Navigating College Applications

Introduction

The module offers information and resources for navigating the college application process.  

While this module discusses navigating college applications at 4-year colleges and universities, not all students choose to attend a four-year college or university directly after finishing high school. There are many valuable places to continue your learning journey, including trade and technical schools, apprenticeships, military service, and employment. 

Community colleges and other two-year programs are also important sites for postsecondary education. Many of these pathways lead to associate’s degrees, certifications, and can serve as a springboard for a four-year college or university. Much of the guidance, including the FAFSA and scholarship process in this module, is also applicable to applying for community colleges as well as technical and trade schools.

Takeaway message—there are many pathways to lifelong learning and success.

Researching Your Options

You will spend two to four years (or more, depending on your course of study) in college, so it’s important to think about what kind of school fits your needs the best. There are several areas to consider when coming up with a list of possible colleges. The three we want to draw your attention to are degrees, location, and campus specifics.

  • Degree/Course of Study—Your first consideration will probably be if a particular college or university offers the degree that interests you. Even if you don’t know exactly what degree you want to earn, you should look for a school with a strong program in a subject area that interests you and that you may want to pursue. For example, if you are particularly interested in fine arts, then you want to look at schools with a strong fine arts program. 
  • Campus Specifics—Do you want to attend a school close to where you live now, far away from where you live now, or in a particular geographic area? Are you interested in a small school or a bigger school? Are you interested in a public university or a private college? Do you want a school with an athletics program, academic clubs, or spiritual/religious groups? 
  • Finances—Another consideration is the cost to attend the school per year including tuition, room and board, books, and other incidentals. Finances may also inform some of your answers to the campus specific questions. There are financial resources including scholarships for undergraduate education. You can check national, state, and institution-specific financial aid support. We list some starting resources later in this module.

Research Tips

  • Have a candid conversation as a family about all of the above considerations in choosing the best college for you. 
  • Use a spreadsheet to keep notes of the schools you research. Track information on programs, tuition, scholarships, location, specifics, and deadlines. 
  • For your top-choice schools, reach out and speak to an admissions representative, current student, or professor in the department you are interested in. If possible, visiting colleges in person can be incredibly helpful.

Application Timeline

Once you have a list of schools that you are going to apply to, you will need to find out what the application deadlines are for each one. In the U.S., most deadlines will be in late fall or early winter of the year before you will attend. Some schools will have earlier deadlines for particular degree programs and for automatic scholarships. 

Resource Highlight—If you plan to apply to more than one or two schools, you may want to use Common App Links to an external site., a service that allows you to fill out one application that can be downloaded by multiple schools you select. Thousands of colleges and universities participate in Common App. If you choose a school that does not participate in Common App, they will have their own online application process for you to use. 

Timeline Tips:

  • Track the application deadlines on your college research chart. That way you have all your information in one spot.
  • Fill out applications and request transcripts and recommendation letters at least two weeks prior to any deadlines.

Entrance Exams

Students planning on attending college should also take the ACT and/or SAT during the spring of their junior year and/or fall of their Senior year of high school. Many schools will accept either the ACT or SAT. In general, the ACT is more common in the central United States, while the SAT is more common on the coasts. A high score on either of these exams may also qualify you for automatic merit scholarships. Counselors recommend taking these exams after you have completed English 10 and 11, Geometry, and Algebra 2. For the ACT, you should also have completed Biology and Chemistry when you take the exam. 

Exam Tips:

  • If you need exam accommodations for the ACT or SAT, be sure to let your counselor know when you are registering for those exams so they can request accommodations for you at least eight weeks in advance.
  • While you can take the ACT or SAT multiple times, it makes the most sense to retest when something significant has happened such as completing more rigorous coursework, receiving tutoring, or completing additional self-studying of test prep material.  

Helpful Links: 

Transcripts

College applications will ask for an official copy of your current high school transcript. Most online college applications including Common App allow you to list your counselor’s email address so that they can upload your transcript for you.  

For University of Missouri High School students: If uploaded copies are not acceptable, please use the Transcript Request form Links to an external site. to ask Mizzou Academy to mail, email, or fax a transcript to a college.

Recommendation Letters

Some colleges, programs, and scholarships ask for letters of recommendation. In identifying someone to write a recommendation letter for you, choose someone who knows you well and can speak to your strengths. When you ask a teacher, counselor, coach, or other trusted adult to write a letter of recommendation for you, share the following information: 

  • Why you chose this person—you can even share specific experiences they might write about in the letter.
  • What you are applying for and why you selected this program/college/scholarship
  • A copy of your resume
  • Any details about the letter including whom they should address it to, how they should submit it, and when the letter is due. 
    • Reach out to your recommenders at least two weeks before the letter is due.
    • Many application systems, including Common App, ask for your recommenders’ email addresses and then send them directions for completing the letter directly.

Bonus Tips

  • It is okay to send your recommender a friendly reminder a week before the letter is due.
  • After your recommender has submitted their letter, send them a thank you note. While there is no substitute for a handwritten note, even an email of appreciation can be very meaningful. No act of gratitude is ever wasted. 
  • If you are accepted to your college or program or receive a scholarship, let your recommender know. These people are cheering for you and want to celebrate your good news.

Scholarships

The vast majority of scholarships will come from the college or university that you ultimately attend. Some of these scholarships will be automatic, based on your GPA and/or ACT or SAT score, and some will require separate applications and be based on other criteria. Each college has its own scholarship page on its website with a complete list of all scholarships available and the criteria for awarding them.

Many states also offer scholarships to residents of those states based on GPA, test scores, financial need, or other criteria. You can research available scholarships at your state’s higher education website. Many businesses and corporations also offer scholarships to students both locally and nationally in a variety of areas such as science or writing.

Helpful Links

Often colleges will include a link on their web site to scholarship search engines. In the U.S., there are many scholarship search engines available, though some are more reputable than others. A few that we can recommend include: 

Tip for High-Achieving High School Juniors

If you have completed at least 12 credits and usually do well on standardized tests, consider taking the PSAT, which is only given in October. This test provides a pathway for qualifying for the National Merit Scholarship and various other scholarships. Call any school in your area in early September to register to take the PSAT. 

Resource Highlight—FASFA
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) allows students to apply for more than $150 billion in grants, loans, and work-study funds. Most colleges and universities use the FAFSA to help determine the EFC or estimated family contribution your family is able to make. A low or zero EFC qualifies you for more financial aid. This funding can come from the U.S. federal government, from your state, or from the individual college. 

If interested in need-based aid, work with your family to fill out the FAFSA Links to an external site. in the fall of your senior year.

Resource Highlight—CSS Profile
Another tool, called the CSS Profile, is used by several hundred colleges and scholarship programs to award aid sourced from outside the federal government. This funding amounts to 9 billion dollars each year. Because it is independent of the US government, it is often required for international students. The CSS profile includes more detailed information and gives colleges a more complete picture of your financial position. Find out if a school you are interested in requires the CSS Profile, and if so, you and your family can fill it out on the College Board website https://cssprofile.collegeboard.org Links to an external site..

Conclusion

Screen Shot 2022-04-28 at 3.25.20 PM.pngWhere to attend school is a big decision, and the college applications process can seem daunting. We hope this module helps you with a few starting resources. In addition to your family, it is also helpful to work with a school counselor. 

If you are a Mizzou Academy student, Ms. Alicia Bixby (bixbya@missouri.edu)  is available to help with questions. She is also the author of this module.