Take Note Of The Scholarship Deadline
Getting your scholarship application in order may involve various steps and will take time, so make sure you start the process at least a month before the deadline.
Its better to get your applications in earlier than later to give yourself time to account for unexpected delays. It also gives you the advantage of offering the scholarship award committee a sneak peek at your stellar time management skills. So get those deadlines on the calendar in bold print and fight the urge to procrastinate.;
Most scholarship applications will require:
- High school transcripts and diplomas
- Two or three letters of recommendation
- A resume;
- A completed FAFSA or your parents tax receipts
What Makes A Good College
When evaluating schools, there are a number of factors to consider. The size, location, and culture of the campus are all important. Knowing what you want to study also helps, particularly if you are very passionate about a particular subject. Most larger schools offer a wide variety of majors, but some smaller colleges will have slimmer pickings, so keep that in mind.
Affordability will be important for many students. You shouldn’t entirely dismiss pricier schools right away, particularly if you have a strong academic background and could earn a large scholarship. Still, if cost is of primary concern, you’ll probably want to limit your search to public schools within your state and states with reciprocity agreements.
Bachelorsdegree Requirements In Canada
Although high school students are incompetition to enroll in undergraduate programs, there are a bunch of criteriasthat should be met by everyone, regardless of the students application status.Overall, universities pay close attention to the marks that were assigned tohigh schoolers and their total GPA. This criteria might change from oneprovince to another, and thats why it is always suggested to straightforwardlyconsult the universities websites.
Hereare the requirements for admission to bachelor programs in Canada:
- High-School Certificate
- Certificate of Proficiency, eitherTOEFL or IELTS
- Proof of Funding
- Letters of Recommendation, up to 3
- CV or Resume
- A folder with writing samples
Depending on preferences, students can applyfor many subcategories, major, minor, as well as honors of either Art, Science,or Business programs. Moreover, each of these programs will lead students tomany specializations. Nonetheless, students should not let the opportunity ofreceiving a scholarship slip away, therefore a path to get informed about thisissue is to visit their chosen universitys website.
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When To Apply For College With Rolling Admissions
Colleges with rolling admissions offer a large window of time when you can submit your applications, usually from fall to spring. Even during rolling admissions, its best to apply to college as early as possible, as many schools follow a first-come, first-serve admissions process.
Some colleges offering rolling admissions may also announce a priority deadline. Students who apply during this period may experience higher chances of acceptance.
You Dont Have Much Time After You Receive Your Acceptances To Make Your College Decision
Most colleges send their acceptance notices in the beginning of April, and typically, you only have until May 1 to select which college youre going to attend.;If youre deciding between multiple colleges at this point, youll only have a few weeks to potentially take campus visits, compare the financial aid packages youre offered, and do any necessary research to pick a college.
The more colleges that accept you, the more stressful and difficult these few weeks may be for you, if youre still unsure about which college is best for you.
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Dont Take It Personally
You might get rejected.;Its okay.;At the end of the day, you were a number in a stack of applications.;The colleges you applied to only know a tiny piece of who you are.;Be sad, but not for too long.;Remember that what you do at;a school is more important than where you go.;And if its really bad, transferring is always an option.
How Many Colleges Should You Apply To Expert Guide
Many students stress over the same question: “How many colleges should I apply to?”;How many is too many? How few is too few? There is so much disagreement on this topic, even among experts, that many students are left confused and unsure.
In this article, Ill clear up this;confusion. Ill give you an idea of how many schools you should apply to and explain the factors to consider when deciding how many colleges to apply to.;After reading this guide, you’ll feel confident about crafting your own college list and how long it will be.
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But If I Apply To 15 Reach Schools I’m More Likely To Get In Right
Statistically, yes. But consider these factors:
- Cost: Most elite schools have application fees of $60 or more. You’ll also need to pay for extra score reporting when you apply to a lot of schools: $15 for AP and $12;for ACT and SAT.
- Match: Did you really visit 15 reach schools and find that each one felt right for you? A student who thrives in the urban environment of Columbia University would probably go batty in the rural location of Williams College. And a small liberal arts college is a very different academic environment than a large comprehensive university.
