The College Application Process

What Factors Decide College Admissions?

The Five Major Application Components:

1. Course Rigor: the difficulty of classes taken in high school

2. Grade Point Average: GPA

3. Test Scores: ACT/SAT

4. Extracurricular Activities: commitments outside the classroom

5. College Essays: personal statements

Key Reminders:

Transcripts tell an interesting story and say more about a student than just their GPA. They can show improvement over time after a rough first year in high school or a drop in performance after a strong start. They indicate if a student challenged himself or herself by taking difficult classes or only took standard level courses. Unweighted GPA is more important than students think. A 3.0 Unweighted GPA indicates a "B" student even if the weighted GPA is a 3.5 (not a bad thing, but something to note).

You are more than your test scores. Many students do not perform well on standardized tests. While testing is an important part of the college admissions process, it is not everything. Some students get admitted to great schools with low test scores. Colleges emphasize "holistic review" which means reading and taking into account all the other factors in your application.

Commitment over time is more important than the quantity of extracurricular activities. Colleges want to see involvement in activities over time rather than loading up on them senior year. Take that leadership position senior year to demonstrate your commitment.

Family obligations such as babysitting and cooking for siblings should be included and so should jobs outside of school. Many students are unable to participate in extracurricular activities because they have responsibilities at home. Students should include these family obligations in their college applications in addition to any past or present jobs.

Proofread, revise, and edit your college essays. Do not rush writing your college essays. Make sure to have someone proofread your essays, preferably a person other than your parents. Correct use of grammar is extremely important. See the page under this tab for strategies on crafting and writing a successful essay.

Universities are trying to round out a class. This means they want the violinist, the cross country runner, the artist, the point guard, the entrepreneur, the poet, the mathematician, etc. Universities also want strong, hardworking generalists or those who excel in multiple areas, so don't stress on finding that one unique quality. And they want diverse perspectives. Think about what makes you stand out and your answer to this question: What will you contribute to the student body?

Application Terms

Application Deadlines and Admissions Decisions:

Early Action: Apply early to find out early. Non-binding decision. I highly recommend early action. October 15th and November 1st are common early action deadlines. Get those applications in! Applicants usually find out in December and January if they apply early action.

Early Decision: Apply early, and if accepted, you must withdraw all other applications and commit to enroll. This is a binding decision. You can only apply to one school early decision. Most colleges have an early decision deadlines of November 1st. Applicants usually find out in December.

Regular Decision: Apply at a later date to find out at a later date. Most regular decision deadlines are in January, February, and March.

Rolling Admissions: Colleges accept applications as they come in. Applicants are usually notified of a decision quickly, but it may take longer if the applicant does not meet or exceed admission medians (GPA and test scores).

Accepted: Congrats, you're in!

Denied: The admissions committee is not inviting you to be part of the upcoming class. These decisions are final.

Deferred: The admissions committee has decided to review your application again at a later date. Usually, colleges will ask for mid-year grades and updated test scores of deferred applicants. Most deferrals occur when the student has applied early action or early decision.

Waitlisted: The admissions committee has decided to put you on a waitlist which usually occurs when a student has applied regular decision. Waitlists are safety nets for colleges to ensure they fill all vacancies. Students may accept a spot off the waitlist after the May 1st commitment deadline. Sending in new information is not likely to change your situation, but you should still keep your admissions file updated.

UNC System

The University of North Carolina System is comprised of 16 public universities. According to its website, “The UNC System is one of the strongest and most successful systems of public higher education in the nation. Its mission--to discover, create, transmit, and apply knowledge to address the needs of individuals and society.”

Click here for a list of schools by size, cost, and percent of need met

Click here for GPA and ACT/SAT medians for UNC System schools

North Carolina Minimum Admissions Requirements

Students who have a 2.5 Weighted GPA or 19 ACT or 1010 SAT are eligible for admission to a UNC System school. The UNC System is test-optional for the 2020-2021 year. Students do not have to submit a test score with their application when applying to these schools.

College Application Fee Waivers

Students who participate in Free and Reduced Lunch are eligible for college application fee waivers. College applications usually cost around $65 per application, which adds up quickly. If you took the SAT with a fee waiver, you can access fee waivers through College Board. If not, see Mr. Salt or your counselor for a hard-copy fee waiver that will be scanned and emailed or faxed to admissions offices. See the ACT/SAT page for information on applying for Free and Reduced Lunch.

Create your Common App account here

The Common Application allows students to fill out an application once with information that includes demographic background, academic profile, extracurricular activities, honors, and a response to one essay prompt. Note: many colleges have supplemental prompts on their Common App pages so pay attention to that. Using Common App is much easier than applying to colleges directly on their websites and, for many schools, you can only apply through Common App. More than 800 colleges partner with Common App. Click here for a full list.

You must link your Common App account with your Naviance account. The counselors use Naviance to send transcripts and you request letters of recommendation from teachers using Naviance. You can also access scholarship applications through Naviance.

Linking Common App to Naviance

1. Go to your NCEdCloud Account

2. Go to your Clever

3. Find and open the Naviance App

4. Create a Common App Account and log in

5. In Common App, make sure Hopewell High School has been entered as the current or most recent school in the Education section

6. Next in Common App, click on the College Search tab and enter the name of one college to which you intend to apply. When the name of the college appears, check the box on the left and click on ADD. *You can add and delete schools at any time

7. Next in Common App, click on the Dashboard tab and click on the college you added. Under Application, you will see Recommenders and FERPA. Click the box that reads Release Authorization. On the Release Authorization screen, read the statement and, when you are done, and if you wish to continue, check the box at the bottom of the screen and then Continue. On the second Release Authorization screen you will be asked to authorize the release of all requested documents to colleges. Check the box. (If you don’t, we can’t send your transcript or any other documents)

8. At this time you will be asked to Waive or Not Waive your right to see the recommendations and/or other supporting documents forwarded by the school, your teachers, or any other person you ask to write on your behalf. In general, we advise students to waive their right to review documents, as recommenders expect the letters they write to be confidential. Note: You only have to complete the FERPA Release Form one time. It will apply to every application

9. Go back to Naviance, and click on “Colleges”. Find the link to “Colleges I’m Applying To”. Link your accounts by entering the EXACT email address used to create your Common App account and be sure your name and birth date in Naviance correctly matches the birth date you entered in Common App. Click the pink bar at the top and match your accounts.

Click here to contact Naviance support