live in South Carolina. Their human, Woody O’Cain,
is the Vice President for Enrollment at Erskine College. High school counselors and college admissions folks work on different sides of the same desk and they are always talking about admissions issues. Woody sent a message to counselors to help them nudge their students into action. My counselor thought it was pretty good stuff so she shared it with me and I’m gonna share a version of it with you…here goes…What do I need to do to get accepted into college?
And…How in the world am I going to pay for it?
What do I need to do to get accepted into college?
All of the information you fill out on a college application is taken into consideration.
HIGH SCHOOL TRANSCRIPT - Your high school record is the most important part of the whole process…what you have done the last three years in high school and so far this year will be given the most weight in the review process. Remember that you can’t go to sleep intellectually during your senior year. By the way, almost all colleges require the submission of a final transcript.
TEST SCORES – Your SAT and/or ACT score is another thing many colleges look at in this process. It’s one test that you happened to take on a Saturday. And, you probably had a thousand other things on your mind. Whether you are pleased with your score or disappointed…just remember, for most colleges, your test score is not the “end all” to this process. The amount of weight put on the test score really varies by college. Know that some schools are test optional (www.fairtest.org).
PERSONAL QUALITIES – These include letters of recommendation, extracurricular activities, employment, honors, awards and…THE ESSAY. All schools don’t require essays/personal statements. If a school does require these, use them to your advantage to highlight something you are passionate about and to give information about you that can’t be found anywhere else on your application.
HOW TO APPLY - Some schools have their own applications. Others are part of groups that allow students to use one application to apply to more than one school. BEWARE: Some of these applications require supplements. If you have questions about the Common App, here is the link: https://www.commonapp.org/CommonApp/DownloadForms.aspx
OK, OK, OK—applications, transcripts, test scores—check, check and double check. But… How in the world am I going to pay for college?
Fact: Very few people pay the full sticker price for college! There are lots of scholarships out there both from the federal government and from the schools themselves. Your state will also have a few more scholarship opportunities if you decide to stay in state to attend college.
We do all that we can to help make Erskine affordable for those students who want to be here. That’s doesn’t mean that we, or any school, can give everyone a full scholarship….wouldn’t that be cool? To help in the process, there are several things you need to do. This will probably vary from school to school, but all schools have requirements you must meet to qualify for aid/scholarships.
To help us figure out what the Federal Government can do for you, go here:
http://www.fafsa4caster.ed.gov/F4CApp/index/index.jsf
Visit colleges that interest you. Selecting a college should be about determining which colleges offer you an environment that will allow you to grow and develop–to reach your potential and realize your dreams.
Sincerely,
Woody O’Cain
Vice President for Enrollment
Erskine College
Here’s a news flash—colleges really want students to make good matches. Maddie and Watson’s human has given me some good advice. I think I’ll go talk to my counselor about a college visit. It’s getting late—maybe you should talk to your counselor too!
L8R
Clyde
