GREAT. I have way too many questions about college that were never answered by my wonderful school counselor. I am going to be a senior in high school. I’m very LATE on this whole “preparing for college and life” thing because my parents don’t know anything about college (vietnamese immigrants) & I will be the first to graduate from high school blah blah blah. I NEED HELP with the basics of applying. Here are just a few questions and please excuse my ignorance and stupidity of these questions BECAUSE THEY’RE COMING AT YA. The more feedback the merrier and less confused I will feel
what is "undergraduate"
why do some colleges just look at the math and reading on sat scores
ARE LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION REALLY THAT IMPORTANT
SAT SCORES-do i send all of them? do i send the best? was i suppose to be sending them to colleges all this time? HELP
Definition of an undergraduate: a student in a university or college who has not received a first, especially a bachelor's, degree. Basically you are a college student seeking a 4 year Bachelors degree.
Most colleges consider the Math and Critical Reading sections important. The essay section was a section added to the SAT in 2005 and for many schools it was not required. It is now optional again.
LOR's can many times help a borderline applicant go from a possible rejection to an acceptance. Strong LOR's will definitely help your chances.
Some schools require all SAT and/or ACT scores so you need to check each school's website for specifics.
You can send them now or when you submit your college applications. If you do not plan to retest before applications are due, then you can send them now.
College acceptances can range from extremely selective <5% acceptance rate to not selective 100% acceptance rate. It will depend upon which schools you are targeting.
Regarding "I'm a mess".
Start by finding out what your unweighted GPA is from your HS transcripts 9-11th grades.
What tests have you taken and your scores?
Home state? How much can your parents pay/year for college? Are you low income?
Learn about the FASFA which will offer you loans and grants (if eligible) that you can use toward college expenses.
A college student who hasn't earned a bachelor's degree. After you earn a bachelor's degree, you have the option of becoming a graduate student and earning a masters or Ph.D. degree.
When the SAT was first created, it didn't have a writing section. Some colleges never started considering it once it was introduced.
It depends on the college. Each college has a Common Data Set that says how important letters of recommendation are. Are you interested in any particular colleges right now?
You don't need to send the scores until you apply to colleges, usually at the beginning of your senior year in high school. The College Board website will let you choose whether to send all of your scores or only some, but many colleges require you to send all of your scores.
It's not hard to get into *a* college (for example, community colleges accept everyone, and your state probably has several public universities that accept almost everyone). However, some colleges are extremely selective, so it's important to apply to at least one **affordable** "safety school" that you know will accept you. You can use net price calculators on college websites to determine what kind of financial aid you would get from each college on your list. You should try to find colleges that would give you a lot of grants and/or scholarships, and avoid colleges where you would have to take out a lot of loans.
If the school asks for letters of recommendation, you need to have them sent. Ideally from core academic teachers in your junior year if possible. A bad rec letter CAN sink you. Extra letters beyond what they request rarely help.
what is "undergraduate"
Someone who is beginning their bachelors degree- you're basically doing your first degree. It's a general degree, like a B.A. in Psychology or History, then your "graduate" degree usually focuses on something more specific in that field.
why do some colleges just look at the math and reading on sat scores
Some colleges just don't think the writing section is a good representation of how good of a writer you are.
ARE LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION REALLY THAT IMPORTANT
They can tip the scales in your favor. They really matter because they help colleges get a better picture of who you are as a student. Make sure you ask core teachers who know you well.
SAT SCORES-do i send all of them? do i send the best? was i suppose to be sending them to colleges all this time? HELP
Some colleges require you to send all of them. For others, you can use score choice, where you "send the best." And no, you weren't supposed to be sending them to colleges all this time.
is college really that hard to get into?
College selectivity is a large spectrum. Acceptance ranges from 4.7% (Stanford) to schools that accept 100% of applicants. If you apply to a good mix of reach, safety and match schools you will get in somewhere.
im a mess
Don't worry! This process will all work out in the end. If you want to ask me more questions feel free to message me.
Many colleges require zero letters of recommendation. See the requirements for your target colleges.
Input your data in the SuperMatch tool to the left. See what you and your family can afford (each college’s fin aid webpage has a “net price calculator”) which can assist you to see what it costs your family.
Then go to those sites and see what the college requires for undergraduate admission.
