Making decisions regarding which direction you want to go after high school can be difficult and confusing. There are thousands of choices for continuing education; therefore, it is important that you find a place that is a good match for you. When looking for a school some things to consider are:

• Make a list of things you want in a school.

  • Is there a certain location, size, major, sport, price, etc. you are looking for?

• Explore different schools to see which ones meet what you are looking for.

  • Talk with your counselors, teachers, family, friends to hear their recommendations and/or experiences

  • Explore college websites

  • And search tools like:

www.collegegreenlight.com​
www.xello.world
www.collegeboard.com
www.fastweb.com
www.collegezone.com
www.youvisit.com/colleges

• Meet with college recruiters when they visit MTHS.

• After you have narrowed your colleges of interest, visit their campuses.

  • Before you go, make a list of questions you want answered

  • Try to schedule two weeks prior to visit

  • Remember many colleges are closed during holidays

• After you have compared the schools decide on a few that best suit you and fill out their applications.

• College Applications:

  • Make sure they are neat and filled out completely.

  • Meet priority deadlines. Many universities’ priority deadlines are in November. You can apply after that date but colleges get more selective because there are fewer spots available.

  • Apply online through the University's website. If you are applying to multiple colleges you may want to consider using “Common Apps” https://www.commonapp.org/

  • Apply early: Some waive application fees and give out scholarships with acceptance letters.

  • Make sure you answer all questions and personal statements correctly or they may reject or return application.

  • Submit applications and housing applications ASAP. First come first served. You may get better housing options if you submit early.

• College Essay!!!

  • This is how they get to know you and how you spend your time. Will you be a good contribution to their school?

  • Have someone PROOF READ your essay.

• Application fees:

  • Some universities charge fee $25-75+

  • Most colleges have a Fee Waiver form for low-income applicants

• University Scholarships: Apply for any university scholarship after you apply. Do this ASAP, if you wait, you might miss out!

• SAT/ACT Scores: After you complete the application request your transcript to be sent to the college (your SAT/ACT score is on your transcript). Many Universities are test optional; therefore, your test scores may not be required to send. Some Universities and the Clearing House (college sports) require your score directly from ACT www.act.org  and/or SAT from www.collegeboard.org before admission. When you take the SAT or ACT you can request your score to be sent to 4 colleges. If you are applying to the 4 you requested, that college should already have your score. Most colleges will take your ACT and SAT score from your high school transcript. Some may admit you but require a direct score from the testing agency after admission.

• Transcript Requests:

  • If you use Common App, a request will be sent to your counselor and they will send your transcript through Common App.

  • Some colleges use "Sendedu" which also sends a request to your counselor to upload your transcript.

    • Make sure you let your counselor know if you want your test score on your transcript.

  • To make it easier for you to request transcripts, MTHS has partnered with Parchment to provide secure online transcript ordering available 24/7.  For most colleges, this process is free.  If you request a transcript and it costs money, please feel free to contact Tina Winkler (twinkler@mths.us) and she will gladly send a hard copy via mail.

• Dual Credits: Students must request a transcript from ICC to be sent to the college to receive college credit.

Final notes:

• Wait for your acceptance letters then make your final decisions. Just because you are accepted, it does  not mean you have to go there. Go over any unanswered questions. If you are still confused make sure to talk with your counselor and/or the school directly.

• Additional General information: Private colleges may appear to be a lot more expensive than state universities; however, many offer big scholarships that make them comparable to state-school prices