Admission Applications
Your high school guidance department probably has specific procedures for you to
follow. Some high schools require you to submit all of your college application
materials to them after you have completed your part of the application. They
will then enclose your transcripts and forward the "package" to every college
you have indicated. Your guidance office will usually have a deadline date as
to when they expect, so make sure you check and understand all procedures.
The Early Decision option allows students to apply early to their first-choice
college. Early Decision deadlines range from mid-October to early January.
Mid-November is a typical deadline, with a mid-December notification of
acceptance, denial or deferral. Early Decision plans are binding. You commit to
attending that school if you are accepted and to withdrawing all other
applications. Financial aid applicants will receive a tentative financial aid
package at the time of acceptance. If the financial aid is not what you
expected, you might be forced to refuse the offer of admission. You
should consider applying Early Decision only if you are certain that the
particular school is the best fit for you.
Early action
This option, like Early Decision, allows for an early application and admission
decision, but without the commitment to attend. You may apply to other schools
and you will recieve your financial aid package in the Spring with all the rest
of the applicants.
Regular admission
Regular Admission requires that students send in their application by a deadline
set by the college. Each school's deadlines may vary, usually beginning in
early January. You should be able to find the school's admission deadline in
the catalog, on the website, or by calling the admission office for the
information.
Rolling Admission
Rolling Admission means that the school has no admission deadline. Admission
decisions are made on a first come first serve basis. Usually, the college
notifies students within four to six weeks after the application file is
complete.
Early admission
Early Admission allows a high school student to complete his/her high school
graduation requirements while enrolled at a local college. Check with your
guidance office for details.
Different schools have different deadlines. Look in the catalog or call the
admissions office for the application deadlines. Remember to get all
application materials to your guidance office well before the application
deadlines.
Without a doubt, college visits are very important. If possible, you should
visit all the colleges you are applying to. Sometimes it’s impossible to visit
colleges that are far away, but there are websites that provide virtual tours.
When planning a visit, contact the college admission office and let them know
that you are coming to campus. Ask the admission representative how often tours
are scheduled and where they begin. If you have a particular major in mind, ask
the admission representative to arrange a meeting for you with a representative
of that department. The same is true for college coaches. If you are
considering college athletics, arrange a meeting with a coach. Sometimes, at
the conclusion of a college tour you will have the opportunity to speak with an
admission officer. This is an excellent opportunity for you to market yourself
to the college. Be prepared with a list of questions to ask.
Most colleges will require you to take either an SAT or an ACT. Some schools may
also require SAT II subject tests. Contact the college admission office to
inquire about standardized test requirements and contact the College Planning
Center to inquire about test preparation courses. Usually, the tests are
offered in the junior and senior years and can be taken more than once if a
student wishes to improve their score. There are books to help students
prepare for these tests as well as test preparation courses.
The college essay is a very important part of your application. It
allows the college to get to know you better, evaluate your writing skills and
determine whether you are an effective communicator. There, you should
start the first draft of your essay in the summer before your senior
year. Essay topics can be found on the college applications. You
can also refer to the common application for essay topics. Most colleges
will give you suggested topics for your essay. If guidelines are not given,
your essay should be approximately one page single-spaced or two pages
double-spaced. Three paragraphs tend to work better than the five-paragraph
essay you learned to write in high school. Show a draft of your essay to your
English teacher. Do not let anyone else write you essay. College admission
officers are usually able to detect an essay not written by the student. The
result is usually immediate rejection. For help with essay guidelines, give us
a call at 736-3170.
Most colleges do not require interviews; if you can schedule one, however, it is
an excellent opportunity for you to market yourself to the colleges. Except
when used by the college as an evaluation tool for certain scholarships or
academic programs, an interview is considered an exchange of information
between student and college.
A guidance counselor recommendation will be provided with your transcript. Ask
teachers, and, when relevant, employers and coaches to write your letters of
recommendation. Give them ample time and deadline dates, along with any forms
that the colleges require. Provide them with a list of your activities, sports,
employment and accomplishments, along with a stamped envelope addressed to the
college admission office. Follow up to make sure the forms are completed and
forwarded to the colleges in a timely fashion.
Complete a resume that outlines your accomplishments throughout your high school
career. These can include any honors, awards, sports, community service or
employment.
College fairs are an excellent way for you to get college information. There are
two major college fairs that are held in RI. One is in the fall at CCRI in
Warwick usually on the third Sunday in October. The other is a held at the end
of April at the Rhode Island Convention Center in Providence. There are also a
number of local fairs hosted by local high schools. For more details on dates
and times check the calendar link or contact us at 736-3170.
If college coaches at either the Division I or the Division II level contact
you, you can feel confident that you may have the ability to compete in college
at some level. If you have not heard from any coaches, but hope to play a sport
in college, we suggest the following: Contact the college coach directly. Let
them know of your interest in applying to their school and your intention to
participate in their program. You might want to consider sending an athletic
resume (see sample) or setting up a visit to meet with the coach. Also, The
NCAA has established a clearinghouse for both recruiting and eligibility
purposes for student-athletes in Divisions I and II. This does not apply to
Division III applicants. All students with an interest in Division I or II
programs, but especially those interested in making official visits (expenses
paid) in the fall of their senior year, should pick up clearinghouse forms at
the college office at the end of their junior year.
Advanced Placement (AP) and honors courses are designed to meet the needs of the
above average student. AP courses are the most challenging courses wherein the
student is introduced to college-level material. At the conclusion of the
course, student has the option to take the test offered by the College Board in
May. Successful performance on the exam may result in college credit or
academic acceleration, as determined by the individual college.