Resources
Resources
How to build a college list
There are four core factors when creating a college list:
- Cost
- Location
- Possible Major
- Possible Career
While there are others, start with these and then weave in the other pieces that matter most to the student and parents.
Parents need to be clear with students on how cost and location play a factor in beginning to look at colleges. Students should have taken a personality, strength-finders or career assessment to assist them in identifying possible majors and careers.
Other factors to consider when building a college list
- Size of school and size of academic departments that your child is interested in. Size affects how many courses are offered; Are faculty/professors accessible if my child needs additional help?
- Academic reputation – do college experts perceive this to be a “good school?” What is the ROI (return on investment)? Does this college set students up for success after graduation?
- Diversity of student body (racial, cultural, geographic)
- What kinds of students are on campus? Percentages of Black students, white students, Latinx students, Asian-Pacific Islanders, international students?
- What is the 4-year graduation rate?
- What is the average class size?
- What are the housing and dining options for each year?
- How selective is it (or hard to get into) and should we even apply if it has a low acceptance rate?
- How safe is the campus? What is the school’s relationship with local law enforcement?
- Are there fraternities and sororities? Is that important?
- Are there religious services on campus? Is it required to attend?
- What are the social and extracurricular activity opportunities on campus?
- Do sports dominate the social experience on weekends?
- What is there to do off campus nearby?
- What kinds of job, career or entrepreneurial preparation happens each year
Other factors to consider when building a college list
- Size of school and size of academic departments that your child is interested in. Size affects how many courses are offered; Are faculty/professors accessible if my child needs additional help?
- Academic reputation – do college experts perceive this to be a “good school?” What is the ROI (return on investment)? Does this college set students up for success after graduation?
- Diversity of student body (racial, cultural, geographic)
- What kinds of students are on campus? Percentages of Black students, white students, Latinx students, Asian-Pacific Islanders, international students?
- What is the 4-year graduation rate?
- What is the average class size?
- What are the housing and dining options for each year?
- How selective is it (or hard to get into) and should we even apply if it has a low acceptance rate?
- How safe is the campus? What is the school’s relationship with local law enforcement?
- Are there fraternities and sororities? Is that important?
- Are there religious services on campus? Is it required to attend?
- What are the social and extracurricular activity opportunities on campus?
- Do sports dominate the social experience on weekends?
- What is there to do off campus nearby?
- What kinds of job, career or entrepreneurial preparation happens each year
Expectations for Success Checklist - Grades 9 -12
Students
- Get adjusted to high school academically and get the best grades possible
- Start exploring what extracurricular activities are offered (clubs, sports, community service, fine and performing arts)
- Start to document activities, academic and extracurricular accomplishments, summer and work experiences
- Focus on time management skills: when will you do homework? How much time does it take you to complete thoroughly? What are you doing with the extra time?
- Discuss summer opportunities with your school counselor, parents and research them on your own. (This can be as simple as a job or taking a summer course)
Parents
- Have you discussed paying for college with your child? How much is saved? What is the budget?
- Questions to ask the school counselor: Do 9th graders take the PSAT?
- Questions to ask the school counselor: What are the sequence of courses that will lead to Honors, Advanced or AP courses later in high school? How can my child take those classes and when?
- Questions to ask the school counselor: When should my child start to attend college fairs and start to demonstrate interest in colleges?
Students
- Complete a personality or strength-finders assessment to confirm strengths, interests, and possible majors and careers. This will help with course selection
- Continue to explore extracurricular activities and start to think about possible leadership positions
- Update your documented activities and accomplishments list. This will become the basis for a resume
- Grades start to really matter and you should be working hard and starting to sense what subjects you like and can excel in. You want to take Honors, Advanced, and AP courses, if possible. Meet with your school counselor and a college admissions expert to discuss
- Take the PSAT, if offered (in the Fall)
- Take a practice SAT and ACT to determine which one is best for you (in the Spring)
- Be sure to use your summer productively and have a plan to work, volunteer, work on a project, or do something that strengthens your college profile
- Start to research and build a list of colleges that you’re interested in (see below)
Parents
- Schedule a local college visit or one while on vacation so you can start to familiarize your child with different schools
- Start to discuss possible majors and careers with your child using their personality and strength-finders assessment as the primary source
*****Athletes******
Sometimes by the end of 9th grade but definitely by the end of 10th grade, students start to decide if they want to pursue playing sports in college. Students and parents need to familiarize themselves with the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) requirements and make sure all courses taken and upcoming will be approved) Not all high school courses are approved.
This is the most important year of high school for college admission. Set clear academic goals and work hard. You are at the point when you must be aware of who you are and what’s important to you and get excited about exploring all the possibilities that colleges offer.
This is the most important year of high school for college admission. Set clear academic goals and work hard. You are at the point when you must be aware of who you are and what’s important to you and get excited about exploring all the possibilities that colleges offer.
*****Artists******
Interested in fine or performing arts? Start to research portfolio requirements for schools and collect and keep track of your work with a spreadsheet or in a digital folder
*****Athletes******
Complete online recruitment surveys for colleges you’re interested in and Create initial contact email with transcript attachment. Start collecting video for recruiting reel.
