College Application Process

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College Application Process

• Preparing for the Future

Presented by Plattsburgh High School Counseling
Department
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Step 1 Narrow down the choices

• Think about which colleges you would like to
  apply to (three is a good number to begin with)
• Arrange to meet with admissions counselors and
  take a campus tour (if possible) before you
  commit to applying.
• You may also want to look at the college or
  university online for more information about the
  majors offered, size, location, extra-curricular
  activities and more.
• You may also want to check the schools website
  to get information about admission requirements
  (SAT scores, GPA requirements etc).

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Step 3 Meet with your counselor

• Your School Counselor is here to help you!! A
  School Counselor can
• Help you narrow down college choices.
• Assist you in applying for college (if you have
  questions about the application).
• Help you determine a major for college, if still
  undecided.

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Step 4 Obtain Applications

• You will need to request an application from your
  colleges of choice to fill out and return.
• Some schools post applications online
• Be sure to alert your School Counselor if you
  plan to do so.
• SUNY Application (Online)

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Step 5 Teacher Recommendations

• You will need to obtain the Teacher
  Recommendation form online or in the School
  Counseling (Guidance) office.

You need 3 teachers to complete this
form Be sure to ask well in advance
Your counselor will write a letter of
recomm- endation for you too.
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Step 6 Write Your Resume

• A resume is an organized list of information
  about your academic, volunteer/extra-curricular,
  and work experiences.
• Colleges do look for well written resumes, as
  this is another way to explain your many talents,
  abilities, and experiences.
• For more information on resume writing, please
  see the resume writing section of the School
  Counseling (Guidance) department website.

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Step 7 Fill out the application

• Complete all section of the college application
  (do not leave section blank).
• Read carefully to make sure you answer each
  question correctly.
• Be sure to include any documents that the college
  requires.
• Be sure to begin the application far enough in
  advance so that you do not miss the deadline to
  apply.
• Early Decision and Early Action Deadlines
• Regular Deadlines

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Step 8 Complete the essay portion

• Some schools (but not all) require a writing
  sample/essay portion of the application.
• Be sure to write the essay well in advance so
  that you have time to get English teachers and
  counselors to help proofread your work.
• Be sure to meet the guidelines of the essay (word
  limits, font types and sizes, spacing, margins,
  etc).
• You can find essay writing resources in the
  College Bound section of this website.

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Step 9 Consult with your Counselor to make
youre your application is complete.

• The counselor can look over the application and
  check to see if all sections are complete and
  make sure you have all the appropriate
  attachments (transcript, letters of
  recommendation, resume, and an essay (if
  required).

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Step 10 Submit the Application

• Give the application to your School Counselor
  (with application fee).
• Please make your counselor aware if you plan to
  submit your application online.

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Step 11 The Counselor will

• Update the transcript
• Attach Teacher Recommendations
• Attach a letter of recommendation
• Double check the Application
• Complete the School Counselor Section
• Mail the application
• Verify Date of Submission

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Step 12 Wait for the Acceptance Letter!!

• Unless your student is applying for early
  decision- most colleges begin sending letters of
  admission in January.
• Letters should include a summary of a financial
  aid package (you will learn more about this).
• Once you get a letter of acceptance, begin
  thinking about completing the FAFSA, and college
  preparation.