What is the most important factor that colleges consider in making
admission decisions?
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The single most important part of any
student's application is his or her official transcript. Colleges evaluate the high school
record by looking at class rank, GPA/grades, and the rigor and total number of
college preparatory courses taken by the student. At more selective colleges, other
criteria - after the transcript - might include:
- Standardized test scores
- Counselor/teacher recommendations
- Ethnicity
- Application questions and essays
- Geographic location
- Personal interview
- Alumni relationship
- Activities outside the classroom
- Major/college
- Special talents and skills
- Family's ability to pay
The weight assigned to these other
factors varies greatly from one institution to another. However, there is universal
agreement that a student's transcript - both grades and the rigor of courses taken - is
absolutely the most influential part of any admission decision. At the most selective
schools, where as many as 10 or 15 students are applying for each spot, the 'other'
criteria may become more valuable in the admission decision simply because many of the
applicants will possess outstanding academic qualifications.
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What is
the difference between Early Decision, Early Action, Regular Decision, and Rolling
Admission?
Early Decision is the admission
program which is binding/contractual in nature. Students sign an agreement and commit in
advance to attend the Early Decision college if admitted under its early program. At many
colleges the deadline for receipt of the application is Nov. 1 or 15, and the student is
then notified (Accept, Deny, Defer) six weeks after the deadline. If accepted under an
Early Decision plan, the student must withdraw all other applications at other colleges.
Early Action is an option on the same
timetable as Early Decision, but the primary difference between the two programs is that
Early Action is not a binding agreement; admitted students are not obligated to enroll.
This option gives students flexibility in making a final decision because they are able to
apply to multiple colleges and take the necessary time - visiting campuses, comparing
financial aid offers, seeking opinions and gathering other information - to make a
definitive and confident college choice.
Regular Decision is the traditional
process in which the student applies by the regular and final deadline (usually January
1st for most schools), and the institution responds with a decision by a specified date
(usually April 1st). Regular Action allows more time to complete multiple applications and
also allows more time for the student's counselor to provide assistance and guidance
throughout the decision-laden process. Regular Action is clearly beneficial for those
students whose candidacies will be strengthened by senior year extracurricular
achievements and an improved academic performance in the final two semesters.
Rolling Admission describes the
application process in which an institution reviews applications as they are received and,
if the application is complete, offers a non-binding decision to the student usually
within two to five weeks of being reviewed. Students are not required to make a commitment
until May 1 but are encouraged to do so as soon as a final decision is made. Rolling
Admission is a process used primarily by large state universities where applications are
reviewed on a continued basis up to a regular deadline. In some cases institutions will
accept students as long as openings remain in their class or up until the beginning of the
school year - whichever comes first.
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Should I apply Early
Decision/Early Action? Will I have an advantage if I apply early?
Applying early, whether ED or EA, is first
and foremost a commitment to a college that it is absolutely your number one choice. There
are both advantages and potential disadvantages to applying early, and the decision is not
one to be entered into without considering all other options. A student who indicates that
he/she wants to apply "somewhere" - without considering criteria that best match
his/her academic interests, career goals, and personal needs is probably making a poor
decision. The important questions to consider about applying early are:
Have I
carefully researched college opportunities over time and am I confident that ___________
is my absolute first choice?
Is the college
the best match for my academic strengths, academic interests, and educational goals?
Is it natural
to envision myself as a student on campus (for four years) more easily than at other
colleges or universities?
Is financial
aid going to be a determining factor in my final decision on where to attend?
Have I visited
enough campuses to possess a strong frame of reference and comparison?
Are my grades
and standardized test scores equal to those students who were accepted at the school
during the prior admission cycle?
Will I have
completed all standardized testing required for admission by the deadline (November is
usually the last SAT test date accepted by colleges with early deadlines)?
Does the
college meet all or most of the criteria I have set in seeking the best possible match?
Have I done as
much as possible - written communication, visits, interview, contact with local
representative - to make it known to the college that I possess a thorough understanding
of the college and that my interest in applying early is genuine?
