Searching For & Applying to College
Searching For Colleges
College Search Engines
What should I be thinking about?
Academic requirements
Location/Distance from home
Available majors and classes
Cost to attend/Financial Aid/Scholarships
Size
Housing options
Student body and school culture
Available activities or organization
Safety School, Match School, Reach School
Safety School: Your GPA and test scores are higher than what the college typically accepts.
Match School: Your GPA and test scores are right around what the college typically accepts.
Reach School: Your GPA and SATs are lower than what the college typically accepts.
Visiting Colleges
Explore the Campus
Walk or drive around the community surrounding the campus
Register and attend open houses & tours to show demonstrated interest in the school
Visit the dining hall, fitness center, library, residence halls, career center, bookstore and other campus facilities
Gather Information
Sit in on a class that interests you; if classes aren’t in session, see what the classrooms are like
Take notes and pictures of your visit so you can remember the different schools when sitting down and figuring out if this school is one you wish to apply to
Ask questions that are important to you
Typical Admissions Policies
Early Action
(typical deadlines: November 1st or 15th, December 1st or 15th)
Students who apply under a college's Early Action plan receive a decision before the standard response date, but are not required to accept an offer of admission or to make a deposit prior to May l.
Students should be sure to read the college policy carefully. Some colleges have "single choice Early Action" plans. In these plans, colleges place some restrictions on the applicant's right to make applications to other Early Decision or Early Action plans.
Early Decision
(typical deadlines: November 1st or 15th, December 1st or 15th)
Students who apply under Early Decision commit to enroll at the college if they are admitted and offered a satisfactory financial aid package.
Some colleges have both Early Decision and Early Action plans.
Open Admission
Virtually all applicants with high school diplomas or the equivalent are accepted.
Typically, standardized test scores (SAT/ACT) are not required.
Most community colleges practice open admission, although they may have specific requirements for certain programs such as Nursing.
Rolling Admission
In this frequently used procedure, a college considers each student’s application as soon as all the required credentials, such as school record and test scores, have been received.
The college usually notifies an applicant of its decision without delay.
At many colleges, rolling admission allows for early notification and works much like nonbinding Early Action programs.
College Fairs
Applying to College
Community Colleges
This application can be utilized for all CT Community Colleges (Three Rivers Community College, Quinebaug Valley Community College, etc)
FREE COMMUNITY COLLEGE IN CONNECTICUT
How to Qualify?
CT High School Graduate
First-Time College Student
Completed FAFSA
Attend Full-Time (12+ credits/semester)
Entry into the program will be accepted on a first-come first-serve basis.
Four Year Schools
The Common Application is utilized for 900+ colleges. If there is a college you would like to apply to that is not listed, refer to the college's admissions website for more information.
Teacher Recommendation Letters
Step One: Talk to Teacher
Speak with your teacher and share your resume
Colleges --> Letters of Recommendation --> Add Request