First generation college applicant

Parents Forum
1

<p>I made a post in College Admissions, but somebody told me to post it over here. </p>

<p>I'm the first person in my family to go to college. I don't know where to begin, what to do afterwards, or where I'll end up. I don't know who to ask for help, either. I initially went to my counselor--it's safe to say our meeting didn't go very well, as I left the office in tears.</p>

<p>I'm a senior in high school, and the furthest thing I've done is register for the ACTs. I've done most of my applications and I've re-written my essay again and again.</p>

<p>Now what?</p>

<p>Most of the schools I'm applying to have rolling admission. That means I can send my application at any time, right? My grades have steadily declined over the years, starting with all As freshman year, and ending in mostly Cs junior year. Senior year, however, is following the same pattern as freshman year--so should I wait until the end of January to apply to schools, when my first semester will be over and can be included in my transcript?</p>

<p>Most of the schools don't mention teacher recommendations, either. Does that mean they're not required? Should I send some anyway? </p>

<p>I'm also confused about everything being sent at different times. I send the application over applytexas.org. ACT sends my scores. My school sends my official transcript and teacher recommendations, right? And I provide self-addressed, self-stamped envelopes for it? It doesn't matter that all of these basically arrive at different times?</p>

<p>Also, do admissions offices get irritated when prospective students call and ask similar questions?</p>

<p>If anyone has any other advice or tips, I'd really appreciate it. Sorry this is so long, but I literally don't know where else to go for help. Thank you!</p>

2

<p>asostudent: First, good luck. Keep up your grades - not good that they dropped but good senior year grades will make a difference. Most colleges have a deadline of Jan. 1 to get your applications in (California state schools have a Dec. 1 deadline) - get them in as soon as you can. Most will review them some time later - so doesn't make sense to wait - they will see your grades. Even with rolling admissions, they may defer you and make a decision later. Yes, have teachers send recommendations to all the schools to which you've applied - it can't hurt. High school will send transcript now - and then after your first semester of senior year if you ask them to. Sign up to take the SAT's in addition to the ACT. Buy an ACT and/or SAT review book and actually spend time with it before your test. Don't obsess over your essays - do your best and make sure the colleges know you're first generation to attend college.<br>
Sounds like your overwhelmed and your guidance counselor isn't helping. Maybe you could ask a close friend who is more college-savvy, or the parent of a friend, or a teacher or a clergyman to help you and advise you. Be honest with them - tell them you're overwhelmed with the whole process and you need someone to review what you've done and give you suggestions to stay on track.</p>

3

<p>I agree with Chief - see if there is a teacher who can help you, or someone else who has recently gone through the application process. Go to the websites of the school you are interested in and find out what the admission requirements and deadlines are. It is a good idea to get your application in to rolling admission colleges earlier rather than later, as they tend to accept until they have filled their class. Most college admissions offices are quite helpful, but they will expect you to have at least checked their website for information.</p>

<p>Good luck, and please let us know how things are going and if you have any other questions.</p>

4

<p>Also, you might want to see if there are any college fairs coming to your town or if any colleges will be visiting your school. You can also contact your state representative's office to see if there are any programs in your area that assist students like you who are basically doing it on their own without parental guidance.<br>
Good luck!</p>

5

<p>Thanks everyone for the advice!</p>

<p>I have a few more trivial questions, that are probably a little dumb. When giving teachers envelopes for recommendations, they should be self-addressed and self-stamped? What about envelopes given to my school for transcripts? Aren't the teacher recommendation envelopes supposed to be normal-sized, and the transcript envelopes the bigger kind? I've always thought the bigger kind could be self-addressed, but not stamped because they need to be weighed first.</p>

6

<p>My high school faxed transcripts. Don't know if most do it that way, though.</p>

7

<p>No, they do it by mail. It also says on several of the websites that faxed transcripts won't be accepted.</p>

8

<p>My son's school sent the teacher recs along with the transcript. If you are going to have the teacher send in his/her recommendations separately, please make sure your ame, SS#. birthdate, address and any other identifying information is included on the recommendation so it makes it to the proper file.</p>

