seniors

College Application Glossary

When you apply to college, it can often feel like you need to learn a whole new language. Just when you thought you had a grasp of high school terminology, here comes a wave of new acronyms, terms, and processes for you to learn. For both students and parents, understanding terms like “FAFSA” and “FERPA” or “Early Decision” and “Early Action” can be confusing!

To make this journey a bit smoother, we’ve compiled a glossary of the most common college application terms. This guide is designed to help families understand the essentials so you can tackle the college application with confidence.

Activity List: A section in the Common Application where students list and describe their extracurricular activities, jobs, volunteer work, and other non-academic pursuits.

Learn more about what counts in the Activity List here.

Additional Information: A section in the Common Application where students can provide extra details about academic or personal circumstances that may need some extra context. This is a place to include relevant information not covered elsewhere in the application.

Learn more about how to use the Additional Information section here.

Application Fee: There is (usually) a cost for every application a student submits. The application fee varies by institution. Make sure you consider application fees—they can add up if you apply to many colleges! Fee waivers are often available for students with financial need.

Coalition Application: A college application platform accepted by many colleges and universities, similar to the Common App but with different features and member schools.

Common App: The most widely used college application platform. The Common App allows students to apply to multiple colleges with one application. Colleges can add sections to the application, but students only need to enter their personal information once and write one personal statement.

Counselor Recommendation: A recommendation letter written by the student’s high school counselor, providing insights into a student's academic and personal growth. Counselor recommendations can also give context about the student’s high school, like unusual grading practices or curriculum.

CSS Profile: A financial aid application used by some colleges to determine eligibility for non-federal financial aid.

See the list of schools requiring the CSS Profile here.

Early Action: An application deadline option that allows students to apply in the fall of their senior year and receive an admission decision early—usually by February. There is no commitment to enroll if admitted.

Learn more about the Early Action deadline here.

Early Decision: An application deadline option where students commit to attending a particular college if admitted. It is binding, meaning the student must withdraw all other college applications if admitted. Students may only apply to one school’s Early Decision deadline.

Learn more about the Early Decision deadline here.

FAFSA: The Free Application for Federal Student Aid, a form used to apply for financial aid from the federal government, states, and colleges.

Learn more about the FAFSA here.

FERPA: The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act protects the privacy of a student’s education records and gives students certain rights regarding those records. Students will encounter FERPA in the application process when they add their recommenders for the first time. Students are asked to waive their rights to view confidential letters of recommendation.

Honors & Awards: A section in college applications where students list any honors or awards they have received. In the Common App, this section is intended for “academic” honors.

Honors Application: The application for students seeking admission to a college's honors program. This application may be part of the general college application or an additional application to complete once the general application is submitted. Honors college applications may require essays, recommendation letters, and details about the student's academic achievements and extracurricular involvement.

Learn more about honors programs here.

Interview: An optional or required meeting with an admissions representative or alumni to discuss the applicant’s qualifications and interest in the college.

Merit-Based Aid: Financial aid awarded based on a student's academic, artistic, athletic, or other achievements rather than financial need.

Learn more about merit-based aid here.

Need-Based Financial Aid: Financial aid awarded based on a student's financial need, determined by the FAFSA and sometimes the CSS Profile.

Read all of our financial aid blog posts.

Net-Price Calculator: An online tool provided by colleges to estimate the total cost of attendance minus any grants or scholarships a student might receive.

Official Score Report: A report sent to colleges directly from the testing agency (ACT or College Board), showing a student's standardized test scores. Some colleges require an official score report if a student submits test scores. There is an associated fee for sending an official score report.

Other Recommenders: Additional people in a student’s life who can provide recommendation letters, such as employers, coaches, or mentors. These recommendations are usually optional and can offer further insights into the applicant’s abilities and character.

Personal Statement: Also called the Common App essay or the college essay, the personal statement is the main college essay that gives colleges the opportunity to learn more about who the student is as a person and what's important to them. This is a student’s opportunity to speak directly to the person reading their application. Students should use this space to tell their stories and be their authentic selves.

Read more about the personal statement here, including the importance of the personal statement, tips for writing the personal statement, essay topics to avoid, and the role of ChatGPT in essay writing.

