College Application FAQ's

Both of these tests are considered college entrance exams required for college admittance. Most colleges will accept either test and do not require that you take one specifically over the other. It is encouraged to register early to make sure you have secured your seat for test day. If you have free/or reduced lunch, you may qualify for a fee waiver. Visit your counselor for more information.

Essays are an opportunity to separate yourself from the crowd. You’ll want to start on these as early as you can, and most importantly, you’ll want to make sure you answer the prompt(s) given to you to answer. Also be on the lookout for supplemental essays, as part of your application. See the Application Essays section of the FHS Guidance website for more information.

Early Decision is legally binding. This means that if you apply to a school as an early decision, you are required to only apply to that school as an early decision, and expected to attend there if you are accepted. You are essentially communicating that you are 100% committed to attending that school if you were to be accepted. Getting out of this contract will require documentation and payment of fees.

Early Action can be beneficial for a couple of reasons. First, it means that students can compare multiple schools and take a few more months to make their decisions. Second, early action allows for students to make a more informed financial decision. The biggest difference is that it is not legally binding.

1- Fill out your FAFSA form: The FAFSA form is the federal government financial aid form. To receive need-based grants or scholarships (from the government or your college), you’ll need to fill it out. And just by filling out the FAFSA, the average student gets about $15,000 in financial aid (grants, work-study, and lower-interest loans).

2- Check with your colleges on any additional forms: Some colleges (especially private ones) also require a form called the “CSS Profile,” while other colleges have their own financial aid forms, in addition to the FAFSA. Make sure you find out what the deadline is to fill out those extra forms.

2a- CSS Profile - an online application for nonfederal financial aid, run by the College Board. The form is different from the FAFSA and is designed to get a more comprehensive picture of your financial situation. The form costs $25 initially, plus $16 for each additional school to which you are applying. It is used by colleges and scholarship programs to award Institutional (their own) aid.

3- Check with your colleges for additional scholarships. Many colleges will have a variety of resources available on their own financial aid/scholarship websites. Visit their websites to find more scholarship and financial aid resources.

4- Check for state grants/aid eligibility: State governments also offer a range of state grants, particularly for students studying in-state at a public university or college. In Ohio, visit ODE State Grants and Scholarships for access to this financial aid.

5- Apply for external scholarships: These are scholarships funded by companies or non-profits, and there are a lot of deadlines in November-February, so make sure you’re looking for them now. To find and apply for scholarships, start by visiting the Fairmont Scholarship page.

Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) applications open annually on October 1st. It is important that you submit your FAFSA as soon as possible. Also know that federal aid is allotted by college financial aid offices on a first-come-first get basis by the date you submit your FAFSA… so submit it as early as you can. Visit Fairmont's FAFSA page for more detailed information.

Some schools will require a counselor recommendation, even if they do not require a teacher recommendation. Additionally, some schools will not require any recommendation letters, but will still be willing to accept them. Be sure to know those details when requesting letters from staff. To request letters, visit your Naviance account, then the "Colleges" tab, then "Letters of Recommendation". Follow the on-screen prompts, and remember, first ASK THE STAFF MEMBER IN PERSON, BEFORE REQUESTING A LETTER.

In order for your counselor to send your transcript (among other documents) to the schools of your choice, you MUST match your Common App and your Naviance accounts, IF you are applying to any schools through Common App. If you are NOT applying to a school through Common App, then you must manually add that school to your Naviance account.

Students can receive merit scholarships for good grades and high test scores. Merit aid is a form of college financial aid that does not consider a student's financial need, but rather is awarded based on academic, athletic, artistic or special-interest. Many merit scholarships will have deadlines that are the same or similar to the early action deadlines for that school. Some may even have a separate application form for their merit scholarships, while others will automatically enter you for consideration after you apply to their school as an early action candidate.

This is NOT an application platform. It is a program that Fairmont uses to collect and send student documents such as transcripts, recommendation letters, resumes, etc. These documents are all part of the "School Report" that senior counselors send to colleges as part of the student application. However, to apply, students must either apply directly to the school OR through the Common Application.

Creating an NCAA/NAIA account is the first step to becoming a college student-athlete. Students interested in playing competitive collegiate-level athletics should start preparing as early as 9th grade. If you plan to play a Division 1 or 2 sport in college you need to create an account at the NCAA eligibility center. Visit FHS Guidance/Athletics for more information.

This is a supplemental form that will not be required by all schools. Much of the information requested on this form is already included in the School Report that we send to those schools, which also includes your transcript and your current senior year courses.

Given the challenges presented by the COVID - 19 Pandemic, many colleges have now become test-optional. A test-optional college lets students decide whether they want to submit test scores with their application. Most test-optional schools will consider SAT and ACT scores if they are submitted, but focus on other factors they believe are stronger predictors of a student's potential to succeed in college.

Visit College Transitions (an outside affiliated site) for more detailed information regarding test-optional applications.

View the Test-Optional Worksheet to learn if applying as test-optional would benefit you.

Some schools will require that you submit your test scores (ACT or SAT) directly from the testing agency. Do this by logging into your ACT or SAT account and selecting “Send my Scores”. If you have trouble accessing your scores, you’ll first want to contact that testing agency and if that doesn’t work, see your counselor.

Request Transcripts using the Electronic Transcript Request form, then pay the $2 transcript fee (per school/request) to Mrs. Erica Parker in the East Unit Office. Remember to first add your schools to your Naviance account (either manually or by matching your Common App and Naviance accounts), BEFORE requesting transcripts.