College Application Process
Contents
Who to See - Counselor or College/Career Center
Which information do I get from my Counselor and which from the College/Career Center? There is a great deal of shared information between the Counseling Center and the College/Career Center. You may get help from either place.
See Your Counselor for
- Personal counseling sessions
- Scheduling of classes
- Mediation between students, parents, and teachers
- College application procedures
- Career advising and counseling
- College advising and counseling
- Alternatives to college
- Edison High School of Technology information
- High School Plus or summer school information
- Special counseling referrals
- Crisis resolution
The College/Career Center focuses on
- College searches and information
- Career searches and information
- Financial aid and scholarship information
- College recruiters
- Testing information (SAT, PSAT, ACT, TOEFL)
- GED information
All grades from high school classes taken in middle school, now appear on your high school transcript.
Planning Tips and Resources
Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) offers two brochures on college planning:
U.S. Department of Education has an extensive site for Preparing for College. It has links to directories of colleges and universities, interactive services and information about career planning, college selection, and college funding, etc. http://www.ed.gov/results.html?q=preparing+for+College&cx=017789009494528204701%3Auzmeqn9qqxo&cof=FORID%3A9&hq=-archived%3A&ie=UTF-8&sa.x=23&sa.y=9#959
The PTSA's Counseling Advisory Committee offers programs and information sessions related to the college application process to parents and students throughout the school year. These include a financial aid series, a Practice SAT, College Admissions Night, and others. See the Counseling Advisory Committee webpage.
Financial Planning and Aid
The Maryland Higher Education Commission has a comprehensive site that describes the state's extensive array of financial aid programs: grants, scholarships and awards for students who want to further their education beyond high school.
MCPS Financial Aid Workshops
MCPS offers free financial aid workshops. The workshops are helpd at MCPS highschools. See http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/northwoodhs/departments/careercenter/financialaid.html for the most current list.
The Smart Student Guide to Financial Aid
The National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators sponsors and maintains this free, comprehensive, independent and objective guide to sources of financial aid. See http://www.finaid.org.
Testing Information (SAT, PSAT, ACT, AP, TOEFL)
Two college entrance exams are used for admission, placement and scholarships: the ACT (American College Test) and the SAT I and II (Scholastic Assessment Test). It is recommended that college-bound students check requirements of individual colleges to determine the tests necessary for admission. Other exams are for college credit or to demonstrate proficiency in English.
Determining the Best College for You
Choosing colleges to which you will apply requires careful consideration. Things to think about are location, size of the college, environment, admissions requirements, programs offered, cost to attend, housing,, and activities available on campus. During the 11th grade you should sign up in the College/Career Center to search for colleges that match your wants, needs, and qualifications.
College Entrance Examination Board and Educational Testing Service
The College Entrance Examination Board and Educational Testing Service provides information about college entrance requirements and other educational services. See http://www.collegeboard.org/
U.S. News and World Report Education Site
This site offers information on schools, the financial aid application process, and other tools for choosing the right college, preparing an application, etc. See http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/eduhome.htm
One of the most daunting tasks for high school students and their families can be searching for the "right" college. Students, you need to know your "Weighted" Grade Point Average (WGPA) and your SAT scores. Your counselor can tell you your weighted and unweighted cumulative GPA.
College Search Links
Public Colleges and Universities - United States
Private Colleges and Universities - United States
Colleges Around the World , a listing of colleges by country
Historically Black Colleges and Universities
Community and Technical Colleges
U.S. Two-Year Colleges Links to over 1,000 two year colleges
Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life provides information for Jewish students about college campuses.
Colleges with programs for the learning disabled
College Acceptance Rules of Thumb
Do colleges take heavy consideration of students' involvement in extracurricular activities?
A general rule of thumb is that extracurricular activities count about 25% of the admissions decision.
In discussions with several admissions counselors, deans and directors the decision is usually based on:
- 50% high school program and GPA/WGPA (which translates into your range of class position)
- 25% SAT scores (these may be weighted more at the most competitive and highly competitive institutions)
- 25% Personal Qualities-as reflected in the extracurricular activities to which you have given significant amounts of time. Colleges like to know what quality of contributions you have given to the activity. They also like to know if you exhibited leadership skills in the organization. Depth of involvement in activities is preferred, rather than a breadth of activities. Your sports and activities show what kind of broad interest you have as well as the time management skills you possess.
B-CC's TCCI: Family Connection-Naviance:
The B-CC TCCi (Family Connection- Naviance) provides information on colleges, collage visit schedules, historical acceptance trends, and information about the schools. It also gives the student the ability to do much of the college application process electronically.
Come to the Counseling Department to obtain the password to enter the site.
