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Nuts & Bolts


HOW DO I START TRYING TO FIND THE RIGHT COLLEGE?

  • Think about the following questions and discuss them with your families, your counselors, your teachers, your mentors and read as much as you can about any school that interests you.
  • What are your strengths and interests? Would a big university or a small liberal arts schools match what you want and what you are good at?
  • What subjects have you done well in and do you think you want to pursue a major in that (those) area(s)?
  • Are you unsure of what you want to study in college and want to study in a liberal arts setting to try to find your area of interest?
  • Do you want to be in an urban setting, suburban/college town or rural setting? Do you care? Think about how these settings would best fit your needs.
  • Are you looking for a liberal setting, a conservative setting, some of both or do you care? Do you want a particular personality in a college...serious, little partying or drinking or friendly, laid back, lots of partying or do you not care?
  • Am I more suited for a large university (like UIC) or a small college?
  • What type of student body am I seeking? A population similar to Payton with students from various ethnic, cultural, and socio-economic backgrounds? Or, is a more homogeneous student population more comfortable?
  • Is cultural diversity important to me? Some of you may be considering a Historically Black College or University (HBCUs)
  • Am I open to considering a single sex (all male or all female) institution?
  • Am I interested in a career in the military or one of the academies?
  • If you think you have a particular strength/talent in the arts, sciences, athletics, and might get special consideration from a particular college, be sure to discuss that with your counselor.

GETTING TO KNOW THE COLLEGE(S) OF YOUR CHOICE

Visit the college on the internet or in person. Read about the college in the many books available in book stores or at the school, take a virtual tour on the web or view the school videos. If you want to visit, check the school's website (if it is a school that takes the Common Application, click here), for links to the school to find out about visitation dates, places to stay, and directions for getting to the school. Try to arrange to sit in on a class, or spend an overnight with other students. If you are sure you want to attend this school, and the interviews are evaluative (you get rated on your interview) arrange for an interview. If you are interviewing, prepare by knowing why you want to go to this school, have a set of questions and prepare a short document summarizing your school, community and work experience and your academic record and hand it to the interviewer suggesting it might assist with the interview.

NOW, WORKING WITH YOUR PARENTS, GUARDIANS, TEACHERS OR MENTORS, MAKE A LIST OF THE SCHOOLS THAT INTEREST YOU AND START THE PROCESS.


HOW DO I KNOW MY CHANCES OF GETTING INTO A PARTICULAR COLLEGE?

Keep in mind that even if you have what seems to be everything that a school is seeking, the final decision is based on many factors and is not to be interpreted as meaning that you are not smart, or not good enough or not up to the work at that school. It simply means that you were not chosen. Perhaps the school had more than enough applicants with high test scores or class rank or presidents of student council or athletes or musicians or actors...you get the point.

How can I get an idea of whether my scores, grade point average, class rank and school activities make me a viable candidate for admission to a particular school?

You can get a good idea of whether you are a viable candidate based on some basic data:
  1. Get a copy of your transcript and know your grade point average and class rank.
  2. Know your PSAT, SAT, ACT, and SAT II scores-some or all of these.
  3. Know your school activities, your accomplishments, how you are rated in your sports.
  4. Legacy (a family member went to the school) or racial or ethnic background, sports abilities, or disabilities are sometimes given some additional consideration.

You can use any of the many books available that provide specific information about admission requirements for schools. The internet has many resources; one that is particularly helpful is www.collegeboard.com. You will see a "college finder" box, just type the name of the college or university you are interested in learning about and you will open to a college profile for that school. The information in this resource will provide you with a detailed summary of what that college has to offer and its admission requirements. For example, if you are interested in the University of Illinois at Champaign, Urbana, the following is an example of what you would find from the university's website/class profile:
  • percentage of applicants admitted
  • admission deadlines
  • racial, gender and residential background of entering freshmen
  • numbers of computers and student support services available
  • list of every sport offered
  • list of all majors and most popular majors
  • middle 50% scores for SAT I and ACT
  • cost information

Many college websites have "class profiles" that provide you with the data on the last class admitted including the middle 50% of ACT and SAT I test scores, class rank percentages, and average grades. This information can assist you to assess whether a particular school is a "safety" school, a "reach" school or a "stretch" school.


IMPORTANT FACTORS IN THE ADMISSION DECISION


1) The official transcript. Colleges will evaluate the high school record by looking at grades, class rank and the rigor of the courses taken (honors, AP). Keep up your grades and take the most challenging classes you can.

2) The other important factors: At many colleges, particularly the more selective ones, some or all of the following factors are considered:
  • Standardized test scores
  • Counselor/teacher recommendations
  • Ethnicity
  • Application questions and essays
  • Geographic location
  • Personal interview
  • Alumni relationship
  • Activities outside the classroom
  • Major/college
  • Special talents and skills
  • Family's ability to pay
NOTE: The value each institution gives to any of the above factors is often different from one institution to another.

3) The admissions option you choose can have an impact on your admission. Speak with your counselor, mentor and parents about which way is right for you.

Early Decision:
When you apply Early Decision, you are entering into a contract-agreeing that if you are accepted, you will withdraw all your applications from other schools. In fact, you will not be allowed entrance into any other school once accepted Early Decision. At many colleges the deadline for receipt of the application is Nov. 1 or 15, and the student is then notified (Accept, Deny, Defer) six weeks after the deadline. You must be very certain that the school you apply to Early Decision is your first choice because if you are accepted, you must withdraw all of your other applications. Speak with your counselor about what would happen if this school could not meet your financial needs.

Early Action:
When you apply Early Action, you are given the option to apply to other schools and consider them even after you have been accepted at the Early Action school.

Regular Decision:
This is the standard way of applying. You submit your application by a certain date (usually January 1) and the school agrees to let you know if you accepted by a certain date (usually April 1). This type of application gives you more time to consider where to apply, to take additional tests and to use your senior year records to bolster your admission chances.

Rolling Admission:
This process is used by institutions who agree to review applications as they are received. Once the application is received and complete, the institution can offer you a non-binding decision with a certain period of time after the application is received. Rolling Admission is a process used primarily by large state universities where applications are reviewed on a continued basis up to a regular deadline. In some cases institutions will accept students as long as openings remain in their class or up until the beginning of the school year - whichever comes first.


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