9

<p>Give addressed (not self-addressed and stamped envelopes to the GC and teachers, all normal size; the transcript and rec should not be that bulky). On the forms, make sure that you have your name and DOB and/or SS# so that the forms get into the proper file, as Columbiamom suggested. On the envelope, you may want to put your name. You can also use a postit to remind the GC and teacher of the due date. </p>

<p>This holds true if teachers send their recs separately. Some give their recs to the GC. In that case, a single, large envelope is required. To be on the safe side, put 3 stamps on it; that should be sufficient. But also include normal size envelopes for the teachers' recs so that the teachers can seal their rec if they so wish. The GC will then bundle up the various recs, his/her rec and school profile and your transcript.</p>

<p>Hope this is clear.</p>

10

<p>asostudent - you can also ask any and all questions here; no matter how small or how significant. You can probably tell what I have observed over time, which is that parents here are at their best when there is a student out there needing our help. I least I hope you can tell.</p>

<p>Are you settled on the schools you have chosen for application? It sounds like you might be doing all Texas schools? If you are not getting all your applications submitted at the same time, I would recommend sending the "easiest" (both in terms of what they require, but most importantly, in terms of the likelihood you'll be accepted) first. That gives you "practice" and it also has the best chance of giving you an acceptance or two, which is a good feeling.</p>

11

<p>asostudent, you said on another thread that UTSA is your first choice. According to their website, you only need to do four things to apply - submit the Texas common application, have an official transcript sent from your school, send SAT or ACT scores, and pay a $30 application fee, all due by July 1. No teacher recommendations necessary, but I would think they would be considered if you had any sent. </p>

<p>Does your counselor have a secretary? If so, she is probably the person who really handles the transcript requests and she could tell you exactly how to handle the request.</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

12

<p>Again, thank you everyone for the help. :)</p>

<p>Yes, I'm applying to all Texas schools, and my first choice is UTSA.</p>

<p>Just because I'm a little confused--if the teachers want to send their recommendations separately, I should give them smaller, addressed (not stamped) envelopes. If they want to send them to the GC, I should give them a big, addressed, and stamped envelope?</p>

<p>And for the GC, I also give them small, addressed, and stamped envelopes?</p>

<p>Sorry, just trying to make sure I understand completely.</p>

13

<p>Hi asostudent,</p>

<p>Welcome to CC. as Jmmom stated, don't worry we will happily walk you through this if you need the help.</p>

<p>Your teachers are probably going to send their recommendations out separately. </p>

<p>Therefore, when giving your recommendations to the teachers give each teacher the following:</p>

<p>A stamped #10 (long business size ) envelope for each school you need that teacher to send a recommendation to. IF you are applying to 4 schools and each school requires 2 recommendations, you need 8 envelopes with 37 cent stamps.</p>

<p>Address each envelope to the school address:</p>

<p>It will usually be:</p>

<p>College
Office of Admissions
Street or PO Box
City, State zip code</p>

<p>Leave the return address section blank the teacher will fill that part out or stamp the envelope using your high school's address.</p>

<p>If there is a recommendation form, make sure you fill out all of your information on the recommendation form: name, ss# , date of birth, address (whatever information that should be filled out by the student).</p>

<p>If the recommendation form has a line requesting that you waive your rights to read the recommendation (or something or that nature) sign the form.</p>

<p>I would also suggest:</p>

<p>Giving each teacher who is writing a recommendation , a copy of your resume or a letter saying something about you and highlighting some of the things you did in their class (this will make it easier for them to personalize your recommendation as teachers will be writing a lot of recommendations)</p>

<p>Purchasing some pre-stamped post cards from the post office.</p>

<p>on the stamped side of the post office address the post card to </p>

<p>You (asostudent)
Your home address
City, state zip</p>

<p>On the other side of the card write</p>

<p>Received by
Name of the college
Date</p>

<p>In the lower corner write:
teacher rec and the initials of the teacher you gave a rec to.
When the school recieves the envelope they will sighn or stamp the post card as receiving the information, then you have a record of who has received what.</p>

<p>Recap:</p>

<p>IF Mr Smith is filling out a recommendation for you, give him a letter about you whtat will help him to write yoru recommendation.</p>