- Time: The applications, especially at competitive schools, take a lot of time to complete. Do you really have several hours to devote to each of those 15 applications? Don’t be fooled by the so-called “Common” Application. Top colleges and universities will be looking for the personal touch…
- The Personal Touch: Most select schools have supplements to the application that ask questions about why you feel you are a good match for the school, or what specifically about the school you find appealing. To complete these essay questions well, you need to research the schools and be specific. A generic answer about the school’s reputation and great faculty will not impress anyone. If you can cut and paste your supplemental essay from one application into the next, you haven’t done the assignment well.
Reach Out To Experts And Utilize Online Resources
As youre wrapping your head around the process involved for financial aid, it helps to know what resources are at your disposal.
One of the first places to start is with experts. High school guidance counselors and college financial aid officers are there to help students plan for a successful future and find financial aid. They provide individualized advice based on a students academic and financial situation. A counselor will also be aware of scholarships, financial aid or tuition-assistance programs specific to a students school, community or state.
There is also a wealth of online information available to students and parents on how to apply for financial aid. For instance, you could get started with
- The help section of the FAFSA.ed.gov site, which answers many tricky questions parents and students might have.
- The College Financing Plan from the U.S. Department of Education, which helps students quickly understand and compare financial aid offers from different colleges.
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When To Apply For College When Taking A Gap Year
Many high school seniors think of college as the immediate next step after graduation. Still, some adventurous souls opt to take a gap year a year of experiential learning to travel, volunteer, or work.;
After you take your gap year, applying on an early or regular timeline is still your go-to option. But ideally, youll still do this during your senior year, joining your fellow seniors in completing admission requirements before taking your gap year. If you take this route, be sure to check if your desired school will allow you to delay your enrollment for one academic year.
Where Can I Find A College Scholarship Or Grant
When you start looking for scholarships and grants, the over-abundance of opportunities can be overwhelming. To help narrow down your search, you can check the following sources to find the perfect scholarship or grant:
- Free scholarship search websites like Fastweb, Cappex, and even your own high schools website for local scholarships
- The financial aid or career services office at your college
- An employer from a summer job or internship, or even your parents employer
- For-profit or non-profit organizations whose work aligns with your skills or academic interests
- The Department of Educations website
- Scholarships through the US Department of Health and Human Services and the National Health Service Corps
Remember, you should never have to pay to receive financial aid, so watch out for con artists who ask for money in exchange for scholarship information.
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What Is A Target School
Most schools will accept students with a range of test scores and GPAs, and will clearly list other admission requirements on their web site. If your test scores are in the average range of accepted scores, and you meet other necessary requirements, this is a target school. Also, consider selectivity. If you meet most of the criteria, but selectivity is high , this college may fall closer to the reach category and you will want to make sure you also apply to a backup school. Remember to take into account that most colleges consider all application materials and extracurricular activities in addition to test scores in their admission decision.
Also, the state or geographic region in which you live in can be a factor in a collegeâs admissions decision. State schools will often favor in-state students, so you may need to exceed requirements in order to consider an out-of-state school as a target .
How To Choose A Degree
Dont let yourself get influenced by peoplesopinions, because you surely wouldnt like to end up changing degrees right inthe middle of your studies. Always consider your future and what you would liketo do once you wake up. Although you have found the degree of your dreams, tryto consider the reputation of the university and the courses it offers, sincethey are a great indicator for employability.
Canada has some of the best degrees and thereare plenty of universities in which one can pursue their studies. For those whowant to study law, business, computer science and psychology, these are thebest universities in Canada:
- University of Calgary
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File Your Fafsa Correctly
The information you provide on your FAFSA directly determines how much aid you can receive, so according to Randolph, The best way to get the most out of the financial aid process is by providing the biggest, most accurate picture of your financial circumstances on the FAFSA.
On top of simply filing a FAFSA, making sure you do it correctly will smooth the process and could even help you qualify for more aid. Making FAFSA corrections can take time.
Randolph gave her tips for avoiding common FAFSA mistakes:
- Go through the FAFSA slowly, and dont leave anything blank, she said. If the answer to a question is zero, or it doesnt apply to you, write in 0.
- Make sure you get your family size right. Dont forget to include the student in the household size, Randolph said. Stepparents information must be on the form, too.
- The biggest mistake students make is actually forgetting to sign the form, she added. So sign the form!
If this is the first time as a parent or student that you have filed a FAFSA, you might need some extra help and its often out there. Many communities will host free FAFSA workshop days, where professionals will help you through the application, Randolph said.
