT/SAT plus writing.
 The ACT does not penalize students for
wrong answers, so students are
encouraged to guess, rather than to leave
answers blank.
 Results mailed about 3-8 weeks after the
test date.
 Students choose which test results to send
to colleges during registration.
 Practice: www.ACTstudent.org/testprep
ACT Test Date
Registration
Deadline
Late Fee
Required
October 25, 2014
September 19,
2014
Sept. 20 – Oct. 3,
2014
December 13,
2014
November 7,
2014
Nov. 8 – 21,
2014
February 7, 2015
January 9, 2015
January 10 – 26,
2015
April 18, 2015
March 13, 2015
March 14 – 27,
2015
June 12, 2015
May 8, 2015
May 9 – 22, 2015
Registration for the ACT can be completed online at
www.actstudent.org. Testing locations are available
online.
ACT VS SAT
TYPES OF APPLICATIONS
 Online- Easiest, most convenient, and most
accepted type.
 Paper- Limited access
 Common Application- available online at
www.commonapp.org, is utilized by over 500
Universities across the country, all of which agree
to accept this app. In lieu of their own.
 Universal College Application- relatively new- just
over 75 Colleges and Universities from out of
Colorado. www.universalcollegeapp.com
APPLICATION OPTIONS
Non-Restrictive Application
Options
 Students are not restricted from
applying to other institutions and have
until May 1st to consider their options
and confirm their enrollment.
 Rolling Decision- Institutions review
applications as they are submitted and
render admissions decisions throughout
the admission cycle.
 Regular Decision- Students submit an
application by a specified date and receive
a decision in a clearly stated period of
time.
 Early Action (EA)- Students apply early
and receive a decision well in advance of
the institution’s regular response date.
Restrictive Application
Options
 Students are responsible for
determining and following
restrictions.
 Early Decision (ED)- Students make a
commitment to a first-choice institution
where, if admitted, they definitely will
enroll. The application and decision
deadline occurs early.
 Restrictive Early Action (REA)Students apply to an institution of
preference and receive a decision early.
They may be restricted from applying
EA or ED or REA at other institutions.
If offered enrollment, they have until
May 1st to confirm.
APPLICATION OPTIONS
10 RULES FOR SELECTING A COLLEGE
1.
Never make your final college selection without visiting at least your top two or three choices. No
matter how well you think you know a college or university, you can learn a lot (good or bad) by
spending a few hours on campus, including whether or not the college feels like a good "fit" for
you. Having family members accompany you on college visits is a great idea because it gives you
extra "eyes and ears" and people with whom you can discuss your impressions.
2.
There are no exceptions to rule #1.
3.
A college is not necessarily right for you because its name is familiar. That might seem pretty
obvious, but you wouldn't believe how many students equate educational quality with name
recognition.
4.
Investigate at least three or four colleges you know little or nothing about but offer the field(s) of
study of interest to you, are appropriately selective for a students with your grades and SAT or
ACT scores, and are located in geographic areas attractive to you. You have nothing to lose and
you might make a great discovery. A little research and an open mind can greatly increase the odds
that you make a good college choice.
5.
There very few worse reasons to select a college than because your friends are going there.
Choosing a college because your girlfriend or boyfriend is headed there is one of them. In fact, if
there is a worse reason to choose a college, it escapes us.
6.
Investigate, investigate, investigate, and be sure to separate reality from (often baseless) opinions.
Lots of folks will refer to a college as "good", "hard to get into", "a party school", "too expensive",
etc. without really knowing the facts. Don't accept these kinds of generalizations without evidence.
10 RULES FOR SELECTING A COLLEGE
7.
Do not rule out colleges early because of cost. Many colleges offer scholarships,
financial aid, and tuition installment plans that make them far more affordable than
they may first appear. You can't/won't know how much it will cost to attend a college
until the very end of the process.
8.
Deadlines, whether for college applications, SAT or ACT registration, financial aid,
scholarships, campus housing, etc. are not suggestions. Miss a deadline and you may
find yourself in deep you-know-what. Write down on a calendar and adhere strictly
to all deadlines.
9.
Don't be afraid to apply to a few "reach schools". You might be pleasantly surprised by the
results if you are not entirely unrealistic. Then, apply to at least three colleges you like which
are highly likely to admit you. Remember, choose these three colleges very carefully as they
are the places where you are mostly likely to wind up. Finally, choose at least two "safety"
colleges. Colleges to which you are virtually certain you will be admitted. Choosing "safety"
schools they don't really like is a mistake many students make. If you take the time to choose
safety schools you would be happy to attend, you'll eliminate all the anxiety some students
experience in the college application and admissions process.
10. When it is time to make your final choice, discuss your options with your family, your
counselor (if you have one), and others who know you well and whose judgment you value. If
you have a tough time choosing among two or more colleges or universities it is probably
because you have done a good job putting together your list and you will be happy at
whichever institution you choose. Once you make your choice, don't agonize over it. If you
have followed these rules there is an excellent chance your final college choice will be a good
one.
UPCOMING COLLEGE FAIRS
Fair
Location
Date
Registration
Greater Denver College Fair
and Workshop
Mountain Vista High School,
Highlands Ranch, CO
Saturday, October 11, 2014
10:00 am – 12:30 pm
Online at gotocollegefairs.com
Northern Colorado Out-of-State
College Fair
Poudre High School, Fort
Collins, CO
Tuesday, October 14, 2014
6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Online at gotocollegefairs.com
Out-of-State College Night
Monarch High School,
Louisville, CO
Wednesday, October 15, 2014
6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Online at gotocollegefairs.com
In & Out-of-state Scholarship
Night
John F. Kennedy High School,
Denver, CO
Thursday, October 16, 2014
6:00 pm – 7:30 pm
Denver NACAC Fair
Colorado Convention Center
Saturday, October 18, 2014
1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Online at www.nacacnet.org
Denver Spring College Fair
University of Denver
March 14, 2015
1:00 pm – 3:30 pm
Online at gotocollegefairs.com
Online at gotocollegefairs.com
Questions?
Thanks for
coming!