What will I need to apply for college?

You will need the following important documents:

    The Application (see PG. 874)
    Fee Payment or Fee Waiver Form (see PG. 874)
    High School Credential (see PG. 857)
    Transcripts for any high school or college coursework you’ve done (see PG. 857)
    Letters of Recommendation and personal references (see PG. 875)
    College Admissions Test Scores (see PG. 874)
    Immunization/Vaccination Records (see PG. 840)
The Application:

Depending on the program and the school you are applying to, there may be a formal school-specific application you must complete or there may be a general application that is good for several schools. This will depend on the school you are applying to, so be sure to ask whether there is a specific application you must complete or if there is a general application available.

Fee Payment or Fee Waiver:

Almost all schools require a payment in order to process your application. This fee may range any where from $20—80. But don’t be discouraged! Many schools also offer fee waivers. To see whether or not you qualify for a fee waiver, first look at the school’s website and see if you can find information as to how to apply for a fee waiver. You may also call the school’s admission office and ask for one directly. But be sure to do this EARLY as many schools may run out of the number of fee waivers they can provide to students. If you receive a fee waiver, you do not have to pay this application fee but instead will include proof of the waiver with your application.

College Admissions Tests:

SAT & ACT. The SAT and ACT are standardized college admissions tests. Almost everyone who applies to a four-year college or university must take one of these tests. Schools use applicants’ scores on these exams to make admissions decisions. The SAT covers math, reading, and writing, and focuses more on vocabulary and how well you can reason. It’s more popular with private schools, and with schools on the East and West coasts.[2869] The ACT covers math, English, science, and reading, and focuses more on how much you know about the subjects being tested. It’s more popular with public schools, and with schools in the South and the Midwest. (See Appendix C, PG. 893, for more details on ACT policies.)[2870]

  1. 2869

    About the SAT, SAT, http://sat.collegeboard.org/about-tests/sat; ACT vs. SAT: Key Differences between the ACT and the SAT, Study Points, http://www.studypoint.com/ed/act-vs-sat/. ↑

  2. 2870

    ACT vs. SAT: Key Differences between the ACT and the SAT, Study Points, http://www.studypoint.com/ed/act-vs-sat/. ↑