Quick Guide: The
Anatomy of the College Application
(Revised to reflect
MDCPS procedures)
The pieces of your college application add up to give
admission officers an idea of who you are. Not every college requires every one
of these elements — for example, some colleges are TEST OPTIONAL and don’t ask
for admission test scores. Also some colleges may also not require Letters of
Recommendations or essays — but this list shows the most-common requirements.
Be sure to find out from your school counselor or contact your college directly
to determine which of these items you have to send and which items your high
school will send.
·
Application
Forms
To fill in all the blanks on the
application form itself, you may have to dig up documents or get answers from
your parents. Most students use online applications, but paper applications are
usually available too. There are also services (Common Application) that let
you complete one application online and submit it to several colleges.
- Application Fees
College application fees vary, but
generally it costs from $35 to $50 to apply to each college. Fees are
nonrefundable and must be paid if you wish your application to be considered.
Many colleges offer fee waivers (that is, they don’t require the fee) to
students who can’t afford to pay. College Board now provides 4 College
Application Fee Waivers to all students who have taken the SAT using a Fee
Waiver. If you need additional application fee waivers, speak with your college
counselor who will have additional application waivers offered through ACT and
also NACAC.
- Your High School Transcript
The record of the classes you’ve taken and
your grades is one of the most important parts of your application. Your high
school should send your transcript, along with a school profile, directly to
the colleges you are applying to. For most Miami-Dade County Public Schools,
students must go to the Registrar’s Office and fill out a request form to send
out transcripts. Electronic Transcripts are sent free of charge; however paper
transcripts require a small fee. Transcripts required for the Common
Application are downloaded to the application itself. Your counselor will be
able to do this. It is usually wise to request a Student History Report from
the registrar so you can check the transcript for errors and missing classes
before it’s sent.
·
Final
Transcript
At the end of your senior year, you are
responsible for requesting your final high school transcripts to the college
you’ve decided to attend. For this, again, you must go to the Registrar’s
Office and fill out a Final Transcript Form. This shows your college what
classes you took and whether you Kept your grades up during your last year in
high school. Colleges have the right to reverse your admissions decision if
they feel that you have caught a serious case of Senioritis.
·
Admission
Test Scores
Some colleges require or recommend that you
send scores from tests such as the SAT or ACT. Colleges accept scores only from
the testing organizations themselves. Visit the testing organization's website
for more information. And learn more about the role of testing in college admission.
·
Letters of
Recommendation
Many colleges, but not all, require letters of recommendation from
teachers or other adults who know you well. Ask your references well in advance
of the deadlines to write you a recommendation. You may want to give them a
short written summary of your achievements to help them write about you.
·
Essays
Your essays are a chance for you to give admission
officers a better idea of your character and strengths. Remember to proofread
your essays carefully before you send them in.
·
Auditions
and Portfolios
If you’re applying to music, art or
theater programs, the colleges may want to see samples of your work. This means
you may need to audition or send portfolios or videos showing your artistic
ability as part of your application. Your essays
are a chance for you to give admission officers a better
idea of your character and strengths. Remember to proofread your essays
carefully before you send them in.
- Interviews
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