A
guide to your future.
Minimum College Entrance Requirements
When should I apply?
NOW!!
- Apply during the months of October and November.
- Pay attention to “Priority Deadlines”
- Out of state colleges tend to have earlier deadlines.
- Some colleges waive the personal essay and/or application fee
if you apply early.
- Do your research and know the dates.
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SAT
www.collegeboard.com
SAT Reasoning Test – 3 hours and 45 minutes
Writing: 800 – Essay and multiple choice
Math: 800 – Multiple choice, student-produced, response,
up to Integrated III
Verbal: 800 – Sentence completion, passage- based reading
SAT Subject Tests – 1 hour per test
Most colleges require 2 different subjects. The most selective
colleges require 3 subjects.
When to take the SAT
Juniors – Spring semester
- SAT Reasoning (March or June, both if you are considering Early
Action/Early Decision)
- SAT Subject Tests (May)
Seniors – Fall semester
- SAT Reasoning (October, November, December)
- SAT Subject Tests (November if you plan on taking a language
test)
- November – Last SAT scores accepted for Early Action/Early
Decision.
- December – Last SAT scores accepted Washington’s
Regular Admission.
Students are advised to take each SAT no more than
3 times.
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ACT
www.actstudent.org
English/Writing: 36 – Usage/Mechanics, rhetorical
skills, student produced essay
Math: 36 – Up to trigonometry (integrated
III)
Reading: 36 – Social studies, natural sciences,
fiction, humanities
Science: 36 – Data representation, research
summaries, conflicting viewpoints
Composite Score is the average of your four test
scores, rounded to the nearest whole number.
Test Length: 2 hours and 55 minutes
(plus 30 min. optional writing test)
SAT Reasoning vs. ACT
| |
SAT |
ACT |
| Test
Sections |
Critical Reading
Math
Writing |
Reading Science
English Math
Writing (optional) |
| Time |
3 hours, 45 minute
(including a 25 minute experimental section) |
2 hours, 55 minutes
(plus
30 minute optional writing test) |
| Scoring |
3 scores of 200-800
for each test section
2 sub scores of 20-80 for the writing multiple
Choice section and 2-12 for the essay. |
5 scores of 1-36
for each test section and the total composite. A score of
2-12 for the optional writing test. |
| Sending
Scores |
If you take the
SAT more than once your score history will be sent to schools. |
If you take the
more than once, you can choose which set of scores to send
to schools. |
| Popularity
In the US |
Popular with student
and schools on the East and West Coasts |
Popular with students
and schools in the Mid-West and South |
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College Search
| Best Resources
|
Criteria to Consider
- Affiliation
- Academic Environment
- Size
- Community
- Location
- Housing
- Student Body
- Financial Aid
- Support Services
- Activities/Social Clubs
- Athletics
- Specialized Programs
|
Admission Strategy
Apply Broadly
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Applying to College
What Schools Look At
- Academic Record
Breadth – How many, how challenging, which ones
- Grades
Consistency or improvement
- Class Rank
Standardized Test Scores
In terms of ranges
- Out-of-Class Activities
Depth of involvement – variety and how long
Initiative – leadership
Creativity, service or work
- Recommendation
Admission Options
Four year institutions generally offer the following admission
options:
- Early Decision – A student declares a first-choice college,
requests that the college decided on acceptance early and agree
to enroll if accepted.
- Early Action – Similar to Early Decision, but if a student
is accepted, he or she has until the regular admission deadline
to decide whether or not to attend.
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More admission options
- Regular Admission – This is the most common option offered
to students. A deadline is set when all applications must be received,
and all notifications are sent out at the same time.
- Rolling Admission – The college accepts students who
meet the academic requirements on a firs-come, first-served basis
until it fills it freshman class. No strict application deadline
is specified.
- Open Admission – Virtually all high school graduates
are admitted, regardless of academic qualifications.
- Deferred Admission – An accepted student is allowed to
postpone enrollment for a year.
Applications
Parts of the College Application
- Application
- SAT Reasoning or ACT scores
- SAT Subject Test scores (If needed)
- Essay
- Recommendation (If needed)
- Transcript
- Portfolio/audition/highlight footage (performing arts students)
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Recommendations
Guidance Counselor Recommendations
- Nearly all private colleges in the northwest require a letter
of recommendation from your high school guidance counselor
Teacher Recommendations
- How to decide whom to ask?
- How well does the teacher know you?
- Has the teacher taught you for more than one course?
- Has the teacher sponsored an extracurricular activity in
which you made a contribution?
- Do you get along with the teacher?
- Is the recommendation is required/recommended from a specific
subject-area instructor?
- If you declare an intended major, can you obtain a recommendation
from a teacher in that subject area?
Recommendations Cont…
What to provide your Recommender
- Request a recommendation at least 2 weeks in advance
- Provide the recommendation form and information on the college
- Provided a copy of your application
- Provided a completed letter of recommendation request form
- Include an envelope addressed and stamped
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Letter of Recommendation request form
What information is on the Letter of Recommendation Request form?
- GPA
- Honors/AP courses (taken an in progress)
- Standardized test scores
- Out-of-School Activities (offices, length, contribution)
- Awards/Recognition
- Special Talents (sports, arts/music)
- Jobs
- Goals
- Family background
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Private Colleges
Common Application: 277 private colleges use the
Common Application form exclusively. All give equal consideration
to the Common Application and the college's own form.
Admission Requirements
- Application
- SAT Reasoning/ACT, some req. SAT Subject Tests
- Essay
- Teacher Recommendation
- School Report
- Midyear Report
- Supplemental forms
www.commonapp.org
Financial Aid
Public Institutions: January–March 1
Private Institutions: FAFSA – www.fafsa.ed.gov
- CSS/PROFILE – www.collegeboard.com
Registrations accepted beginning now
application deadline is different for each college
Mainly out of state private school
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Scholarships
Types of Scholarships
- National
- Regional
- Local (Community Scholarship Application)
- Institutional
Senior Prowler Newsletter
- Senior Newsletter
- monthly scholarship listings
- Senior information
Web Sites
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