Creating An Application Game Plan

1. Discuss college options:  Help your student decide upon which colleges to apply to. 

2. College Search:  If your student has no idea yet about where to apply, using college search engines can be very helpful. Students can add criteria such as their college major, distance from home, GPA and test score to find the best college fit.

3. College Visits:  As students develop their list of schools, and even after they receive admissions decisions, it is wise to visit the college campus, take a tour, and get a sense of the campus culture. Seniors have two college visitation days available to them. These days are not counted towards the attendance policy. A college visitation form, available below, must be filled out and submitted to the senior's school counselor 48 hours in advance of the visit. Upon return from the visit, the senior must supply proof of their visit from the admissions office. Since many schools are only offering virtual tours at this time, seniors may be able to schedule their visits outside of regular school hours. College Visit Form

4. Create a Professional Email Account:  Prior to starting applications, Seniors need to create a professional email account to use for their college applications. Seniors should not use their BCS student email addresses on any college or scholarship applications because these will immediately be deactivated when they graduate. Professional email accounts should only use appropriate titles in the address.

5. Clean Up Social Media:  Seniors should be sure to to review their social media accounts to assure that any information presented there about themselves is positive and could not be view in a negative manner by an visitor (admissions counselor, athletic recruiter or employer). We do know of instances in which social media posts resulted in negative outcomes for admissions, athletic recruitment and job opportunities. 

6. Apply to 3-5 colleges:  When developing the list of schools, we recommend that students explore selectivity. Students may want to identify a Reach, Match and Safety college. A Reach college would be one in which incoming Freshman hold average GPAs and test scores that are above the applicant's. An Match college would have average's that align with the applicant's and a Safety college might have averages below what the applicant holds. This approach allows for students to apply to more competitive schools, while providing a level of certainty that she/he will be admitted to at least one college.

7. Discuss the cost:  Prior to applying, it is wise for families to sit down with seniors and discuss the cost of tuition. It is better to discuss the realities of tuition, prior to receiving admissions decisions, to avoid misunderstandings and disappointments. Additionally, the cost for submitting applications can add up quickly. Parents and guardians may need to designate how much money can be spent on college applications so the senior can be strategic about how to use those funds. 

8. Making the Commitment:  Upon receiving admissions decisions, seniors have until May 1st, National College Decision Day, to commit to attending a college.