College Information
Things to consider when exploring college options:
1. Location
2. Campus size
3. Setting/community of the campus
4. Academic reputation
5. Majors/programs/activities
6. Cost
7. Admissions requirements
College visits:
If you are planning to visit a college/university during the school day you need to adhere to the following procedure:
1. A parent/guardian note needs to be given to the school before the scheduled visit.
2. A note from the admissions office, on their letter head, must be acquired and turned into the attendance office the very next day for it to be an excused day.
Students can use up to five college visits during the academic school year.
Here are some things that you can request that the admissions office sets up for you on your visit.
1. Tour of the campus/dorm rooms
2. Sit in on a class
3. Talk with a professor in the department of the major you are considering.
4. Eat in the dining hall
5. Talk with someone in financial aid
6. Have a couple of questions to ask the admissions counselor about their institution.
7. Ask for an application fee waiver so you don't have to pay this at the time of application.
8. Anything else that you feel you need to cover don't be afraid to ask.
Activities Resume
Put together a more formal listing of the activities that you have been involved with during your high school career. This can be sent as either part of your application package or given to someone whom you asked to write you a letter of recommendation.
SAT/ACT/SAT II
Make sure you pay attention to registration deadlines so you don't miss out on taking one of these college admissions tests. No matter which one you take, SAT or ACT, you need to take them at least two times. Most colleges will not look at scores if taken after December of the senior year. You can apply online.
When to apply?
The rule of thumb for this one is to apply early. You may have heard of the saying the early bird gets the worm. This is true even in the admissions process. Start working on them over the summer and have them ready to go by the start of your senior year. Otherwise, you need to have them done and sent out by Thanksgiving.
Requesting your high school transcript
College transcripts should be requested through Scoir for all seniors. This is extremely important to remember. You need to give the counseling office five days to process your requested transcript! You need to be very aware of any postmark or deadline dates. If you give us less than five days, we cannot guarantee that it will be sent out on time. There is no transcript fee for seniors who request college transcripts through Scoir.
Letters of Recommendation
Think about who you would want to write you a letter of recommendation if one is needed for either a college or scholarship application. It is a common courtesy to give them plenty of time to write their letter. Please make sure they know when you need it by to avoid issues with deadlines.
Early Decision/Early Action plans
Early decision should only be used if you are absolutely certain that this is the school that you want to attend because you are committing to attend there if accepted. You can only do this for ONE school. Early action allows your application to be decided upon before the holiday break in December. You can apply early action to more than one institution. This is non-binding.
Financial Aid
You will need to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form after January 1st of your senior year of high school. Northern's virtual financial aid night is typically held in October. This is a great event to attend to learn about the financial aid process and what is out there to help pay for this investment. The link to this website can be found under the link titled Career and College websites on this website. Make sure that you pay close attention to the college/university deadline date for the FAFSA form. If you miss it, then you will not be able to receive financial assistance for that academic school year.
Scholarships (Leave no stone unturned)
Typically, in February/March, the counseling office starts posting its scholarships on the high school webpage. This listing is updated continually. You can also register on Fastweb.com. This is a free search engine for scholarships. The rule of thumb for this one is to apply to any and all scholarships that you are eligible to complete. Sometimes parent's employers or a family's church will have scholarships available for its members. For scholarships that require a transcript, you must complete the transcript request form in the counseling office. There is a two-dollar processing fee for each transcript that we mail out. Please remember to allow five days for processing, so again watch those deadlines.