The Application Process:

Knowing where to place the

needle
Kathy Anderson (A-F)
Allison Gellers (G-M)
Shaneka Ferrell (N-Z)
 Finding Your College Fit
• Academic Fit
• Does your recalculated GPA fit within the school's average GPA?
• Do your test scores fall within the school's average? Is the school test optional or test blind?
• Does the school have your intended major? Are there multiple majors that interest you?
• Choose two reach schools, two home schools, and two safety schools.

• Financial Fit
• Net Price Calculator on all college websites
• EFC- Estimated Family Contribution
• October 1st- FFAA and FAFSA applications open
• Grants, Scholarships, Work Study, Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans
• Will your degree help you to earn enough money to pay off your student loan?
• You can check national salaries for careers at O*netonline.org
• What experiences do you want to have after college such as traveling, owning a home, or living in a high cost city?

• Social/Emotional Fit
• What you put into your college experience is what you get out. There is no perfect college experience but you can find progress.
• Ask faculty members what opportunities they typically offer their students.
• What classes spark your curiosity?
• What academic supports do they offer?
• What clubs & activities could you see yourself involved in?
• What are your values? Does the university share your values?
Disclaimer
Each college has a unique application
process
•You must look up the specific
requirements for each
individual application
• Naturalized Application
Types of
• On the school’s website
• Designed specifically for
Applications
the school
• Common App
• 800 colleges and
universities with one
application
• Less repetition of
demographic information
• Coalition
• 150 colleges and
universities
Deadlines
Early Decision Early Action
• Binding agreement • Apply early but is not
• Good option for highly binding
selective schools • November 1st

Rolling Admission Regular Decision

• You can submit your • Apply by the
application any time published deadline
within a large window • January 1st
 • Transcript
• Demographic Information

Academi
• Semester grades and GPA
• Immunizations
• Test Scores

c Record • Senior Schedule

• Student-reported Self Academic Report
• You must enter every high school grade you
received
• On the school’s website
• Must link your SSAR with application
• Code will be provided to you
• Application is not complete without linking your SSAR
 How to Send
Your Transcripts
Counselor uploads to a link
• Critical that you put counselor email in correctly
FASTER:
• We can send to public Florida school electronically
Mail
• Out of state and private schools
SAT and ACT

Differences When To Test How To Send

between SAT & ACT Scores
• Time for test
preparation • www.collegeboard.org
• College • www.act.org
Application
Deadlines
• Bright Futures
& other
Scholarship
Deadlines
Recommendation
Letters Etiquette
• Ask at least three weeks in advance
• In person and via email
• Never just send a link to a recommender
• Provide a copy of your resume
• Write a Thank You note/email
• FERPA- I waive my rights 
 • Personal Essay
• What defines you beyond
grades and test scores
• Be yourself
• Challenges AND how you
grew from it
• Values
The • Appropriate Vulnerability
• How will the person reading

College your essay feel?

• What do you want to pursue
in college?
Essay • Craft
 • Brainstorm all of the activities you have done… What would you
like to highlight?
• Helpful Categories
• School activities
Extracurricul
• Think about all that you do in your Arts Area
ar Activities
• Leadership positions
• Community involvement/service opportunities
• Awards, honors & achievements
• Work experience
• Can include one-time special projects
• What have you done over the summer?
• Ensure that you are using powerful action verbs
• Strong action verbs change tone of resume
• Example 1: Worked with kids at a summer camp.
• Example 2: Supervised thirty ten-year old students at the Cummer Art Museum
summer camp.
• Quantify when possible
• Ex. Completed 400 community service hours at Hope at Hand
Questions, Concerns,
Thoughts?