PIQs (Personal Insight Questions): Specific questions required by the University of California (UC) application, designed to get to know applicants through their responses.

Portal: An online account provided by each college after a student submits their applications. This is where applicants can check the status of their applications, upload documents, and receive updates.

Priority Deadline: An earlier application deadline at some colleges that may give students eligibility for certain programs and scholarships or even a better chance of admission.

Regular Decision: The standard application process with deadlines typically occurring in January. Students receive their admission decisions in the spring, usually by April 1.

Residency: For public institutions, residency refers to whether a student is considered an in-state or out-of-state resident, which can impact tuition costs and admission policies.

Rolling Admission: An application deadline option where colleges review applications as they are received and make decisions throughout the admission cycle rather than waiting until after a fixed deadline.

Learn more about rolling admission here.

Scholarship Application: This is the application for students seeking scholarships based on criteria such as academic achievement, extracurricular involvement, leadership, or financial need. It may be an application for outside scholarships or an institutional scholarship application specific to the college. These applications often require essays, recommendation letters, and detailed information about the student's accomplishments and goals.

School-Based Application: An application associated directly with an institution. Students use this system to apply directly to that school. 

School Profile: A document provided by high schools that gives colleges context about the school’s environment, grading system, course offerings, and student population.

Self-Reported Test Scores: When students report their own standardized test scores on college applications, with official scores required upon enrollment. This lets students avoid the fees associated with sending official score reports to every school on their list.

SRAR/SSAR (Self-Reported Academic Record / Self-Reported Student Academic Record): Systems where students enter their high school courses and grades directly into their college applications. These systems are used by some colleges in place of official transcripts during the initial application review.

Supplemental Essays: Additional essays that some colleges may require or recommend in the application process. Supplemental essays focus on specific questions and sometimes include topics related to the college or program the student is applying to.

Learn more about supplemental essays here.

Teacher Recommendation: A letter of recommendation written by a high school teacher highlighting the student’s academic abilities, character, and potential for success in college. Some colleges have specific requirements for teacher recommendations, such as including a letter from a core subject teacher.

Learn more about teacher recommendations here.

Test-Optional: This is an institutional policy where submitting standardized test scores (SAT or ACT) is not required as part of the college application. Students will not be penalized in the admissions process if they choose not to submit test scores. 

Learn more about testing policies here.

Transcript: The official record of a student's academic performance in high school, showing courses taken and grades earned. Transcripts are usually sent directly from the high school to the colleges.

UC Application: The application used for all undergraduate campuses in the University of California system. It includes specific sections like Personal Insight Questions (PIQs).

5 Action Steps While You Wait for College Admissions Decisions

The wait for college admissions decisions can be an anxious time for many students and their families. And we know just how long it can feel! Some students submit their applications months before they receive a decision, and most students will not have all of their decisions “in hand” until April 1st of their senior year. 

The wait is tough. However, it's also a crucial period to stay proactive and positive. Here are some 5 action steps (plus 1 bonus step!) you can take during this waiting phase to make sure you’re in the best position to take your next steps after high school graduation.

1. Keep Your Grades Up

First and foremost, no Senioritis! It's essential to maintain your academic performance even after applications are submitted. If your application is deferred or placed on a college’s waitlist, your first-semester and even second-semester senior year grades may play a role in your application decision. Additionally, you will be required to send a final transcript to the college you choose to attend. 

A significant drop in grades could negatively impact your admissions status or any potential scholarships. So don’t drop that morning class so you can sleep in, complete your assignments on time, and study for your exams. Your senior year grades are just as important as your previous ones, and keeping your grades up shows colleges your commitment to learning.

2. Focus on the Acceptances, Not the Denials

It's natural to feel disappointed if you receive a denial from a college you were excited about, but don’t let it take away from the excitement of an acceptance! Try to shift your focus to the schools that have accepted you and are excited to have you join their campus community! 

Every college offers unique opportunities and experiences. Embrace the possibilities that exist at the colleges where you’ve been admitted, and envision your next four years on those campuses. If you need to do a little more research on the college’s website or social media accounts to get the complete picture, this is a great time to do that exploration. 

Remember that where you go to college doesn't define your future success—it's what you do with the opportunities in front of you. It’s not where you attend college but how.