Students
- Review social media accounts and pay attention to what you post. NOTHING IS PRIVATE and colleges often review social media accounts of students
- Review personality and strength-finders assessment and take again if necessary
- Start the year off strong, review the transcript and junior year schedule. Are you taking Honors, Advanced and AP courses?
- Register for and take standardized tests (PSAT, ACT or SAT)
- Continue to invest yourself in extracurricular activities and assert yourself for positions of leadership
- Start to visit colleges on school holidays such as Columbus Day or Veterans’ Day
- Pay close attention to 12th graders and their college application process
- Ask school counselor if you can join in-school college information sessions
- Start to investigate summer opportunities and apply for programs, jobs and internships
- Continue to research colleges, build the list and visit
- Register for senior year courses and consider how specific courses will influence your application. Are you taking Honors, Advanced and AP courses? In subjects that you want to pursue in college?
- Discuss your college list with your school counselor based on your transcript thus far, scores, activities and school history of applicants.
- Ask about SCOIR, Naviance, Maia Learning, Overgrad
- Start Common Application
- Brainstorm personal essay prompts
- Ask specific teachers for college recommendation letters
- Become a leader in your extracurricular activity for upcoming 12th Grade and revise your resume and add ALL high school activities
- Take ACT or SAT and decide how many more times, if any, you need to do again
- Plan to visit colleges
- Confirm summer plans
- Confirm senior year class schedule
- Attend college fair or college information sessions to connect with admissions officers
- Discuss possibly Early Decision and/or Early Action strategies
- Start to demonstrate interest to top colleges on your list (opening emails, following on social media, attending online/virtual information sessions, engaging with admissions office)
- Attend any essay and application workshops offered by school
Parents
- Attend a financial aid and college scholarship workshop or webinar
- Schedule official college visits to attend with your child
- Review your family calendars for opportunities to visit schools
- Schedule meeting with school counselor and attend school-sponsored college admissions workshops
Questions to Ask School Guidance Counselor
- Can my junior child meet with college admissions representatives when they visit virtually in the Fall?
- When should we start to visit virtually on our own?
- Does our school use Naviance, Maia, or SCOIR? If so, what is your username and password?
- When is our junior-year college information presentation?
- Do you have any sample case studies of applicants for us to review?
- Is there a list of students at certain colleges from our high school who we can speak to about their transition?
- What information goes into the school counselor recommendation?
- Do you read the teacher recommendations before they are sent?
- Can we see the school profile that you send to colleges?
- How often will we be able to meet with you?
******Athletes*****
Attend camps and showcases (take notes and pictures)
******Artists******
Complete portfolio in preparation for Fall portfolio day
Students
- Enjoy your resume-building summer courses, activities
- Refine college list with information from final grades from junior year
- Research the types of applications, requirements and deadlines
- Begin to draft your personal and supplemental essays, if you have not already. Write intensely.
- Continue to work on Common Application
- Register for virtual information and interviews
- Continue with standardized test prep, if necessary
- Visit more colleges
- The Common Application “rolls over” and can be submitted as early as August 1.
- Start the Coalition App, if necessary
- Revise personal and supplemental essays
- Ask summer employers or mentors for additional recommendations, if applicable
- Take standardized tests, if applicable
- Finalize college list. Most students apply to 7-12 schools.
- Keep track of all deadlines, application completions and what has been submitted and received by colleges
- Register with HS school guidance office for college visits to your school (see SCOIR, Maia Learning or Naviance)
- Attend college informational sessions in-person or online
- Discuss Early Decision and Early Action strategies
- Proofread all Early Action and Early Decision applications and essays
- Actively look for scholarships (myscholly.com)
- Follow up with all recommendation writers
- Make sure you are following all the required submissions for your HS guidance counselor
- Complete and submit all Early Action and/or Early Decision applications
- Complete and submit applications for all schools requiring a portfolio
- Have Early Action and Early Decision interviews, if applicable
- Ask school counselor if and when your first quarter grades are being sent to your EA/ED schools
- Review application priority application submission and interview deadlines for Regular Decision
- If deferred from a college, and you still want to attend, correspond with the school indicating that they are still a top choice. Offer any updates on activities, awards and/or accomplishments
- Learn more about financing a college education over four years by attending workshops
- Beware of “senioritis!” This is when seniors get too comfortable and do not finish their senior year strong. This can lead to admissions offers being rescinded or being placed on academic probation as a freshman in college
- Receive decisions and evaluate admission and financial aid options
- Visit colleges that you’ve been accepted to and are considering
- If waitlisted, consider remaining on the list and communicating with the school that you will attend, if this is in fact true
- Attend accepted students’ receptions when possible
- Need to make a final decision and submit a deposit by May 1
- Celebrate College Signing Day! Wear a shirt from your new school
- Notify your school counselor and any scholarships of your final decision
- Have your final transcript sent
- Sign up for campus housing
- Join freshman social media groups to find a roommate
Parents
- Review (NOT revise!) student’s essay(s) and share feedback
- Complete the FAFSA/Free Application for Federal Student Aid (October)
- Meet with high school counselor to understand their timeline, expectations and procedure
- Proofread all Early Decision and Early Action essays and applications with student
- Confirm that all financial aid information has been gathered
- Discuss Early Decision 2 strategies, if applicable
- Regular Decision and Early Decision 2 applications are generally due on or around January 1. Submit them in mid-December so everyone can have a relaxing holiday break
