A Balanced Formula for Your College Applications The three categories that will help you find confidence

Categories  Reaches  Matches  Safeties

Reaches A ‘Reach’ school is a college where you would love to attend, with only your stats holding you back. What are stats? Stats cover your GPA, stat scores, ethnicity, and all the other things that the colleges look for in you as an applicant. How do I know it is a “Reach”? - If you say to yourself, “I'm not sure if I should apply, because I might not get in, although I love this place.”. In terms of percentage, you have a 25% chance of being admitted.

Matches Matches are schools that you will be comfortable in, and have a good chance of getting accepted. This means that: Your SAT scores fall within the school’s projected score range, your GPA is around the average GPA of their incoming class, and the college feels you will be a good match for them. How do I know it is a “Match”? Put simply, you have a 50%-75% chance of being admitted. When researching “Matches” on Naviance refer to the school’s admissions page for projected GPA, SAT and ACT bands.

Safeties Think of them as “safety nets”. They are a place to find confidence, comfort and excitement in the college process. Having safety schools makes the process less stressful. If it is your “dream school” or not, any acceptance letter will give a student confidence. How do I know it is a “safety”? These are schools that you have a very high chance of getting in. They are also the colleges students tend to pay the least attention to. A safety school has a 90% chance of admission. Note: There is still a 10% chance that you will not get in.

How Many Applications? Two Reaches Three to Five Matches Two or Three safeties

Important Thoughts This formula is only a guideline You can apply to more schools if you feel it is necessary. This is my opinion of a balanced list that will get you results in April, while helping you get less of the small envelopes and more of the big ones. Don’t trap yourself! especially on a “Reach” school. Stay open minded about all the schools on your list. Rejections are very real indeed. That is why it is important to ‘love thy safety’. You have to place equal emphasis on your safety schools as much as your reaches and matches. Take advantage of Naviance It will be a valuable tool when applying this strategy. It provides tons of valuable information. Good luck with the college admissions process.

EARLY DECISION & EARLY ACTION Does the Early Bird Get the Worm?

NO EARLY CONFUSION Different colleges are now offering different "early" options—and even a single college may offer more than one early program. There are two main options that you should look for when applying to schools: Restrictive * Early Decision Non-Restrictive * Regular Decision * Rolling Admission * Early Action—this is an “early” option.

EARLY DECISION Restrictive Early Decision – Is BINDING. This means that if you apply to a college which offers an early decision plan then you’re obligated to attend that school if it accepts you and offers a satisfactory financial aid package. You can only use “Early Decision” for one school, though that doesn’t preclude you from applying to other schools during the regular application process. If your “first choice” college accepts your application, then you must withdraw subsequent applications.

Reflection on Early Decision Admission standards for early decision are higher than the regular admission standards of a college. A student should apply under an early decision plan ONLY if they are sure it is the college they want to attend. Students who are not accepted early can still be placed in the regular admission pool (they would be notified by the school). Students who plan on applying early decision must begin working on their application essays and begin requesting recommendations very early on in the year. Be sure that the student completes all of the admission tests (SATs or ACTs) before these early deadlines.

EARLY ACTION Non-Restrictive Early action is a much more attractive option. Early action is NON BINDING. In most cases, Students are free to apply to other colleges. Early action, like early decision, is an accelerated college application process in which students typically must complete their applications in November. In most cases, students will then receive a decision from the college before the New Year. Students do not need to make a decision until the May 1st deadline. This allows time to figure out financial aid.

Reflection on Early Action At many colleges, the acceptance rates are higher for early action than for regular admission. Students who are not accepted early can still be placed in the regular admission pool (they would be notified by the school if this option applies). Students can apply early action to other colleges. Even if accepted early, a student can choose to go to a different college with no penalty. Clearly, early action has more benefits for the student than for the college. So not surprisingly, many more colleges offer early decision than early action. If accepted early at a college, the spring of a student's senior year will be far less stressful.

Regular Decision Non-Restrictive Students applying regular decision often must wait for April 1st to roll around before hearing back from their colleges. Regular decision’s nonbinding nature is an excellent draw. Students’ interests can always change, and a school highly specialized in one area may not be so appealing once that student has moved on to different subjects. A single college visit can change an applicant’s mind about a dream school. If financial conditions worsen for the applicant, an expensive but beloved school may be out of the picture if that student does not receive adequate financial aid.

Together at a Glance Regular Decision Non-Restrictive Commitment: Non-Binding DEFINITION Students submit an application by a specific date and receive a decision in a clearly stated period of time. Early Action Non-Restrictive Commitment: Non-Binding DEFINITION Students apply early and receive a decision well in advance of the institution’s regular date. Early Decision Restricted Commitment: Binding DEFINITION Students make a commitment to a first- choice institution where, if admitted they definitely will enroll. The application deadline and decision deadline occur early.

Reflection It's important to carefully RESEARCH the profiles of students who were accepted under the early-decision process to determine if you have a strong chance for acceptance. A student should apply under an early decision or early action plan ONLY if the student is sure of the college they want to attend. Unless a college states that it gives early decision applicants an advantage students should not assume that its admissions staff will give their application preferential treatment. "If you apply early, you might have a higher chance of getting in, versus if you apply regular you might have a higher chance of getting money.” Applying early isn't good for a high-school student's stress level. Instead of digging into their senior year classes, early applicants may end up spending way too much time on applications. An early option can open doors and create options

Resources For additional information on the early decision option, please read ML Arthur’s, Should I apply Early Decision? Early Decision vs. Early Action College Advice, Is There an Edge? A valuable book to guide you with your application decision. Looking Beyond the Ivy League: Finding the College That's Right for You, by: Loren Pope For valuable case studies on Early Decision and Early Action.

SUMMER PROGRAMS Gives the student the opportunity to experience being on a college campus and “college life”. A summer program can further develop a talent or interest in the arts, humanities, or sciences. The student can explore possible majors for college. Some programs provide a variety of classes in engineering, math, science and technology, ecology and a variety of social sciences and humanities areas. The completion of a summer program can be beneficial for a student’s resume, and/or letter of recommendation. Valuable information and resources for summer program options: Link is also available through our district website.