Application Process
Making Sure You Have All Of The Parts!
There is a lot to keep track of when applying for college, career school, or a service academy. Though the application and deadlines for each may vary, most will require the following documents:
Did you know?
If you register and take your SAT using a College Board SAT Fee Waiver, you are eligible for four (4) college application fee waivers!
Learn More: SAT Fee Waivers - https://sat.collegeboard.org/register/sat-fee-waivers
- Application Forms: Whether completing an online or a paper application, you will be asked to fill in all the blanks on the application form itself. You, your family, and school counselor and/or college advisor will have to answer questions and provide documents for each of your application packets.
- Application Fees/Fee Waiver Forms: Application fees can vary, but the cost, generally, ranges from $15.00 to $50.00 when applying to either a college or a career school. Application fees are non-refundable. Many colleges waive their application fee and/or offer fee waivers.
Did you know?
If you register and take your SAT using a College Board SAT Fee Waiver, you are eligible for four (4) college application fee waivers!
Learn More: SAT Fee Waivers - https://sat.collegeboard.org/register/sat-fee-waivers
- Official High School Transcript: The record of the classes you have taken and the grades you have earned is one of the most important parts of your application. Your school counselor can assist you by sending your transcript directly to the colleges, career schools, or service academies of your choice. Be sure to get the details directly from your school counselor on how this process works at your school.
- Admission Test Scores: Many colleges, career schools, and service academies require (or recommend) that you send your scores from tests, such as the SAT or ACT, directly from the testing orgainzation themselves.
Alert: When completing your SAT and/or ACT registration forms, you have the opportunity to fill in the school codes for the colleges, career schools, and/or service academies where you want to have your scores sent to directly. You may also wait to view your scores before sending them, but remember, there may be a fee to send your scores later on. - Essay and/or Personal Statement: Your essay and/or personal statement is a perfect opportunty to showcase who you are, and it gives the admission officers (or scholarship providers) the opportunity to learn more about your character, strengths, interests, and ideas. Always remember to proofread your essays and personal statements before you send or submit them.
- Letters of Recommendation/Recommendation Forms: Colleges, career school, and service academies often request two or three recommendation letters (or recommendation forms). These letters and/or forms should be written and completed by individuals who know you well and can best describe your skills, accomplishments, and personality.
- Mid-Year Report Cards: Most mid-year report cards provide your school counselor with the opportunity to share up-to-date information on your special achievements, scores, or distinctions with the colleges, career schools, and/or service academies that you sent your original application packet to. Be sure to ask your school counselor if there is anything additional worth reporting to the various schools receiving the report information. Also, be sure to ask your counselor to include such information, along with your grades, on the specified document to be forwarded to your selected colleges, career schools, and/or academies.
- College Admission Interview: Your college admission interview is a great opportunity for you to talk with someone about your academic experiences and future goals. Be sure to put your best foot forward and make sure you communicate during the interview what you hope to accomplish as a result of the interview. A benefit of participating in an interview is that it is one way for you to display, in-person, your strong interest in the colleges, career schools, and/or service academies you selected, and it helps the interviewer get to know the three dimensional human being behind the grades and test scores.
- Auditions and Portfolios: If you are considering exploring a college education in art, design, dance, theater, film, or other related area of study, you may be able to submit a portfolio or participate in an audition as part of the application process. This opportunity gives you the chance to present your artwork, writings, visual arts, or artistic performance to members of the admissions team during your interview at your top-selected colleges, career schools, and/or service academies.
- Final Official Transcript: At the end of your senior year, your high school will send an official final transcript to the college, career school, or service academy that you have, ultimately, decided to attend. This shows your college, career school, or service academy exactly what classes you have taken throughout your years in high school, including your final grades for each year and your cumulative GPA.
If you are a Baltimore City School student in grade 6-12, you have access to the NAVIANCE college and career readiness platform which includes access to the Super Match. To use Super Match, click the NAVIANCE icon, select your school from the list, and log in to Family Connection.
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