College Apps

As underclassmen at one point, you probably might have heard seniors complaining about "college apps" either in person or over frantic Twitter tweets. Nowadays, most people apply to college over online applications. Each school or school systems can have their own applications. The most common ones for Amat students are:

• UC Application
• CSU Application
• Common App for most private schools
• Coalition App-alternative of Common App but does not cover as many schools

Need Help?

Most of the college apps are self-explanatory but you need some additional help, here are some suggestions:

• UC Application
• CSU Application
• Common App
• Coalition App: currently I have not found any good guides on the Internet since the platform is relatively new. However ,most schools on Coalition App also participate in Common App anyway so I advise Common App over Coalition App.
• Bishop Amat occasionally offers on-campus application workshops too. Please contact Mr. Scott for additional information. I highly recommend those.
• You can also directly contact each app's customer service. This is not preferable during peak season as many seniors, unsurprisingly, procrastinate and overload the customer service system.
• Don't email. Instead, just give them a call, it is usually much quicker that way.

Fee Waivers:

College apps can get very expensive. Each college can cost you anywhere from $0 to $90 to apply. If paying for application fees can cause a strain on your family's financial situation, please contact Mr. Scott or other counselors to see if you qualify for fee waivers.

Now that we have started on the college apps, there are couple factors that are the backbone of your application, including GPA, standardized tests, extracurricular activities, letters of recommendation and personal essays.