Answering these questions should assist
students in determining if they are in fact making an informed decision or one based on
fear and misinformation. More colleges are offering early programs and it appears that the
number of students accepted under the early umbrella is climbing each year. It is no
surprise that students are approaching the process with more anxiety and uncertainty than
ever before. However, it should be noted that the higher acceptance rates for early
admission candidates is a reflection of the remarkable strength of the early applicant
pools - not less rigorous admissions standards.
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To how many
colleges should I apply, and what is the "average" number of applications
submitted by Eastview Students?
The average number of applications
submitted by one student in any given year ranges from three to five. In narrowing down
options and developing a final list of key criteria, it is important for a student to seek
as much variation as possible with his/her final number of applications. If a student is
submitting six applications, then it might follow that one or two are "stretch"
schools, two or three are "target" schools, and at least one application covers
the "fallback" or "safety" category. In addition, within a group of
six applications there might distinct differences of cost, size, public vs. private,
in-state vs. out-of-state, and other criteria that could diversify a student's range of
options in the final outcome.
The final number of applications that
you submit is up to you after consulting with your post-high school counselor. Students
who submit an excessive number of applications tend to believe (erroneously) that this
will give them more options in the long run. A high number of applications usually means
that a student has not done the necessary research (including campus visits) required to
develop key criteria and narrow his/her options. Applying to a large number of
schools has also been known to negatively impact a student's academic performance during
senior year, and having a large number of acceptances in April usually makes the decision
process more difficult, not easier, for a student and his/her family.
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Where do I
start in attempting to find the right match in a college? What should I do if I don't have
a clue?
The
beginning of the process in the junior year can seem like a daunting task when one
considers that there are over 2,200 four-year schools in the United States. The diversity
of the college world is unique and offers just about anything a student could possibly
need for continuing his/her education … and more. The first step and perhaps the most
difficult in starting the process is an honest and thoughtful self-assessment. Before
considering schools based on popularity, name recognition, and rankings - the fallacy many
students fall into - a student should begin to reflect on his/her own strengths and
weaknesses, personal needs, and academic goals. What are you looking for in a college? In
the process of developing criteria and looking at what criteria should play a defining
role in your search, you may want to think about the following:
What are you
looking for in a college? Taking time to honestly evaluate your needs, strengths and
weaknesses, and likes and dislikes is the first step toward making a good match. This
should not be an easy or quick step. In fact, the process of true self-assessment is maybe
the most difficult aspect of the college application process.
Are your
strengths and interests better suited for a large comprehensive university or a small
liberal arts college?
What are the
relative merits of each for you?
In what
subjects or academic areas have you achieved the greatest success at Eastview? Is there an
area or subject that you would like to pursue as a major?
Do you wish to
be in an urban environment, rural setting or suburban/college town? It is important to
distinguish the merits of different environments and how the mix of learning, social, and
cultural opportunities best fits with your interests and personality.
Is there a
particular region of the country where you would like to attend college? What are the
advantages/disadvantages of being close to home or far from home? Try to avoid rigid
thinking as you consider location and refrain from judgements based on hearsay.
Visiting a
variety of campuses in different locations is the best way to know first-hand which
colleges provide the best opportunities for you.
What are the
merits of attending a public university instead of a private college or university, and
vice versa?
What type of
personality are you seeking in a college? For example, every college has unique mix of
progressive elements and tradition. Some colleges are intense while some are more relaxed;
some are conservative and some are liberal; some are friendly and some are reserved; some
are spirited and some are more serious.
Once you've
determined the criteria that are most important to you, the hard part is finding the right
mix of personality in a college.
Do I have
enough talent as an athlete/artist/musician/dancer to receive special consideration from
an admissions committee or a coach or director of the particular college? Your first step
should be consulting with your coach or teacher and then discussing your goals with your
college counselor.
These questions are a jumping off point.
More questions are bound to surface as you visit campuses and begin to develop a reference
and a sense of comparison.
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What forms do
I need to file for financial aid and when do I file them?
Every applicant seeking need-based aid at
any college must file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This form is
available in the Guidance Office in the fall, or it can be filed on-line, but may not be
filed until after January 1 of the senior year. Most schools recommend that the FAFSA be filed by February 15 in order to receive full
consideration for all need-based aid.
