 |
PRAIRIE RIDGE HIGH SCHOOL |
 |
|
College Resources
"College acceptance is not a goal accomplished; it is a match made." ~ anonymous Click here for Quick Facts: Universities to Which PR Students Frequently Apply Where do I start to look for the right college? The diversity of the college world makes for many possibilities. The first step is to honestly look at yourself and ask what you are looking for in a school. Remember that you are not trying to find the “perfect school” because there may be more than one “perfect” school for you. Consider things like geographic location, size of the school, urban or rural setting, cost of attendance and whether or not you fit the typical "freshman profile" at that institution. The Career Center and Mrs. Steiner are here to assist you with narrowing those choices to the top few that "fit" you. Check out these web sites as well:
AnyCollege.com
How many schools should I apply to? The average number of applications submitted by one student ranges from five to seven. The final number is up to you. If you submit a high number of applications that usually means that you have not done the necessary research in order to narrow the options. Tired of paying all those fee's for college applications??? Check out this website and see if your college is on the list?
What do colleges consider when making admission decisions? First and foremost is a student’s transcript. Colleges evaluate your high school record by looking at grades, the rigor and the total number of college preparatory courses taken. Other factors include: standardized test scores (ACT), recommendations, application questions and essays, activities outside the classroom, personal interview, special talents and skills, alumni relationships, and ethnicity. More and more schools are asking students to write a personal essay, so be prepared! Junior / Senior Year Calendar for the College-bound
Junior Year April through Summer Have Senior conference with your counselor. Click here for summer hours. Senior Year September Finalize list of schools you will apply to- be aware of deadlines Visit campuses if not already done Have in your possession all applications for colleges you are applying to Register to retake the ACT, if necessary Start scholarship search
October Arrange for recommendations to be written (if your college specifically asks for one) Prepare required essays Pay attention to early action and early decision deadlines
November Submit applications to your counselor at least four weeks before deadlines Attend financial aid meeting sponsored by our school district
December Access the FAFSA online and get a PIN for yourself and for your parents Start or continue scholarship search
January Submit FAFSA as soon as possible Send thank you notes to those who wrote recommendations
February Maintain rigorous academic schedule and involvement Investigate your school choices thoroughly considering major, costs, etc.
March Apply for local scholarships (available in Guidance Office)
April Expect to be notified by all colleges and universities by mid-April Begin college housing process
May Reply on or before May 1 on your intent to attend or cancel Take AP exams
June and July Attend orientation programs Stock up on school and room supplies- You’re on your way to college! PROTOCOL FOR REQUESTING RECOMMENDATIONS
Whether you are asking teachers or your counselor to write a letter of recommendation for you, the following procedures should ease the process:
1. Read the directions on the application. What kind of recommendation is requested? A character reference? An academic reference? Someone who can present your athletic qualification, etc?
2. Based upon the kind of recommendation needed, seek out the person(s) who knows you best and who can write the best letter for you. If the application specifies that only certain individuals may write the letters for you, then you must follow these directions.
3. You will be asked to fill out the Letter of Recommendation Form to assist the recommender in writing your letter. This form can be found in the Career Center. Or click here. Return it in a timely manner with the recommendation form from the college/university.
4. Make sure to put identifying information on your recommendation form, i.e. name, address, etc. If there is no recommendation form, then give the recommendation writers a copy of the direction for reference.
5. In the case of a scholarship recommendation, it is very helpful to give a copy of the criteria for the award, so that the recommendation writers can gear their letters to those criteria. If the recommendation is for college, make sure faculty members know to which college you are applying. This is especially true if you are applying to a specialized program in art, engineering, pre-med, etc.
6. Inform the teachers or counselor of the date the recommendation is due. Specify if it is to be postmarked or received by...Make sure you allow the recommendation writers at least 2-3 weeks to complete your letter. Remember, they are writing several letters and cannot do you justice if you give them a couple hours or a day in which to write. If you want them to do their best, they need lead time. After a week has passed, ask them if they need any additional information in order to complete your recommendation.
7. Please provide your teacher with an envelope, stamp and address of where you want your recommendation sent. Please do not ask the registrar or your counselor to wait for teacher recommendations. We process hundreds of applications monthly and we do not want your application to be held up waiting for a recommendation. If your application states that all material must be sent together, talk to your counselor.
8. Do not expect to be given your recommendation. Teachers and counselors ordinarily do not share that information with you. Just as your transcript is sealed in a Prairie Ridge envelope and mailed directly for you, so also are your letters of recommendation.
9. Make sure you are actually applying to a college before asking for a recommendation. Your teachers and counselors are happy to write letters for you, but not if you don’t need one. Be aware that if a school does not ask for a recommendation and you send one anyway, the chance exists that it will not be considered as part of your application.
10. Thank the teachers or counselor for their time and effort on your behalf. Teachers appreciate thank you cards and of course, let everyone who wrote a letter know when you get accepted.
11. If you find, at a later date, that you need another set of recommendations, it is OK to ask the same teachers again. They usually keep copies of the letter they write. |
|
| 6000 Dvorak Dr. Crystal Lake, IL 60012 Phone: 815-479-0404 Fax: 815-459-8993 Last Updated: 10/9/08 Created By: Bryce Riemer | |
| |