<p>For each school which you are applying give Mr. Smith:</p>

<ol>
<li>stamped # 10 envelope - addressed to the college</li>
<li>The recommendation from with your information filled out and the<br>
waiver section signed</li>
<li>A stamped post card to be inserted into the recommendation<br>
envelope</li>
</ol>

<p>For the Guidance counselor give him/her a 9 x12 envelope (this should be big enough to mail out your transcript, school profile, GC recommendation. Stamp the envelopes and address each envelope to the college which you are applying. leave the return address blank.</p>

<p>Insert a stamped post card addressed to you home : </p>

<p>Received by
Name of the college
Date</p>

<p>In the lower corner write:
GC rec </p>

<p>hope this helps.</p>

<p>on the other side write</p>

14

<p>sybbie719--Thank you SO, SO much! That is beyond helpful! I really appreciate it!</p>

15

<p>I'm sorry, I have another question. If a school doesn't require an essay to apply, is it okay to send one with the transcript, recs, etc. anyway? Or just leave it as it is?</p>

16

<p>Aso - if they don't as kfor teachers' recs or essays, the school doesn't need them, but I don't think they will ignore your app if you send them - it truly doesn't matter.</p>

<p>What about finances? Will you apply for financial aid?</p>

17

<p>Yes, I'll be applying for financial aid.</p>

18

<p>You need to start looking at the financial aid forms. They will require your parents tax returns. You can get an idea of aid from using this year's returns, but they will need to fill out returns as early as possible (before Jan 31) next year. I'm not reall up on the FA stuff - someone else ?Sybbie? please give her a nutshell version.</p>

19

<p>Since UTSA states :</p>

<p>*The UTSA Office of Student Financial Aid will meet the direct costs or financial need of all eligible students until a variety of funds have been exhausted. All students are awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis, subject to the availability of funds, academic performance and demonstrated financial need. *</p>

<p><a href="http://www.utsa.edu/financialaid/eligibility.htm%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.utsa.edu/financialaid/eligibility.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>It is very important that you submit your paperwork and get all of your forms in as soon as possible.</p>

<p>FINANCIAL AID ELIGIBILITY</p>

<p>To receive financial aid at UTSA a student must submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to determine eligibility for need-based and non- need based aid. The following criteria determines financial aid eligibility: </p>

<p>[ul]*
demonstrate financial need for need-based aid
a high school diploma or General Education Development (GED)
admitted as a degree seeking student (undergraduate and graduate)
be a U.S. citizen or eligible non citizen
meet Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards
enrolled at least half-time (exception is PELL grant)
not be in default on any federal and/or state loan program
not owe a refund on any federal and/or state grant
[/ul]*</p>

<p>Talk to your parents now and start getting yoru financial information together. You can submit the FAFSA on Jan 1, 2006. Since the school has specific grants that are awared based on the date you submit the FAFSA, this is what you will be doing on new years day.</p>

<p>Also file your scholarship application as soon as possible. Never eliminate your self from the process because you never know what you could be eligible for.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.utsa.edu/scholarships/deadline.cfm%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.utsa.edu/scholarships/deadline.cfm&lt;/a> </p>

<p><a href="http://www.utsa.edu/financialaid/grants.htm%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.utsa.edu/financialaid/grants.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>In the interim you and yoru parents can sign up to get an pin # which you wil l use to sign the forms. The great thing about applying on line is that you get the results back within 2 to 3 business days.</p>

<p>When filing the FAFSA you only need to use income information from one parent (use the parent who has the lower income).</p>

20

<p>To apply to UTSA they require the following:</p>

<p>Submit official high school transcripts, </p>

<p>SAT/ACT test results (if applicable) ACT code #4239</p>

<p>Pay $30.00 non-refundable application fee</p>

<p>Submit ALL official college or university transcripts (if applicable)</p>

<p>You have registered for the ACT. When are you taking the exam? UTSA states that you get a response with in 2 to 3 weeks of applying. You can submit your application and send your transcripts now. When you take the ACT, have your scores sent to the college then your application will be complete and the school can make a decision.</p>