Senior guide: College applications
If you haven’t made your Common Application account, stop reading and go make one! Creating an account and understanding this platform is crucial to a successful application process. While most colleges use the Common App portal, not all schools accept it. Instead, they could opt for their own application forms, so look for your college’s preferences. A few schools that have their own application websites include the University of California system, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Georgetown University.
In Common App, you can add schools to your dashboard using the “College Search” feature. Clicking on the different college profiles will provide lots of information about what each school requires. Next, make sure to take enough time to familiarize yourself with the website; you don’t want to find a new section the night before it’s due!
Score Submission Requirements: Most colleges are test-optional for the 2025 application process, meaning that submitting scores is not mandatory. However, the UNC System schools recently updated their protocol so that students with a weighted GPA between 2.5 and less than 2.8 must submit SAT or ACT scores. While test scores aren’t everything, it is important to make an educated decision about whether or not to submit them by knowing score ranges for schools you are interested in. Additionally, it could help to understand whether your SAT or ACT score is better (can be determined by converting SAT into ACT scores, or vice versa) if you wish to only submit one. (see chart)
Superscoring: When self-reporting a single score, make sure to submit the highest score possible. If you have taken multiple SAT tests, add your highest math score and reading/writing score received to find your SAT superscore. The same thing can be done with ACT scores. The official ACT website will automatically display your superscore; make sure that is the one you are self-reporting. Again, it is important to know what your schools of interest will accept superscores as most, but not all schools do.
Next Testing Sessions: Unhappy with your scores? Registrations for the Oct. 5 SAT or Oct. 26 ACT are open until Sept. 20 (or later with an extra fee). Early applicants, factor in score release time periods and potential delays before registering! Additionally, check if the colleges of your choice have a separate score submission deadline, which allows score submissions after application deadlines. Keep in mind that if your score aren’t in by the time applications are read, it will not be considered.
While Common App provides a space for you to self-report scores, your official score reports will also need to be sent via College Board and ACT.org. By navigating to the scores section on each webpage, you will find directions for this process.
When deciding the best time to apply, it is crucial to understand the three different admission pathways. Early action is a nonbinding agreement, meaning you can apply without committing to that school. For certain schools, applying earlier could boost your chances of admission by a small margin. This is also beneficial since you will receive an admission decision much earlier (and get to relax sooner!). On the other hand, early decision is a binding agreement, meaning you must go to that college if accepted. While not many schools offer this, this pathway will show commitment to admissions officers. However, only apply early decision if you are 100% comfortable with going to that school and paying its tuition, regardless of any acceptances you receive from other schools.
Lastly, regular decision is a nonbinding agreement with later deadlines, but consequently, it will take longer to receive a decision. While it is often recommended to apply early to your top schools, the choice is yours. Make sure to prioritize the closest deadlines while balancing school, work, extracurriculars and your mental health.
In addition to knowing where to find the Student Services webpage, make sure you are enrolled in the Student Services Class of 2025 course on Canvas to stay up-to-date on important information sessions and workshops! An upcoming date to be aware of is the Scholarship Search & Applications on Wednesday, Sept. 18. This will take place A-Half in the Auditorium. The slides from the first lunch presentation (Monday, Sept. 9) are available on the “files” section of the Student Services Canvas. We highly recommend reviewing these if you missed the meeting; they give even more in-depth information then we have covered.
Senior conference appointments are now open! Make sure to log onto the canvas announcement page in order to snag your spot. If your interactions with your counselor have been limited over the years, booking a senior conference is a good way to have them put a face to a name and let them know more about you. This will provide the opportunity to discuss your graduation progress, career planning, scholarships, career goals and ask any Common App questions.
