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Researching Colleges - A How-To
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What an exciting time!
This guide is designed to help BHS class of 2025 (and their families) navigate the college admissions process.
What's covered:
- College Application Timeline
- Researching Colleges
- Applying to Colleges
- Financial Aid + Scholarships
Mark your Calendar!
College Info Sessions in the College + Career Center this fall!
Sign-up Genius will be open in late August! Stay tuned to the Counseling News and Schoology course in August!
- GVSU - September 5th
- UofM Ann Arbor - September 10th
- Mich Tech - September 10th
- Baker College - September 11th
- SVSU - September 16th
- Oakland U - September 24th
- Syracuse - September 24th
- MUCH MORE TO COME!!!
Other College Events!
- September 17th: College Essay Guy Workshop, "Common App Walk-through + How to Create an Outstanding Activities List and Additional Info Section" @ BHS LMC, 10:30 - 11:30 AM
- September 27th: HBCU College Fair @ Oakland Schools @ BHS LMC, 10:00 - 11:30 AM
- October 1st: College Essay Guy Workshop, "A Crash Course on Strategizing and Writing the Supplemental Essays" @BHS LMC, 10:30 - 11:30 AM
- October 18th: Onsite Admissions Day @ BHS LMC
- October 23rd: College + Career Fair @ ROHS, 4:30 - 6:30 PM
- November 4th: FAFSA Help Family Night (Virtual), 8:00 PM
EVERYthing you need to research + apply!
Summer
- Research colleges
- Tour campuses
- Create your College Resume/Activities List
- Write the Personal Statement / Common App Essay (if required)
Fall
- Create your college application list
- Write supplemental essays (if required)
- Attend any college events at BHS, on campus, virtually
- Complete FAFSA + financial aid (TBD, sometime in October)
- Submit applications by November 1st
Winter
- Apply for Scholarships
- Wait for admissions decisions
Spring
- Review financial aid award packages from colleges (once accepted)
- Decide where you will be attending college and pay deposit/housing (no later than May 1st)
What are you looking for in a college?
- In-state? Out of state? How far from home?
- Big campus or small?
- Large student body? Medium? Small?
- Rural, Suburban, or Urban campus?
- Any must-haves? Clubs, sports, activities, programs?
- Which academic program/major(s) are you thinking about? Do the schools have them?
Start a "Colleges I'm thinking about" list
Where can you find information on colleges?
College Databases + Guides
Xello - accessible in Schoology (recommend searching by Major, then viewing the colleges)
Contact Admissions Counselors + BHS College Info Sessions
Every college/university has an admissions counselor/representative assigned to BHS!
- Call or email with the admissions counselor to ask questions, get contact information regarding a major/program.
- Ask to be connected with advisors, professors, students - in the majors/programs you are interested in.
- To find out who the Admissions Counselor is for BHS, go to colleges' undergraduate admissions websites and look for "Meet our Team" or "Find my rep".
- Attend College Info Sessions at BHS, talk to reps at College Fairs, attend Admissions Events on campus or virtually - they keep track of that stuff!
Sign up for Email Updates + Social Media
- Request more info on the colleges' undergraduate admissions websites!
- Follow colleges' undergraduate admissions!
Official Campus Tours
- Make a plan to visit a couple schools based on your college research, if you’re able.
- You can set up tours on schools' undergraduate admissions websites.
- When arranging a tour, email or call to ask the admissions office if you can be connected with advisors, professors, students - in the majors/programs you are interested in while you are on campus.
Virtual Tours
- If getting to the campuses isn’t possible, learn as much as you can online via virtual information sessions.
- Check out CampusReel - the tours on Campus Reel are led by real, current students, usually in selfie-mode on their phone, and you get to hear them share more about what they love (and don’t love) about their college, whether you’re following them on their way to class, in the dining hall, or at a get-together.
Specialized College Information
Did you know? With a 3.0 GPA or higher...
You will be admitted to....