3. Campus Visits, Open Houses & Admitted Students Days

Now is the perfect time to visit any colleges where you’ve been admitted—especially if you haven’t been before! Campus visits can give you insight into the student experience and what life at that college is like.

Even if you have toured a particular campus before, you may see the college through “new eyes” now that you know you’ve been admitted. A second visit can help you make a more informed decision. 

Spring is also a time when many colleges offer open houses or admitted student days. These campus events go more in-depth than a standard college tour and bring together students who may be your classmates in a few short months. These events generate a lot of excitement around the campus and let you get a taste of all the school has to offer.

4. Stay on Track with Updates from Colleges

Pay attention to any communication from colleges, whether by email, text, or postal mail. This includes colleges you’ve been admitted to as well as colleges you are still waiting to hear from!

Colleges may contact you during this time for additional information (such as updated grades), housing applications, college-specific scholarship applications, orientation dates, and more. Missing an important deadline can have significant consequences (like missing out on housing), so keep regularly checking your email and the colleges' admissions portals. 

Pro Tip: Be proactive in reaching out to admissions offices if you have any questions or concerns along the way.

5. Apply for Financial Aid and Scholarships

The college decision waiting period is a great time to make sure you’re continuing with financial planning in the college admissions process. If you haven't already, complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to apply for federal financial aid, as well as the CSS Profile if any of your colleges require it. Remember that colleges have different deadlines for these forms, so check with each school to ensure you submit information on time.

You may also want to search for scholarships that match your background, skills, and interests. You can follow the college’s processes for applying for institution-based scholarships or look outside of the college for scholarship opportunities. 

If you are interested in applying for outside scholarships, check out our blog post on the same topic: Scholarships 101: The Scoop on Outside Scholarships.

Bonus Step 6: Enjoy Senior Year!

Don't forget to enjoy your senior year of high school! This is a unique and special time in your life, filled with memorable experiences and milestones. Take time to celebrate your achievements and create lasting memories with friends and family.

The period between submitting college applications and receiving decisions can feel like a waiting game. But there are things you can do to take action right now and put yourself in the best position to make YOUR college decision. By focusing on your academics, exploring your options, staying positive, and keeping up with admissions tasks, you're setting yourself up for success. 

Stay focused, stay positive, and look forward to the exciting times ahead!


6 Things To Do After Applying To College

So much time and effort go into submitting a college application. It can feel like a celebration and a relief to finally hit “submit” and relax until admission decisions start coming in. But don’t get too comfortable! Even after submitting a college application, there are still a few more steps for students to complete.

Here are 6 things to do after applying to college:

set up your application portal

Colleges will contact students after they apply with instructions to activate a portal with their school. This portal is a student’s online account and the main place where they and the college will interact moving forward. Students can find important information in the portal, such as:

  • A checklist showing a student’s application completion status and that the different pieces of the application (e.g., test scores, recommendations, transcript) have arrived at the college

  • Any additional steps required to complete an application, like self-reporting grades or test scores

  • Optional applications like honors program applications or scholarship applications (note: depending on the college, these may be located outside of the portal)

  • Admissions decisions may also appear in the portal

Activate a portal soon after applying to that college to ensure your application is complete, and check it periodically to make sure everything looks the way it should.

CHECK YOUR EMAIL

It’s important to stay on top of your email inbox after submitting college applications. Email is often the first place colleges will reach out to students if something is missing in an application or to make important announcements. Students should open every email from colleges to which they’ve applied so they are not missing any crucial information.

Don’t forget that many colleges also track their email open rates as a part of demonstrated interest. Consistently reading your emails after submitting your application shows that you are still actively engaging with that college.

We know your inbox is probably flooded with college emails by now, so it is okay to start unsubscribing from any colleges you know you won’t be applying to at this point. That way, the emails from the colleges on your list won’t get lost in the mix.

