Helping Students Apply To College: Beginning Steps To Take

The college admissions process can be a daunting task for students. Students, especially seniors need the support of all school staff to help them through   I often have students come in to my office that want to go to college but they do not know where to start. In this blog I am going to give you as educators some basic things that you can share with your students on getting started.

The first thing that students need to do as early as their freshman year is research the schools that they are interested in. Students should make a list of what they are looking for in a school. The size. location (state and nationally), extra curricular activities, sports and majors offered are all factors students should take into account when choosing schools they would like to attend. Big Future by College Board is a good site to use for this purpose. When students form an account through College Board they are able to use their search engines to narrow their selections based on factors that I mentioned above.

You may find that some of your students do not have reliable access to a computer. College Board offers a plethora of books that are geared towards the college admissions process. One book that I find very handy for my students is the Book of Majors.This book allows students to look up a specific major and link it to every state and college that offers this major. This is helpful because I often speak to students that would like to attend a college/university that does not offer the major they want to pursue.

In their search students should be encouraged to match the college requirements with what they have achieved. In other words, make sure your students are being realistic when selecting colleges. For example, a student that has a 2.5 G.P.A. might not want to gamble on a college/university that has a G.P.A. requirement of 3.8. If they are starting this search early they might be able to raise their G.P.A. but if they started searching in their junior year chances are their grade point average will not increase that much. Students should be encouraged to apply because G.P.A.'s are not the only criteria that colleges use. However, it is important to inform students that this might be a school that declines them acceptance.

While students are searching for the college/university that fits their needs they also need to start thinking about taking the SAT and/or ACT.  College Board is the organization that develops the SAT. This test is given most months during the school year but usually not in September, February or April. During these months students might  take the ACT if it is offered. Both tests have tons of practice materials on their website for students to study before they take the test. The SAT also provides students the opportunity to get a "word of the day" or math problem sent to their email or even by text message to their cell phone. Students can pay for prep courses, buy practice books or go to their local library to rent practice books.

Regardless of how your students choose to get practice make sure they study before taking either test. There is a fee for each test but if students receive free and/or reduced lunch they can get a waiver for both tests. Two fee waivers are given for each test during the 4 years they are in high school. Waivers are distributed through the school counseling office. Some states, such as North Carolina have added the ACT as one of the mandated tests juniors must take. They take it during the school day at no cost and they can use these scores for college the following year. Regardless of what state, students should take one or both of these tests by the end of their junior year.

After students have narrowed down their choices and have taken the SAT and/or ACT they should be encouraged to visit the campuses if they are accessible to them. This is a great way for students to utilize their summer vacations. All colleges and universities offer free tours and information sessions through out the year. Students and or parents should either contact the admissions office or find dates and times through the college/university's website.  

In addition, most colleges and universities use the fall to promote their institution through Open Houses. Whether the student goes in the summer or during the fall to visit, this is a good way for students and parents to tour the campus and to get questions answered about the application process and financial aid. Remind students that this is where they are going to spend the next 4 to 5 years and they need to enjoy their surroundings. Some students opt to not apply to a college/university after they visit.

When students have completed these 3 steps they are now ready to apply to the colleges/university's that have made the final cut. Below is a video for you to share with your students about the beginning steps for applying to college. Check out my next blog on the specifics of college application materials.

             

References

Book of Majors 2014. Retrieved from http://www.store.collegeboard.org