Tip: Start typing in the input box for immediate search results.
-
College Planning - Approach, Insight, Strategy
-
Career Exploration
-
Major Exploration & Selection
-
High School Coursework
-
Student Profile Building
- Extracurriculars - What Colleges are Looking For?
- UC Application Evaluation
- High School Clubs and Organizations
- Service Awards in College Admissions
- Fairs/Competitions (Science Olympiad, Science Fair)
- National/State Academic Excellence Organizations (.i.e CSF, NHS)
- Honor Societies
- Summer Programs
- Passion Projects
- Internships
- Research Opportunities
- Community Service
- Job Shadowing
- How to Make the Most of the School Year
-
Standardized Testing
- Navigating the World of AP Testing
- Understanding the New Digital SAT and ACT
- Navigating SAT/ACT Test Prep
- Understanding the National Merit Scholarship: A Guide for High School Students
- Understanding the PSAT: A Guide for High School Students
- Understanding the International Baccalaureate (IB) Program and Its Course Offerings
- Understanding the International Baccalaureate (IB) Exams
- Preliminary SAT (PSAT)/ National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (NMSQT)
-
Exploring and Selecting Colleges
- Admissions Stats
- Building a Balanced & Final College List to Apply to
- College Campus Visits
- Community College Pathway
- Demonstrated Interest
- Top Questions to Ask Pre-Med College Advisors/Counselors
- Top Questions to Ask the Department You’re Interested in Majoring In
- Top Questions to ask the Pre-Law College Advisors or Counselors
- Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) Program Schools
- Campus Visits - How to make the most of them
- Honors Programs at Colleges
- How to Create a Balanced College List
- College Spotlight: University of Wisconsin
- Understanding Early Action, Early Decision, and Restrictive Early Action: Making the Right Choice
-
Unique Educational Programs
-
College Applications
- Admissions Interviews
- Application Calendar
- Brag Packets
- Common App Personal Statement Essay
- Common Application
- CSU Application
- Essay Brainstorming
- Institutional Applications
- Mid-Year Reports
- Optional Supplements/ Portfolios
- RD/EA/REA/ED Deadlines
- Sending SAT / ACT / AP / IB Scores
- Supplemental Essays
- UC Application
- UC Personal Insight Questions
- Letters of Recommendation
- Sending Transcripts
- Honors Programs at Colleges
- How to Create a Balanced College List
- Securing Letters of Recommendation for College Applications
- The Pre-College Application(s) Checklist
- Understanding Early Action, Early Decision, and Restrictive Early Action: Making the Right Choice
- Show all articles ( 7 ) Collapse Articles
-
Post Applications
-
Financial Aid
-
Counselor's Corner
- Course Selection- What You Need to Know
- Take Advantage of Your Summer
- College Spotlight: Fordham University
- Committing to a College- The Final Step
- Comparing the New Digital SAT to the ACT
- Demonstrating Interest In a College
- Summer Options: Taking Community College Classes
- Summer Program Spotlight - EPIC @ Cal Poly SLO
- College Tours and Visits - Questions to Ask and What to Look for
- How to Create a Balanced College List
- The Pre-College Application(s) Checklist
- College Spotlight: University of Wisconsin
- Understanding Early Action, Early Decision, and Restrictive Early Action: Making the Right Choice
- Preliminary SAT (PSAT)/ National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (NMSQT)
Congratulations!
What you should do next:
1. Celebrate – Enjoy the fact that this college has found you to be a good fit for their upcoming class. You demonstrated to them that you will positively contribute to their university.
2. Check if you have been accepted for your 1st or 2nd choice major.
a. If you are only interested in your 1st choice major at that university and were accepted for your 2nd choice major, please get in touch with the university and ask if there is an opportunity to change majors, as some colleges will not let you or will have specific guidelines on changing majors.
b. Your major should be considered before deciding on accepting the admission offer.
3. Check with the Housing Department for their policy regarding when and how to secure freshmen housing. Every college has its terms behind signing up for Housing. Some options are to put a refundable or non-refundable deposit down before or after you enroll to (a) secure housing and (b) be high up on the list for the dorm facility that you want to live in.
We highly recommend visiting the campus if you have not already and opt for a campus tour. All colleges will have accepted student events, often called Freshmen Preview Day, where you can meet members of your new community and get a feel for what your future could be.
4. If you are unable to be on the campus in person, opt for a virtual tour on the school’s site or use Campus Reel.
5. Contact or research the department you are interested in/have been admitted to– this is key to really understanding how the university will support your academic and professional goals.
a. See Top Questions to Ask the Department You’re Interested in Majoring In.
6. Accept or Decline Admissions Offer – Once you’ve decided to accept or decline, please take the following steps.
a. Accept
i. Submit the Intent to Enroll & Deposit – this can be done through the university-specific student portal or through the mail.
ii. Sign up for housing & submit deposit –Tip: The earlier you sign up, the more likely you are to get placed in your top choice dorm.
iii. Sign up for Freshmen Orientation – This orientation will help you learn how to navigate the campus, familiarize yourself with student life, sign up for classes, and understand graduation requirements.
iv. Sign up for English or Math placement tests (if required) – some students will be required to sign up for placement tests. Please check your emails and monitor your portals, as the college will contact you directly if they need you to sign up for placement tests (including when and where they’re available).
b. Decline
i. If you choose to decline the admission offer, please let the college know by emailing them so that they can begin their process to see if they want to take students off their waitlist and offer them admission.
Ready to get some guidance? Schedule a College Planning Assessment today!
Want college planning guidance delivered to you?
Sign up for our Counselor’s Corner Newsletter to receive helpful information and tips for
both parents and students on navigating the college admissions journey.