Processing Your College Application
Submit Transcript Requests 1-month before they are due.
| Step 1: |
Have your parent/guardian fill out and sign the YELLOW Release of Records .This must be completed the first time you request a transcript. You need to do this only once no matter how many transcripts you need.This is for both paper and electronic requests. |
| Step 2: |
Fill out theSecondary School Report(Bethesda-Chevy Chase generic form)(only once) or the Common Application (only once). All schools take the B-CC form. |
| |
This is for both paper and electronic requests. |
| Step 3: |
Complete your STUDENT REFLECTION FORM ON FAMILY CONNECTION Log into Family Connection. Click on ABOUT ME ( in the middle of the page).
Click on B-CC Student Reflection(left hand side).When complete you can print it off.
This is replacing the former self assessment sheet. Every 11th and 12th grade student should now have their log-in number for Family Connection. You can get it from your counselor or Ms. Goltz. |
| Step 4: |
Make an appointment with your counselor to talk over career paths and/or colleges you might be interested in. |
| Step 5: |
Fill out the BLUE "request for transcript" form . Every transcript request needs a separate blue form filled out. The first three transcripts are free for seniors. After that, the cost is $5 for each additional one.(Paper only)
Directions for Requesting a Transcript Electronically Again, the first 3 transcripts are free. $5.00 for each additional one(payment will be made to Ms. Peebles by student).
No blue form is needed when requesting a transcript electronically.
|
| Step 6: |
You'll need a 9 x12 envelope with the college's address filled out in the front section, and no return address (the school will stamp the school's address on the return section). The mailing needs three first-class stamps, which you must provide.
Not needed when requesting a transcript electronically. |
| Step 7: |
Please paper clip the following to the outside of the envelope:
- The "blue form" (filled out)
- A check or cash (cash may be put inside the envelope or given to the registrar directly; checks should be made payable to B-CC High School), and
- The Secondary School Request Form, the Common Application, or the college’s own form. You only need one of these. And, if you already have one on file, you do not need to do another, the school will use that one.
Electronic:No need for blue form. Payment (First three are free/the rest $5) remains the same. |
| Step 8: |
Bring your addressed and stamped envelope, with the blue form, the payment, and the B-CC form or Common Application, to the REGISTRAR'S office and sign it in on the clip board (and put the clip board sign-in number on the blue form).
The clipboard number/sign-in number is very important because if something should get lost, this is how it is tracked down. Write it down! |
| Step 9: |
On request, first semester grades will be sent to colleges for students who have submitted an addressed and stamped(first-class) regular-size envelope for each college to which grades are to be sent. Please notify the registrar where your final grades should be sent and include another stamped (first-class) regular-size envelope. Put the college address on the envelope but NOTHING in the return section. This envelope is separate from the 9 x12 envelope mentioned above.
YOU DO NOT NEED TO DO THIS FOR THE ELECTRONIC PROCESS. |
| Please note: |
SAT and ACT scores cannot be sent from B-CC to the colleges. Students should contact the College Board or ACT themselves to have those scores sent directly to the college:
SAT: Sending Your Scores
ACT: Send Your Scores to Others
B-CC does have IB and AP scores (if you've taken the AP And IB tests) and can send those.
Bring in a stamped addressed business(white) envelope for each college.
We cannot yet send these scores electronically. |
New Application for the University of Maryland at College Park
Remember to apply to the University of Maryland by the NEW Priority Application deadline of
NOVEMBER 1, 2011
Applying by this deadline ensures you will receive BEST CONSIDERATION for admission as well as for merit-based scholarships and invitations to special programs.
Please note that in order to qualify for this priority consideration your entire application and all additional materials must be submitted by November 1.
www.admissions.umd.edu
Applying to College On-Line
The Common Application, http://www.commonapp.org/ , is the recommended form of 230 colleges and universities for admission to their undergraduate programs. Many of these institutions use the form exclusively. All give equal consideration to the Common Application and the college's own form.
Students can use Common App Online to complete forms and submit them electronically or in hardcopy. Or they can download the forms in PDF and complete them either on-screen or manually, then print and mail hardcopy.
University System of Maryland
Apply online to all Maryland State Colleges and Universities, Access ARTSYS - the transfer Articulation System, and Search for Majors
CollegeTracks
CollegeTracks is a college/career mentoring program started by B-CC parents. Volunteers in the College/Career Center provide help to B-CC juniors and seniors in their college and/or career application process. This process includes help with the SAT or ACT preparation as well as work with college essays, resumes, etc. Students, stop by the College /Career Center on Tuesday afternoons at 2:15 pm. or Monday thru Thursday at lunch. College Tracks page
 Jenni Adams  Liz McLeod
Updated December 9, 2011
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