Lastly, you should never lie or purposely misrepresent any information on the FAFSA. Not only can this jeopardize your chance of getting financial aid, its illegal.
Applying For Early Action
Early action is a non-binding application process that allows you to apply to one or more colleges and receive acceptance results earlier than regular applicants. Its perfect for students who have several colleges in mind where they plan to apply as long as they already have their high school academics and extracurriculars in excellent standing by the end of their junior year.
The most common early action deadlines are on or around November 1 or 15. Most schools offering early action let you know whether or not youve been accepted around December or earlier. So while your regular decision classmates are still putting together their applications, you could already be shopping for your new college swag!;
In the unfortunate event that your application is rejected or deferred, the good news is, youll still have plenty of time to apply for college during regular admissions.
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Common Questions About Applying To College
Students can start preparing their application materials as early as they want, but the process begins in the fall of senior year. Most deadlines fall between January and February, so learners should give themselves enough time to complete their applications.
The Common App can make applying for college easier, but the general application process can be costly and lengthy. Learners may want to start with a list of 4-6 colleges that they want to attend and then go from there.
Applying for college early offers several advantages for students. Early applicants may find the admission requirements easier to meet. They can also receive responses sooner, allowing them to apply to more schools, if needed.
For most college applications, candidates need to provide high school transcripts, recommendation letters, and ACT or SAT scores. They may also need to write personal statements or answer essay questions.
Students often use the same materials for different applications, as applicants can send transcripts and test scores to all prospective schools with little effort. However, some colleges have unique requirements that candidates must address individually, and it’s important to always double-check any personal essay prompts to ensure that your essay answers the brief.
Understanding Early Decision Regular Decision And Rolling Admission
There are a lot of terms floating around related to the timeline of college applications. Between early action, restrictive early action, early decision, rolling admission, and regular decision, its hard to keep their similar yet critically different definitions straight. To save you some time and stress, weve compiled all the information you need to know about different application processes so you can make the wisest decision about when and how to apply to schools.
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Elements Of A Resume For A College Application
Your resume should give undergraduate admissions committees a brief rundown of your grades, past jobs, awards, leadership activities and presentation skills, and creative capabilities like music, art, writing, or interpersonal skills.
The purpose of the resume is to demonstrate that you have what it takes to succeed academically and socially at the college. To that end, the resume should usually include the following items to paint a complete picture of you:;
You don’t have to include all the above items in your resume, but include any that would make you the most attractive candidate for the program.
I’m Graduating High School Early
There are rare advanced students who earn enough credits, perhaps from courses at a local community college or online, to graduate high school early and go straight into college at a young age.
These students push their timeline earlier by a year or two, taking the SAT or ACT as freshmen or sophomores, and gathering all their documents early. If this sounds like you, you’ll probably want to work closely with your counselors, administrators, and teachers to make sure they agree with your choice.
You might take your tests in freshmen and sophomore year, ask your sophomore year teachers for recommendations, and apply in the fall or winter of your junior year. You may also have to take the GED to earn the equivalent of your high school diploma. Make sure you’ve met all graduation requirements and, of course, have concrete, realistic reasons for graduating high school early and enrolling in college.
The aforementioned situations are exceptions rather than the rule, but can be great options if they apply to your situation and needs. In closing, let’s review when most students submit their applications to colleges.
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Entry Requirements For Canadauniversities
Depending on the province and the program onehas picked, there are some special entry requirements that should be followed.Generally, the following documents are required for entering any Canadianuniversity and for any degree:
- Copy of Passport
- Either CV or Resume
- Letter of Recommendation
However, there are some specific requirementsthat differ between Bachelor of Arts, Master of Arts, and Doctor of Philosophy.
Why You May Want To Apply To More Schools
If youre determined to go to a very selective college, then you may want to apply to more colleges than the average person. If you apply to 10 colleges to which you have a 25% chance of gaining admission, then youre likely to gain admission to at least one of them.;In fact, if you apply to 16 colleges with an average chance of admission of 25%, then you have a 99% chance of gaining admission to at least one of them, statistically. Check out this article for a better understanding of the math behind this calculation.
If you take this approach, though, you should prepare yourself emotionally to be rejected from most of the schools you apply to.
If, on the other hand, youre not as concerned with selectivity and;are;extremely confident that youll be admitted to at least a couple of the colleges you apply to, you may only need to apply to two to four colleges.
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