Whether you are a first time graduate, like me, or come from a long line of college graduates, I think having some ideas about what to expect on your college admission application is definitely helpful. You should prepare to send in the following along with your admission application: an essay, official academic transcript, ACT or SAT scores, recommendations and an application fee. Although an interview with your college of choice is not commonly a requirement, it may also be something you’d like to try.

So what’s this essay about? Depending on the college you attend, your essay question(s) may range from asking you to write about yourself to writing your thoughts about a particular quote, topic or event. Just because you are attending college, doesn’t mean you have to break out he dictionary to find the biggest and most sophisticated words to get your point across. Be yourself. You want to show your writing capabilities such as correct grammar, sentence structure and the entire flow of your essay. Be sure to proof read your essay before sending it in. It’s a great idea to have a high school teacher or mentor read your essay, also, before turning it in.

You will need to ask your high school to send your official academic transcript to your college of choice. Give your high school at least a 3 weeks notice, so they can send your transcript in time.

Your college of choice will also ask for your ACT or SAT scores. As with your transcript, give your school enough time to send your scores.

Furthermore, I was completely unaware that there was an application fee I needed to send with my application and other materials before applying to college. Be prepared to save about $35-$50 for your application to get processed.

I hope you’ve built great relationships with teachers, coaches, and mentors in your life up until this point because you may need to call on them for a recommendation. Many colleges want recommendations from these people—people who are able to speak about your leadership skills, academic capabilities and overall character. Just as a side note: It’s a good life lesson to build good relationships with the people around you, including teachers and professors. It’s very likely as you are in college and even after you graduate that you may need to call upon one of your professors for a job recommendation.

Lastly, although, an interview with your college or colleges of choice is not always a requirement, you may want to set up an interview with them. This will help them to learn more about you, plus, you are able to get a more intimate view of the school.

It would be a shame to complete all of the above work while missing the deadline. Turning in all materials on time with your admission application is imperative. Be aware of when your college admission application is due. If you need further help with your admission application, do not hesitate to contact one of our Go Financial Aid Consultants for more help or check out our Solutions. We are here to help and excited about your journey into college.

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Be prepared to take the test. This may just cut down on the amount of time you plan on taking the SAT, which will ultimately keep more money in your pocket. Planning on buying a study guide? In my quick research on Amazon.com, you can buy The Official SAT Study Guide new for $21.99 or you buy the same book used from $10.30 (this book is described as used-like new). Remember, this is not a book you are probably not going to read religiously for the rest of your life. If you plan on buying multiple books, buy at once you may be able to combine shipping. Once you are finished, sell them back. You might just be able to get a majority of your money back.

If you were among the 30 million children to receive free or reduced lunches through the National School Lunch Program, you may be eligible to have the SAT fee waived. Contact your school’s guidance office for details.

College Visits-
Campus visits are the best way to check out a campus. However, these visits come with the possibility of gas money, airfare, lodging, food, etc. While, nothing can replace actually stepping foot on a campus. If you aren’t 100% sure, try a virtual tour first. Many college websites provide virtual tours. After taking this tour, if you need to see more. Consider making the trip, if you weren’t left on the edge of your seat needing to see more you may want to reconsider. You can also rely on word of mouth and brochures to cut down the list of places you need to see.

If you do decide to make the trip here are some ways to cut costs-
-Looking at multiple colleges in the same area? Check them out all in one trip.
-Going on vacation? Try and visit colleges on the way.
-If mom and dad can, leave siblings at home.
-Now may be a great time to cash in on those frequent flier miles or use those fuel perks!
-Some schools that will allow the prospective student to stay on campus. It’s often free and they may provide the student with meals. It is also a great way to get the dorm room experience.
-Ask for a campus rate at neighboring hotels. Some schools have partnerships with local hotels that provide visitors with discounts.
-If you can, save money up ahead of time. Even if you can only put $5 a week away from the time your child begins high school. You’ll end up with over $500 saved by the summer before senior year.

Applications-
In order to get into school you must apply. In order to apply, you must submit the application fee. Application fees can cost up to $60. Look for schools who waive the application fee if you apply online. When choosing where to apply, avoid applying to a lot of schools that are not so much within your reach. If you qualify to have your SAT fee waived, you may also qualify to have the application fee waived on up to four schools. Some colleges, may accept hardship letters from a guidance counselor. If you are set on one particular school, early admission may save you a lot of money in application fees. If possibly, visit a campus before submitting an application.