Preparing for College
Where Should You Apply?
Set Your Criteria
Academics: Does this school offer the major you want and are interested in?
Career Development: How does this school help students into the workforce after they graduate?
Affordability: How much will it cost to attend, including tuition, room & board, textbooks, etc.?
Culture Fit: Will you enjoy the campus lifestyle and what the school's location offers?
Researching the Best College for You
Fit vs. Match
Fit: Your personal preferences and interests when it comes to the college setting.
Match: Your academic history matches that of the average student accepted to the college/university.
"Safety", "Target", & "Dream" Schools
Safety: Your GPA and test scores SAT are well above the average required for entry. It is a safe bet on getting accepted.
Target: Your GPA and test scores are around the average required for entry. You are likely to get in.
Dream: Your GPA and test scores are near or below average required for entry. Dream schools might be long shots, but they should still be possible.
We recommend: That you apply to a mix of safety, target and dream schools.
Rural, Suburban, Urban College/University Locations
Rural: Strong sense of student community, most students live on campus. Likely to have unique extracurricular activities. Small class sizes, which allows for more face time with professors.
Suburban: Convenient campus with easy access from city to campus. Usually a more defined, larger campus with lots of extracurricular activities both on and off campus.
Urban: Campus tends to have more culturally and racially diverse students. Lots of large industries/business opportunities related to your interest of study in a large city. Many opportunities for off campus extracurricular activities.
Ideal Learning Environment
Environment: What type of environment is best for you to thrive academically? How will you fit in? The factors of location, size, majors, student body, weather, culture, attitude, can all influence your ideal learning environment.
ACT or SAT?
Due to COVID-19, make sure to check the college you are interested in attending to see if the ACT/SAT requirement will be waived.
How do I know which one to take? Many students and parents begin the college prep process by comparing the ACT and SAT. The ACT and SAT generally cover the same topics. Both ACT and SAT scores are used for college admissions decisions and awarding merit-based scholarships. Most colleges do not prefer one test over the other. Neither of the tests is harder than the other, but students tend to do better on one test over the other.
What do they cover? The ACT covers four academic skill areas: English, Mathematics, Reading, and Science Reasoning. The SAT is comprised of two sections: Evidence-Based Reading & Writing, and Math.
How do I register? The state of Idaho provides the opportunity for all high school Juniors to take the SAT, for free! This exam will be in April - Keep an eye out for further details from the Counseling Center!
Interested in taking the ACT? Please meet with your counselor so they can help you register for the exam. The cost of the exam is $60.
Did you already take the SAT as a Junior and want to take it again? Please meet with your counselor so they can help you register for the exam.
Need a fee waiver? Talk with your Counselor to see if you are eligible to use a fee waiver for the ACT or SAT.
The college I want to apply to doesn't require ACT or SAT scores- should I still take a test? You are required to take the SAT your Junior year, however, even if your college or university of interest doesn't require any scores for admission, you might still need standardized scores to be considered for some scholarships. In a case like this, taking another test may help you qualify for more scholarships.
Need a Letter of Recommendation?
Choosing Recommenders
When applying to different colleges, universities, scholarships or jobs, a letter of recommendation may be required. Depending on the type of application that you are working on, it is very important that you pay close attention to who the individual needs to be. Often times the application will be specific in who you need to ask (teacher, counselor, community member, etc).
You will have to decide who will be the best person to write a letter of recommendation for you. Think about teachers that you've gotten along with, your high school counselor and any community members that know who you are.
Asking Recommenders
Actually ask: When filling out applications, it's best to ask the individual before you list their name as a recommender. Just because you ask doesn't always mean they will say yes.
Ask in advance: Please give the individual at least 3 weeks notice, as letters of recommendation take a lot of time to complete. If you can give more than a three week notice, that would be best! By giving the individual plenty of time, you are providing them an opportunity to ask you follow up questions without having a time crunch. When asking, be sure to explain the specifics of the recommendation (application, requirements, etc).
Ask in person: When asking a teacher or counselor, wait until the end of class and/or when your classmates have left.
An example of how to ask:
"I really enjoyed your class. I've learned a lot from you and feel like you've gotten to know me well. I'm applying to College X for next year and would be really flattered if you could write me a strong letter of recommendation for my application(s)."
It's important to ask individuals in person, as that way you are able to communicate why you've selected them and answer any questions they may have.
Follow Up
Contact your recommender: In your email, be sure to ask formally. Make sure everything is grammatically correct and that you include the following information:
Provide an updated resume: This is important for the individual to get to know you outside of the classroom/community.
Brag sheet: This is an additional document that can help the individual better understand you outside of the classroom/community setting.
Specifics of scholarship/job/university application: In order for the individual to know who to address and what to include, providing the information about the application ensures that the individual can speak to your strengths in the areas that the application is requesting.
Transferring Dual Credits
When considering what college or university you are planning to attend, you must transfer your dual credits to that school. You can order your transcripts to be sent online, through National Student Clearinghouse. You need to make sure you have your student ID number from the college or university you took the dual credit from (ex: Bengal ID # or CSI Student ID #). If you do not know what that number is, call the college or university to help gain access. As always, the College and Career Advisors can help you with the process. You will also need to have a debit or credit card ready, as each transcript can cost anywhere from $7-$10 each.
National Student Clearinghouse
How will ISU Dual Credit Transfer?
When taking dual credit classes from ISU, please check out the following links to understand how they will transfer to different universities. If you cannot find the college that you are interested in transferring your dual credits to, you must contact that college and they can help you!
ISU General Education Requirements
How will AP Credits Transfer?
After you've taken your AP exam, you can use the above link to learn how your AP credits will transfer directly to the college you are interested in attending.
Once you've decided on where you would like to attend college, please use the above link to understand how to send your AP scores so that the college of your choice has all of the information they need for you to earn your AP credits.
What should I major in?
Are you having a hard time deciding what to go to college for? Here is a helpful website that can answer some of the questions you may have.