The other form, required primarily by
private colleges and universities, is the CSS
Financial Aid Profile , commonly referred to as simply "the profile". This
form is available in the fall and should be filed as early as possible.
In addition to the FAFSA (www.fafsa.ed.gov/)and the CSS/Financial Aid Profile (www.collegeboard.com),
many colleges also require families to complete their school's own aid form, referred to
as an "institutional" form. The institutional form is generally completed and
filed with the student's application.
If a college requests my quarter
grades prior to a final decision, do I need to request an official transcript? When are
7th semester grades/mid-year reports mailed?
Eastview automatically sends semester
grades to any college or university where a student has already submitted an application.
Students do not have to request an official transcript at the semester. Updated
transcripts are typically mailed within three weeks of the end of the first semester.
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Is it
necessary to take a test prep course for the ACT/SAT, and when is the best time to
consider such a course?
It is not necessary that a student enroll
in a preparatory course for either standardized test. In fact, students have numerous
opportunities already available for practice and preparation. Both the PLAN and the
PSAT/NMSQT can be used by students to prepare for the ACT and SAT test. There are free
guides and practice tests, provided by the test sponsors, available in the Guidance Office. And for the self-motivated student, there is a wealth of test-prep
material available on disk, CD-ROM, on the Internet, or in book form at your local
bookstore.
Test strategy workshops are not meant to help you develop the skills being measured.
Instead, they try to help students
demonstrate abilities they already possess. The insights and confidence that characterize
the best standardized-test takers cannot be taught. Conversely, a prep course will be of
no value to a student who lacks motivation.
If a student is still enthusiastic
about a test prep course after considering all the alternatives, the best time to take the
course is either before the first test - spring of junior year, or between the first and
second times taking the test.
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What should
I do if a college notifies me that my application is incomplete due to missing
information?
Do not panic. As a matter of procedure,
colleges will sometimes generate a "missing credentials" postcard or letter
after an application has been initially processed. This does not mean that your
application will be denied or that you will now be at a disadvantage in the admission
process. It is advised that you contact the admissions office directly to determine if the
missing information, usually test scores sent from the testing agencies, has arrived since
the mailing of your notification. Remember, Eastview High School does not send
official score reports to colleges/universities; it is the student's responsibility to
request official score reports directly from the testing agencies.
If after checking with the college
you are still in doubt about missing information, please notify your post-high school
counselor as soon as possible.
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When is the
best time to visit colleges?
The best time to make a first visit
to a college is in the early fall, a time when most campuses are full of activity and
filled with students. However, several considerations are important in determining the
best time for you to visit colleges. Before finalizing a trip, identify where you are in
the college search process - this determines your purpose for making a campus visit.
- Will your visits be used to shop
around and compile an initial list of colleges to consider?
- Are you visiting schools in an attempt
to narrow down a complied list and decide where to apply?
- Have you already applied to schools,
and are you in the process of assessing what college will be the best fit if you are
accepted?
- Have you already received an acceptance, and
are you visiting at the school's invitation for an overnight stay on campus before making
your final decision.
Colleges offer tours and interviews on a
year-round basis. So for students who cannot find the time to visit during the junior
year, summer is obviously the best time to begin visiting.
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If I would
like to contact former Eastview students when I visit colleges, how do I obtain this
information?
Due to laws governing confidentiality,
Eastview is not permitted to supply the names of former students and their college
destination. However, students can access this information through public records
available at Eastview.
If I am a
graduate of Eastview who intends to transfer from one college to another, how do I request
my official Eastview transcript?
Most colleges and universities require a
high school transcript for students with less than two years of college credit. A written
request - including full name, Social Security number, Eastview I.D. number, address where
transcript is being sent, and student signature - should be mailed to the Records Office
at Eastview.
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How do I
send test scores to colleges?
Official test scores must be sent
directly from the testing agencies. Eastview does not send official test scores to any
colleges - this applies to both current and former students. A student may also
request scores by phone (ACT: 319-337-1000 / SAT: 800-728-7267) or on-line at www.act.org and www.collegeboard.com
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