- Central Michigan University
- Eastern Michigan University
- Ferris State University
- Lake Superior State University
- Northern Michigan University
- Oakland University
- Saginaw Valley State University
- University of Michigan - Flint
- University of Michigan - Dearborn
- Wayne State University
Michigan Assured Admission Pact (MAAP) - https://maap.org/
Create your "Colleges I'm applying to" list
Apply to 3-8 schools (at least 1 in-state!)
Types of College Apps
Common App
Opens August 1st
First-Year Common App YouTube Playlist
BHS-specific info for Common App Education section
Find School = Berkley High School
Date of Entry = 09/2021
Grades tab:
Graduating class size = 290
Class rank reporting = None
GPA Scale reporting = 4
Cumulative GPA = (MiStar, or email counselor for a transcript copy)
Current or Most Recent Year Courses = SENIOR CLASSES
Honors + AP classes are NOT college level
PA + Honors Zoo are NOT dual enrollment
Common Black College Application
Understanding College App Deadlines
Three main parts of a College App
Possible "Extra" Parts of College Apps
College Resume / Activities List
Start a Google Doc with your Extracurriculars!
- List sports, jobs, volunteering, clubs, hobbies, family obligations and any Honors/Awards.
- Click on the file below on "How to Write Your Common App College Activities List"
- Check out College Essay Guy's video below on creating a fab Activities List!
Letters of Recommendation
Does your application require a Letter of Rec?
Make sure the colleges require a letter before you ask a teacher!
Check the Common App Dashboard!
- Once you created your Common App account and added the colleges you plan on applying to in the "My Colleges" tab, then you can click on the college and view their requirements.
- In Common App, Teacher Evaluation (TE) = teacher letter of recommendation
Not using Common App?
- Check the application requirements on the colleges' admissions websites!
Letter of Rec Resources:
- Getting Started: Preparing to Ask for a Letter of Recommendation for College
- How to Choose the Right Teachers for a Letter of Recommendation
- How to Ask for a Letter of Recommendation for College
- When to Ask for a Letter of Recommendation
- The Follow-Up Email: What to Send Your Teacher After Asking for a Letter of Recommendation
College Essays
Not all colleges require essays for admission!
- Find out colleges' essay requirements using Common App Writing Requirement Resource!
- Follow College Essay Guy on social media! @collegeessayguy
Resources from the College Essay Guy Workshops at BHS
CEG summer courses *Free* for BHS students!
Sending BHS Transcripts to Colleges
Applying via Common App?
BHS counselor will send transcripts via Common App, provided they have been listed in the student's Common App.
- Students must the student must complete the Education and FERPA/Recommender sections in Common App, then invite/list their BHS counselor (spell their email correctly!)
- The BHS Counselor will also send mid-year report with transcript at the end of semester 1 to schools listed in student's Common App.
Applying via College Website Application?
Students must order their transcripts using Parchment.
- Students will have to create a "New Learner" account and waive their FERPA rights. Students should only complete the required* fields.
- Students must indicate where they would like their transcripts sent (referred to as "Destination" in Parchment). Transcripts orders are fulfilled by the BHS registrar in 2-3 school days.
SAT / ACT Scores
College Testing Policies
TEST OPTIONAL: school is one that accepts, but does not require, test scores from applicants.
TEST BLIND: school is one that will not consider test scores from any student, even those who might wish to submit them.
TEST FLEXIBLE: school is a generally test-optional school that places limitations on applying without test scores. (for instance, you might need to have a certain GPA in order to apply without a test score or answer additional essay questions)
Good to know
- Many college are still test optional for admission. However, some colleges offer merit scholarships based on test scores. It is important to research and keep track of college requirements and scholarships!
- Can take SAT (or ACT) as many times - on Saturday National Test dates at local schools.
Colleges do not have a preference for one test over another.
Test Prep Resources
The Tutoring Center in Birmingham
Khan Academy (online, free!)
Mally ACT in West Bloomfield
Sending SAT/ACT Scores to Colleges
- If you would like to submit your tests scores to colleges you need to order your scores in either your ACT account portal or College Board account portal.
- Colleges want to receive test scores directly from these portals, not from BHS.
- BHS does not have access to student portal login information.
- Click Sending ACT scores or Sending SAT scores for more information and detailed instructions.