SEND PERIODIC UPDATES (IF NECESSARY)

A lot can happen between when a student applies (sometimes in early fall) and when admissions results are released (sometimes as late as April). If you have new information that you would like your colleges to know about, consider sending periodic updates. You might include:

  • Updated grades at the end of first quarter, trimester, or semester

  • New leadership positions, awards, or accomplishments not previously shared in your application

  • Any updates that you might have included in the Additional Information section of an application

It’s essential to follow the procedure laid out by each college. If they request that all updates go through the application portal, do not email your admissions counselor instead. Instead of making you look like you went the extra mile, it only makes you look like you can’t follow directions. It’s also important that you only share new information in these updates. It’s up to each college whether they will update your application to include the new information.

apply for financial aid & scholarships

If your family plans to apply for financial aid, file the FAFSA and/or the CSS Profile by each college’s financial aid deadline. Some colleges also have additional scholarship applications that students can access once they have submitted their general college applications.

Students considering outside scholarships can also use the time after they’ve submitted college applications to work on other scholarship applications.

MAINTAIN GOOD GRADES

Whatever you do, don’t let Senioritis kick in now that college applications have been submitted! This is not the time to coast to graduation! Stay focused in school and keep earning strong grades in your classes. Here’s why maintaining good grades even after submitting an application is a good idea:

  • Some colleges may request midyear grades, or if your early application is deferred, you may have to send your midyear grade report

  • Strong grades give you an update to send to colleges (see: Send Periodic Updates)

  • If your grades drop too much, a college can revoke their offer of admission

Students should also try to maintain the original senior year schedule they submitted with their application. Sorry, but that means you can’t drop AP Calculus for an early release period now that you’ve gotten into your dream college! Some schedule changes may be inevitable at your school, but you need to notify each college on your list about the change (and the reason for it).

BE PATIENT

This is maybe the most difficult item on this list. I call the period of time between submitting an application and receiving a decision “The Long Wait.” It can seem like an eternity! Sometimes, students start to second guess themselves, their strengths, and all their hard work during this time. Try not to let The Long Wait get to you. Control what you can control (working hard in class, sending appropriate updates), acknowledge that a lot of the admissions process is out of your control, and trust that you’ve done your best and that it—and you—are enough.

College Planning Tips For High School Students

I don’t think it’s a big surprise that seniors get the lion’s share of “college planning” attention when August rolls around on the calendar. It’s the start of a new school year, but the Common Application also opens on August 1st and launches us into a new application cycle. My weekly schedule quickly fills up with senior meetings, all of them in a frenzy to meet fall deadlines so they can (fingers crossed!) have essays and applications behind them by Thanksgiving.

But just because it’s finally time for seniors to highlight three and a half years of hard work in their applications doesn’t mean freshmen, sophomores, and juniors are off the hook when it comes to college planning. As the new school year starts, here are 3 college planning tips for each grade level (yes, even you seniors!) to lead you down the path towards college planning success!

FRESHMEN

Welcome to high school! This is a year to learn, grow, and (you guessed it!) start thinking about college planning. But don’t worry—there’s no pressure on you to develop a college list and settle on your major all in 9th grade. This year is more about getting to know YOU!

1 - Set Goals & Review Them Regularly

As the school year starts, I encourage you to set some SMART goals (here’s another blog post where I walk you through setting different goals, identifying your potential obstacles, and making a plan for success). At least one should be an academic goal, and I recommend at least one personal goal that’s just for you, but maybe you also set an extracurricular goal for yourself. Share your goals with someone you trust like a parent or college counselor and then review them once a semester or once a quarter. Check in and see how you’re doing, what you might want to adjust, and what you get to celebrate.

2 - Explore New Activities & Interests

High school is a whole new world when it comes to classes, clubs, and activities. Students have the opportunity to chase their curiosity in ways they haven’t been able to before. Exploring new interests, joining a new club, or picking up a new hobby might be easy advice for some students. But let’s acknowledge that it can also require leaving your comfort zone, and that isn’t always easy. I encourage you not to let that discomfort stop you from pursuing something you might love! Look for ways to make it easier, like bringing a friend.

3 - Keep Reading

We often hear that students who enjoyed reading for enjoyment in middle school lose that love of reading when they get into high school. The reading assignments change, schedules fill up, and pleasure reading is often one of the first things to fall off the priority list. But reading helps students learn, increases focus and attention span, improves vocabulary and writing skills, and can even build interpersonal skills like empathy. Here’s the thing—it doesn’t really matter what you read. Maybe it’s classic novels, sure, but maybe it’s free verse poetry, manga, sports biographies, or newspaper articles. If you enjoy it, keep reading!

