Application Deadlines

It is important to notice which process or processes and application deadlines are used by a particular college. The different processes are listed below.

Regular Admission

The majority of colleges and universities ask students to apply between December and Februaryfor admission the following fall, although some schools have later deadlines. Students who apply usually receive results in March or April. If accepted, they are asked to formally matriculate by May 1st, usually with a deposit.

Rolling Admission

Some schools offer a rolling admission system, in which students submit their application and a decision is made soon after the application is complete (usually within 6-10 weeks).  Applications are reviewed according to the school’s standards for admission rather than by looking at all of the applicants at the same time. In most cases, it is to the student’s advantage to apply early in the fall rather than waiting until the deadline for admission the following fall.  Cases differ, though, so please ask the college counselors if you have any questions.

Early Decision (ED) Admission

Many colleges offer Early Decision plans, whereby students typically apply during or before the month of November, and receive replies in December. Not to be confused with Early Action (see below), the Early Decision (ED) plan requires that once accepted, students commit to enrolling.  A student may apply to only one institution under this plan, but must have other applications ready for filing if the decision is not an acceptance. Some colleges employ an ED II program, which allows the early application to be filed slightly later (students may, for instance, file for ED II in January and receive a decision by February).  If an ED application is deferred, students will be notified of the final decision in April, when all applicants receive notification.

Seniors who are considering applying ED should be very sure that the ED college is their first choice, and should have a strong record as of the end of junior year (both GPA and test scores).  Many people perceive Early Decision as a wise application strategy due to ED acceptance rates that are often higher than those for regular decision. However, (1) inflated acceptance percentages can reflect an extremely high-achieving applicant pool, which boosts the admission standards; and (2) those applying are fully committed to enrollment, which can boost admission numbers. Therefore, students should use ED only when they are certain of their choice—that is,they have visited the school, visited similar schools, and are certain that they can financially handle tuition. Many seniors report how different their perspective has become by spring time,cautioning younger peers to use care with binding programs. Early Decision should never be an application strategy, and shouldn’t be used by students who have to compare financial aid offers.

Early Action (EA) Admission

A strong student might want to consider a college that offers EA admission, whereby a senior typically applies in November and hears in December but does not have to commit to attendance if accepted. Only very enthusiastic students with a compelling performance record should apply early. If students are accepted under EA, they may proceed with other regular decision applications, waiting until May 1st to make a final college choice. Students may apply to more than one non-binding Early Action program if doing so is approved by all institutions involved.

Early Action-Single Choice (EA-SC) Admission

For this admission program, as with regular Early Action above, students apply early and hear early without being bound to attend if admitted.  Under Early Action-Single Choice , students are forbidden from applying to another school under the EA-SC deadline.  If you choose to apply to one school under the EA-SC deadline and wish to apply to another school that offers that same choice of deadline, you may do so, but only under their Regular or Rolling Admission deadline.  However, you may apply Early Action (EA), Regular or Rolling Admission to other colleges that do not offer Early Action-Single Choice.

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Essay Writing Tips

Reading good essays is one of the best parts of the application evaluation process; reading bad essays is the bane of admission professionals' existence. They are not looking for reasons to reject people; rather, they are looking to see if the writing reflects what they see on your transcript. The college essay is the synergy of the application.  However, it's important to remember that a great essay won't erase a bad transcript.

Give them what they're looking for

If they ask you to describe an event or your favorite book, and its importance to you, they're looking for something that tells them about your personality. If you want to show your research abilities, you can include a graded paper in addition to your essay.

Show who you are

The essay and interview are the only places where you can tell them stuff about you that's different from everyone else. Always keep in mind: They're looking for what it means to you. They would rather read about a conversation you had and what it meant to you, rather than read the details of a trip you took.

Don't dash it off quickly

Some of my friends' kids labor over their AP English assignments and whip off the college essay as if it's not going to be graded. Your essays are read with a pen in hand; it is their job to point out the good, the bad, and the ugly for the next reader. And don't try to figure out what the counselor wants and write that. They can usually see through that type of writing.

Avoid being trite and unoriginal

Give your essay to your English teacher and ask, "Could anyone else have written this?" If he or she says yes, you haven't taught the admissions folks anything about you.

Getting started

Be yourself. If you want to be humorous or controversial, get an opinion from a counselor who knows something about that school. Be careful about swearing or quoting something verbatim; if it's off-color, you'll seem juvenile. Also avoid regional terminology.

Yes, spelling counts

Spelling, grammar, syntax, logic of the argument, economical use of words, creativity, and originality--they look for all of them.

Intrigue them

Make them want to see what's going on! If the opening sentence is compelling, that's a great indicator that the essay will be good. Make it enjoyable for the reader.

Ask for help

If you have questions, ask them. They have email addresses and phone numbers, so use them. Never assume! If you want to know something, go ahead and ask the college admission office.  If they are unreachable, ask your English teacher.

A topic example
Essay question: "What is your favorite book character, and why?"  Instead of starting with 'my favorite character is ....,' begin with the character's qualities and statements. Make it very conversational, and try not to reveal the character's identity until midway through the essay. It will pique their interest and hold it throughout the entire essay.

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NCAA Student-Athletes

Students must register with the NCAA Clearinghouse (https://www.ncaaclearinghouse.net/NCAA/common/index.html) if they plan to play Division I, Division II or NAIA athletics during college. Students participating in Divison III (non-NAIA) during college DO NOT need to register with the NCAA Clearinghouse.

• There is a fee to register.
• Students must request to have their transcript and test scores mailed from the College Guidance Office to the NCAA Clearinghouse after 2nd semester of Junior Year, and then again after 2nd semester of senior year.

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Students With Disabilities

Resources for Students with Special Needs:

American Association of University Affiliated Programs for Persons with Developmental Disabilities
www.aauap.org

American Council of the Blind
www.acb.org

Association on Higher Education and Disability
www.ahead.org

Children and Adults with Attention Deficit Disorder
www.chadd.org

Council for Exceptional Children
www.cec.sped.org

Disabilities Studies and Services Center
www.dssc.org

ERIC Clearinghouse on Disabilities and Gifted Education
ericec.org

Federation for Children with Special Needs
www.fcsn.org

Internet Resources for Special Children
www.irsc.org

Learning Disabilities Online
www.ldonline.org

Learning Disabilities Association of America
www.ldanatl.org

National Adult Literacy & Learning Disabilities Center
novel.nifl.gov/nalldtop.htm

National Attention Deficit Disorder Association
www.add.org

National Center for Learning Disabilities
www.ncld.org

National Information Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities
www.nichcy.org

National Parent Network on Disabilities
www.npnd.org

National Transition Alliance for Youth with Disabilities
www.dssc.org/nta/

Options in Education
www.optionsined.com

School Psychology Resources
www.schoolpsychology.net

U.S. Dept. of Justice Americans with Disabilities Act
www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/adahom1.htm

 

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Marshall School College Counseling
1215 Rice Lake Road, Duluth, MN 55811
Phone: (218) 727-7266
E-Mail: CollegeCounseling