Getting you ready forCOLLEGE APPLICATIONS

College Application Platforms

Before you can actually start submitting transcripts, writing essays, and going to interviews, you have to decide which application to send to colleges.

Here are the different options you’ll see as you go through the application process:
The Common Application
or Common App, is a single application that is accepted by over 700 different schools. The Common App includes an extracurricular activity list, standardized test scores, official transcripts, letters of recommendation, and a personal statement. Once all the pieces of the Common App have been completed, it can be submitted to any of the member colleges you plan on applying to. These institutions may also require supplemental materials, such as questions about connections to the institutions or extra writing portions.

To use The Common Application:
1. Create an account at https://www.commonapp.org/.
2. Select the institutions you intend to send the Common Application to (you can feel free to edit this later).
3. Fill in all the sections of The Common Application.
4. Complete any “member pages” or “supplemental information” that appear in your Common Application portal based off the institutions you have chosen to apply to.
5. When you are ready to submit, simply click the “Submit” button. Keep in mind that clicking this button will submit the application only to the school you have currently selected. You do not need to send your applications for all schools at once, but bear in mind that you can not go back nor edit any part of your application for a particular school once it has been submitted.
(Source: commonapp.org)

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The Coalition Application
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The Coalition Application is a fairly new application created and accepted by over 100 member schools that make up the Coalition for Access, Affordability, and Success. These institutions pride themselves on having a graduation rate over 70% and offering substantial need-based financial aid. This platform is centered on a “toolkit” that allows students to begin planning for their college application and accumulating materials earlier in their high school career. By focusing on early college planning, the Coalition App is designed to minimize barriers for students with minimal access to college counseling services.
Shared Applications
Shared Applications may exist for a particular set of state schools, in which a single application can be submitted to all schools within a state system. For example, the State University of New York (SUNY) system has a single application which can be submitted to all SUNY schools. Remember, however, that these same schools may also accept another application, as SUNY schools also accept the Common App.
Individual College Applications
Individual College Applications also exist. Many institutions offer their own separate platform for application. While many schools offer their applications through platforms like The Common App or the Coalition App, some schools still require you to submit your application through their website portal. Make sure you are familiar with each school’s application process.
The point of many of these group applications is to minimize the number of times you have to submit the exact same information, so it is important to find the most efficient choice for applying to the colleges of your choice. First, check what applications are accepted by the institutions to which you are applying. Then, if they accept multiple applications, call or email their admissions office to see if they have any preference between different applications. Schools frequently have no preference between different applications, so you can choose the application that the most schools on your list accept. There is plenty to be done during the college application process, so be sure to do your research so you can make this part as easy as possible.
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Breaking down the college application

There are many elements that go into a college application, and each school is likely to have their own requirements. Each of these components is a chance to paint a picture for admissions officers about who you are and how you will fit onto their campus. It’s important to review each school’s requirements and speak with your counselor about how to submit these materials.
Application
Every school you are applying to will require you to fill out a form with general information about you and your family. These questions can range from general questions, like where you went to high school , to more personal questions, such as your family’s income.
Transcript
Your high school transcript, of course, is one of the most important parts of your college application. A transcript is an official record of the classes you have taken and the grades received in each class.
Letters of Recommendation
Some colleges will require you to submit a letter of recommendation, either from a teacher of school counselor, that will help them get a better sense of your character in and outside of the classroom.
Test Scores
Most schools will require you to submit scores from standardized college entrance exams such as the SAT or the ACT. These tests are designed to assess a student’s knowledge of skills they’ll need at the college level , such as algebra, grammar, and reading comprehension.
Essays
College application essays are the most important tool for admissions officers to gain insight into who you are and if you’d be a right fit for their campus. In these essays, applicants can express their goals, their values, their voice, and tell their story.

Get more information on Breaking Down the College Application

The Application Process forCREATIVE STUDENTS

If arts have been an integral part of your high school education, you may want to use that experience as part of your college application. Whether applying specifically to schools that allow you to engage in those arts, or hoping to enhance your application to a traditional college by showing your work in the arts, here is advice on making the most of these skills on your application.

Visual Arts Schools

Colleges that specialize in visual arts are going to require the submission of a portfolio, or a digital collection of 10-20 of your best work in the arts. Here are some things to keep in mind:
1. Don’t put more items just for the sake of having more material. You’re better off with the 10 absolute best works than including an additional five subpar items.
2. Make sure to include variety in techniques in your portfolio. For example, many schools want to see that there is some observational work that shows you can translate three dimensional images onto a two-dimensional medium.
3. While good technique is crucial, don’t only include your most polished and technical items.Consider including experimental items, items that reflect your past and experiences, out-of-box concepts, and process work (like a sketchbook) that shows the development of a piece you’ve worked on. It will take more than technique to make a great portfolio.
4. Be sure to photograph all your pieces in ideal lighting. Natural light often works best.
5. Practice discussing your pieces and portfolio. Many art colleges will include an interview based portion at some point in the application, so pick an authority figure and run some mock-interviews so you become more comfortable discussing, analyzing, and defending your pieces.
6. Attend events like National Portfolio Day, where professionals and admissions counselors from art schools can give you advice on your portfolio. They can provide guidance on how to best present your portfolio and meet different admissions benchmarks.
7. Give yourself plenty of time! Each school will have different requirements, so be sure to have enough time and works that you can edit your portfolio to fit each school’s application.

Performing Arts Schools

Likewise, colleges that specialize in the visual arts are going to include some kind of audition. Sometimes, this will mean a first round that is a video submission, followed by around of live auditions for the top applicants. Here are some things to keep in mind:
1. Read the audition requirements thoroughly. You do not want to find yourself unprepared when you find yourself under the bright lights.
2. Make sure you pick an appropriate piece -- and that does not mean the most difficult piece possible. Pick something that allows you to show off the full range of your talents, but not something you might stumble on under the pressure of an audition.
3. PRACTICE. This extends beyond just practicing in your room. Practice in front of others, in your audition outfit, and on a stage if possible. Try to simulate the experience as completely as possible.
4. Stay organized. Double and triple check application deadlines and audition dates. Create a spreadsheet. Do not let all your hard work go to waste because you misread a date or incorrectly set your alarm.
5. Be yourself! Ultimately, these schools have spaces they need to fill, so think of yourself as their perfect candidate. Go in confident, come out admitted.

Traditional Colleges

If the arts are important to you, you can absolutely include additional materials in your application. There is a section at the end of college applications for additional materials, so feel free to use that space. There are a few things to keep in mind when you do so:
1. At most traditional colleges, your materials will be seen by normal admissions counselors, not experts in your field. Call the colleges you are applying to and find out who looks at additional materials and how they evaluate them.
2. Consider submitting fewer pieces. Admissions counselors don’t always have time to dive into a thick collection of additional items.
3. Consider how these items will work with the rest of your application. Does your art or performance somehow match with a story from your personal statement, your extracurricular interests, or supplemental essays? Consider ways you can craft a narrative from the additional materials you submit.