Application Requirements

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There's More Than Just a Form

Applications vary from college to college, but most require some or all of the following parts:

Application Form

In the old days (well, a few years ago), students had one application option—a handwritten or typed form. Today your child can often apply online directly to an individual school or use the Common Application, entering information just once.

Application Fee

The average college application fee is around $25. (Some fees are as much as $60, while other colleges don't have an application fee at all.) The fee is usually nonrefundable, even if your child is not offered admission. Many colleges offer fee waivers for applicants from low-income families. If your child needs a fee waiver, you or your child should call the college's admission office for more information.

High School Transcript

This form is filled out by an official of your child's high school. If it comes with your child's admission materials, he should give it to the guidance office to complete as early as possible. Some colleges send this form directly to your child's school after receiving his application.

Admission Test Scores

At many colleges, your child will have to submit SAT® or ACT test scores. Many colleges require admission tests because they are a standard way of measuring a student's ability to do college-level work.

Letters of Recommendation

Many private colleges ask your child to submit one or more letters of recommendation from a teacher, counselor, or other adult who knows your child well. When asking someone to write such a letter, your child should be sure to do so well before the college's deadline.

Essay

If your child is applying to private colleges, his essay often plays a very important role. Whether your child is writing an autobiographical statement or an essay on a specific theme, he should take the opportunity to express his individuality in a way that sets him apart from other applicants.

Interview

This is required or recommended by some colleges. Even if it's not required, it's a good idea for your child to set up an interview because it gives him a chance to make a personal connection with someone who will have a voice in deciding whether or not he will be offered admission. If your child is too far away for an on-campus interview, he should try to arrange to meet with an alumnus in your community.

Audition/Portfolio

If your child is applying for a program such as music, art, or design, he may have to document prior work by auditioning on campus or submitting an audiotape, slides, or some other sample of his work to demonstrate his ability.

Remember, all parts of your child's application should come together to create an accurate portrait of who he is, of what he will bring to the college. If possible, there should be a theme running through it.