The College Application Process
START HERE:
Click through this "get started" guide below:
FIRST STEPS:
Identify a list of schools you might want to apply to. Visit college websites and take virtual tours. Â
For California colleges, search campuses here: https://www.californiacolleges.edu/#/Â
For all other college campuses search here: https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/
Determine which schools you will apply to and application method. Decide how you will track important information about each campus. Some details you will want to include are: which application do they take, what is the deadline for submitting the application, do they require a letter of recommendation from a teacher and do they require essays from applicants. Requirements will vary widely from school to school. Â
Create accounts as needed:
Coalition for College Application
Specific college application
Review “College Applications at a Glance” linked below
Complete “Letter of Recommendation Google Form” (not needed for UC/CSU/CC)
Do you plan on playing college athletics? Register with the NCAA Eligibility Center and ensure that you have met the criteria (Please note: NCAA eligibility may differ from college admission criteria). Once registered, a transcript will automatically be sent by VDL.Â
NEXT STEPS:
Attend College Application sessions during FLEX with counseling staff (mid-September through October) for assistance in a small group settingÂ
Download an unofficial transcript from PowerSchool to assist in completing applications
Start writing drafts of essays and personal statements. These will be needed for all campuses that require the Common Application as well as UC campuses.Â
KEY DATES IN FALL:
August 1
Common Application opens
October 1
UC Applications open through December 2
CSU Applications open through November 30
November 30
Deadline CSU applications
December 2
Deadline for UC applications
December 2024
FAFSA opens. Apply by March 2 for Cal Grants
TIPS and FAQs -data updated each Fall for current graduating class
- The class of 2025 has 407 students. Â Link to school profile below.
- Vista is on a semester system.
- Create a unique email address that you will monitor regularly to use for all college application business. Once you have submitted applications, colleges will communicate via email. You will want a respectable email address as well as a place to check if a campus is missing a part of your application.
- Report college level work only once and in "college work" not high school classes. This includes ACE credit and all community college classes.
Publications from the Counseling Department:
College Apps
 "at a glance"

Requesting a letter ofÂ
Recommendation

Senior datesÂ
and announcements

Links to other important resources:
Even if your plans don't include applying to Yale, this podcast gives listeners an inside look at the admissions process for selective colleges. We highly recommend listening to all of the episodes. Below are links to our favorite ones.
Dealing with Decisions
 With decision day approaching, Hannah and Mark share advice for understanding and processing each type of decision: denied, admitted, and placed on the wait list. They discuss what each decision means (and doesn’t mean) about an individual, the applicant pool, and what comes next. They share the wisdom of former Dean of Admissions Jeff Brenzel: “Almost nothing depends on exactly which college admits you. Everything depends on what you decide to do once you get to college.”
Essays: What works
Part 1 of 3. The most effective application essays help admissions officers understand who students are and the contributions they would make to a community. There’s no formula or perfect essay topic, but Hannah and Mark discuss what makes an essay work for an applicant. Admissions officer Keith joins to share insights on the choices that can be most effective when writing an essay.Â
What Stands Out
Most applicants to Yale are strong along many dimensions, but only a small group truly stand out. Hannah and Mark discuss how admissions officers try to gauge what an applicant would add to and take from the Yale experience. Admissions officer Keith adds insights about what makes applicants stand out in Yale’s large and diverse pool of prospective students.Â
The Activities Section
As part of the whole-person review process, the Yale Admissions Committee consider each applicant’s engagement with “extracurricular activities” – pursuits and commitments outside of typical academic work. Admissions officer Reed joins Hannah and Mark to discuss how application readers evaluate extracurricular activities and how applicants can stand out in this part of the application. The trio expand on some simple advice for selecting and engaging with activities: Be active. At the right level for you. Doing what you like.Â
Mythbusters
The second installment in an occasional miniseries. Hannah, Mark, and Jill review and debunk six more persistent myths about the admissions process. For each myth, they identify a small kernel of truth while explaining why the myth is inaccurate. Topics include international admissions, course scheduling, and essay choices.Â
 Recommendation Letters
Every application to Yale includes three letters of recommendation – two from classroom teachers and one from a counselor. Admissions Officer Moira joins Hannah and Mark to share advice on selecting recommenders and tips for educators when writing on behalf of applicants. The officers share how effective letters can bolster and enhance an application, and they express their gratitude to the educators who write for their students.