<p>What you send to colleges:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Application (may be common app for many but most public universities and a number of privates still do not use common app; also many that accept common app may require you to also submit a supplement app of their own). Applications are now generally done and submitted on-line.</p></li>
<li><p>Official test scores – you usually have to have them sent by the College Board (SAT and SAT II) or ACT (for the ACT). Whether you have to take and provide SAT II scores and how many depends on college (most do not require or even use SAT IIs but, on the other hand, most of your high ranked colleges require them). You need to check with each college’s admission section on line to see what is required. Note there are some colleges that do not require test scores for admission and a small number that give you the option of providing SAT IIs or AP acores without having to submit SAT or ACTscores. Also, some will accept scores placed on your transcript without your having to send official scores.</p></li>
<li><p>Essays – once again whether they are required and how many and on what topics depends on the college. Many public universities don’t even want essays. </p></li>
<li><p>Recommendation letters: whether you need them and how many depends on college, public universities mostly do not require or want them; private universities often require them particularly any that are high ranked. Usually they are sent directly by the teachers or through the high school counselor. Note, some colleges (including a number of public universities) have a counselor’s form sometimes called a “counselor’s recommendation” you need to have filled out by your counselor and sent in. Usually those are not really recommendation letters but verification forms – verifying you are a student, what courses you are taking senior year, other record info.</p></li>
<li><p>Official high school transcript – you need to order it sent by high school; often this is through your counselor and counselor may send it with a counselor’s form. One notable exception to the offical transcript is the University of California (all sites) which does not require an official transcript until after you have been admitted and finished high school – the app has spaces to self-report all your grades.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Go searching through college sites and the even the common app site for info on eaqch college. One thing to also look for is when you can start applying to a univeristy, its deadlines, whether it has early decision or early action (and thus separate deadlines for those). Adopt the rule that you should not procrastinate and wait for a deadline to prepare your materials, including because you may need to order some things sent, as noted above, that are not the application itself.</p>
<p>After you apply, and if you are going to seek finanicial aid, you will need to submit a FAFSA (mostly your parents financial info). It is a government form found at fafsa.ed.gov. Depending on college you may also have to submit a CSS Pofile – a College Board financial aid form if the college requires it (the form is here: <a href=“https://profileonline.collegeboard.com/prf/index.jsp[/url]”>https://profileonline.collegeboard.com/prf/index.jsp</a> ) – or the college may have its own financial aid form. A college may also require a copy of your parents’ tax return. There are deadline dates for submitting the financial aid forms and those can differ from college to college so you need to get that info off their sites too.</p>
<p>Also, after you apply, many colleges require a mid-year report when you complete first semester senior year, essentially meaning that you have to have your senior first semester grades sent and possibly a form that verifies which courses you are taking second semester.</p>