Recommended Procedures for Juniors and Seniors
- Plan to take the PSAT/NMSQT in October.
- Plan to take the SAT I in
January and/or March, the ACT in February and April and (possibly)
the SAT II tests in May or June.
- Plan your senior schedule carefully.
Do not lighten your academic load the senior year, especially if
you are looking at
competitive colleges.
- Begin serious research into possible college choices
in the following ways:
- meet with the college counselor
- talk with your parents about college selections
- talk to friends and acquaintances who have been to college, visited
colleges, etc.
- begin reading college handbooks and catalogs in Mrs. Birtel's office
(or buy your own)
- attend meetings of visiting college representatives when possible
- use the CollegeView computer program in the library.
- visit campuses if possible. Many students try to arrange these
visits during their junior year. Mardi Gras, Easter and summer
are common times for visits.
In January, your parents will be asked to fill out a
questionnaire concerning you and your qualities, abilities, interests,
etc. You will also complete sheets indicating your activities and interests.
You may be asked to write recommendations for your friends, and you will
complete the "Common Application" in your English III class.
Beginning in March, you and your parents are invited to meet with Mrs.
Birtel to discuss college plans. Please feel free to make an appointment
earlier (or later), however, if that is more convenient for you.
- Complete your college selection as early as possible.
- Confer with
Mrs. Birtel if you need assistance. (She will meet with EVERY SENIOR
in September to discuss college options.)
- If you plan to file an early
decision application, you should begin procedures no later than September.
Check the college catalogs
for details. (Most deadlines are around Nov. 1, but some are even earlier.)
- Obtain
applications and other information from the colleges of your choice.
A sample request letter is included in this booklet.
- Attend conferences
with college reps who visit ASH. Notices are posted in the announcements
and on Mrs. Birtel's bulletin board.
- If you plan to take the SAT I,
ACT, or SAT II Tests, mail registration forms in before the deadlines.
- If you plan to apply for financial aid, request information and
applications from the colleges. If the college requires that you
submit the FAFSA or PROFILE, see Mrs. Birtel for copies of those documents.
When you receive your applications, choose the colleges
to which you plan to apply. Most students apply to about 6 schools: 2
long-shots; 2 50/50 schools, 2 safety schools. Students who are
applying to very competitive colleges may have more long-shots, however,
since those schools are very difficult to get in. They must have at least
1 safety, however. NOTE: Your safety school should be one where you would
be happy if worse came to worst and you had to go there.
Study the applications carefully and discuss with the
counselor any items which you do not understand. Most applications have
the following parts:
- the application itself - Complete the application with great
care - very neatly. Schools which require an essay usually place
GREAT emphasis on it. Make sure that it is perfect in grammar, spelling
and flow of ideas; the college is interested in HOW you write as well
as WHAT you say. Have a parent, counselor or your English teacher check
your application and essays to be sure that they are interesting and
correctly written. YOU MUST WRITE THEM BY YOURSELF, HOWEVER!!! Type
your applications if at all possible (especially the essay). It is
a good idea to make a xerox of the application and do your initial
work on the xerox copy.
- the secondary school report - Fill in your name, address,
etc. on the top of the form and bring this to Mrs. Birtel. At
this time you must fill out a green card requesting that your
transcript be sent to the college. THIS GREEN CARD MUST BE FILLED OUT EVEN
IF THE COLLEGE APPLICATION HAS NO SECONDARY SCHOOL REPORT. The
secondary school report, a copy of your transcript, a recommendation,
and a profile of ASH will be sent to the college directly from the
counselor's office.
- teacher recommendations - Choose the teachers that you would
like to have complete these forms. (Sometimes you are told to select
an English teacher, etc.) Fill out your name, address, and other information
on the top of the form and mark the deadline date for the application.
Address and stamp an envelope to the college and give it to the teacher
with the recommendation form.
- the medical record - This must be completed by a physician
and mailed by the student to the college. Often these records do not
have to be sent until a few months before enrollment.
- housing forms - These are not usually necessary unless you
are applying to a state university. In the case of LSU, you should
mail these in as early in September as possible.
- the entrance test scores - Although these scores are placed
on the transcript, they should also be sent directly to the colleges
from the testing agency. This can be done by filling in the correct
college code when registering for the tests or by completing a request
form obtained from Mrs. Birtel.
IDEALLY ALL OF THESE STEPS SHOULD BE COMPLETED BY THANKSGIVING.
If you aren't able to do your part until Christmas holidays,
at least give (b) and (c) to the teachers and Mrs. Birtel.
Notify Mrs. Birtel AT ONCE when you have made your final
decision on the college you plan to attend. Final reports and certification
of graduation are sent to that college so that your file is complete.
GENERALLY SPEAKING, THE DEADLINE IMPOSED BY MOST COLLEGES - THE "OFFICIAL
REPLY DATE" - IS MAY 1.
High School policy prohibits the mailing of final transcripts
and certification of graduation until all book fines, fees, etc. have
been paid.
If you are accepted by more than one college, YOU SHOULD
NOTIFY THE ONES FROM WHICH YOU WISH TO WITHDRAW BY MAY 1. KEEP IN MIND
THAT STUDENTS ARE ON THE WAITING LIST FOR THAT PLACE.
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