All About Learning

Applying to College

Part 2, Applying To College presents an overview of the whole application process during the Junior or Senior year. This will include visiting schools, the application process, testing, and financial aid. A work sheet assists students to organize their personal essay and students can find more general tips on writing essays in Mastering Study Skills. All students should:

Summarize their successes and achievements to date on the work sheets and use this information to identify a possible major.
Set important life goals by visualizing possible future life and career choices. Dream an exciting future to set inspiring goals.
Build a resume to give to teachers so they have complete information when they write letters of recommendation. Also use the resume to write personal essays and summer job applications.
Gather data about colleges and universities and examine the reasons, or criteria, why a particular college situation might be best.
Find catalogs and videos on specific schools in the high school counseling office or school library, or public library. Use the Bibliography in this book and the web site to explore the internet to find further information about colleges and universities.
Make a selection of three to five schools by using the school choice work sheet. Fill out the application forms accurately and on time.

Plan to choose the appropriate tests. Check in the prospective college catalogs to see if they require or accept the Scholastic Aptitude Tests (SAT), the ACT and the Advanced Placement Tests (AP). Advice on how to take notes and study for tests is given in Mastering Study Skills. Use the Test Taking tips to help you score your best when you take the SAT tests.

Finally, explore all options for financial aid, including free money from scholarships and grants, work-study programs, and loans, which must be repaid. All this assistance is available from many sources, including the federal government, state, local high school, civic and business groups, and prospective colleges and universities

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