SOPHOMORES

You have a year of high school in the books! You probably have a favorite table in the lunchroom and are counting down the days until you can start driving to school. In the meantime, it’s time to take the next step on your college planning journey and start considering what you might want life after high school to look like.

1 - Think About Why You Like Your Favorite Classes

As you go through sophomore year, think about the classes you enjoyed most from your first half of high school. Make a list and then take your brainstorming session a step further. Think about why you liked those particular classes.

  • Did you find the subject material interesting? Do you usually enjoy classes in that field? That might tell you something about a field of study that may interest you.

  • Did you really enjoy the teacher? What about them did you like? Was it the way they taught the class? Did they use lots of discussions? Group work? Projects? How did they bring their class to life for you? Have you had other teachers that taught like that? Did you enjoy those classes too?

  • Did you have a lot of friends in that class? How did that enhance the learning experience for you? Did you get to work with them on classwork? Do you like working/learning with others?

  • Other questions to ask yourself: What type of work was assigned? How many students were in the class? How were your desks set up? How was your knowledge tested at the end of the course (ie: test, essay, project, presentation)?

2 - Only Stay Involved In What You Enjoy

I’m going to let you in on a college planning secret: It’s okay to quit. Sometimes, students will start an activity in 9th grade and, even though they’ve lost interest in it, keep dragging themselves to whatever it is “for their college application.” Instead of getting more involved over time because they’re excited and invested, they do the bare minimum because they’re bored and disengaged. Please don’t do that. Please quit what is no longer adding value to your life so you can make room for something that will! If you enjoy your extracurricular activities, you’re more likely to get more involved at a deeper level because you care about it! That is what can lead to added value on the college application.

3 - Start Visiting Local Colleges

It’s a good idea to start getting familiar with different types of college campuses, and you can use what’s accessible to you—even if you “know” you would “never” attend that college that’s 10 minutes from home! Visit these schools anyway so you can learn what a college campus feels like. If you’re near an urban area, you probably have access to larger publics as well as smaller private colleges. Go see both so you can start to understand the differences and get an idea of your preferences. Visit colleges near family or on vacation. You can also interact with colleges in less official ways like attending sporting events, exhibits, or concerts.

JUNIORS

I recently heard someone call junior year your “audition for college.” Not only do the academic demands generally increase pretty swiftly in junior year, but it’s also the last full year students will complete before applying to college, so it’s the most recent course and grade history a student has. Students are balancing school with an increase in freedom and responsibility that comes with driver’s licenses, part-time jobs, increased involvement, and maybe even leadership positions. Standardized testing is on the radar. And college planning cranks things up a notch.

1 - Build Relationships With Your Teachers

Getting to know your teachers (and letting them get to know you!) will set you up for success in junior year. You’ll have a support system should you need it if you find yourself struggling in class. Teachers can also help you connect to your academic interests outside of the classroom, whether it’s through clubs, helping connect you with resources, or giving college advice. Not only that, but teachers from your junior year are more than likely going to be writing your college letters of recommendation. Building that relationship all year long gives your teacher something to write about!

2 - Think About Different Kinds of Leadership

We’re often encouraging students to pursue the activities that mean the most to them at a deeper level and find ways to make an impact. A lot of people think this means a leadership position with a title they can put on a resume. That’s certainly an option, but at the end of the day, most clubs only have room for one president. There’s only so much “official” leadership to go around. And not everyone wants to be the president/treasurer/historian. Good thing that’s not the only way to lead. Students lead and make an impact in other ways all the time—by showing up early to help set up, by mentoring and including younger students, by taking on the tasks that no one else signs up for, by seeing a need and filling it. So what’s your way to lead? How can you make an impact in your groups?

3 - Start Building Your College List

Junior year is a great time to start building your college list. Start determining what is important to you academically, socially, and financially to narrow down your college search. Go on official campus visits or sign up for online information sessions to get to know colleges firsthand. Spend time on college websites or trusted college research sites. However you learn about colleges, make sure you take good notes. When you go to apply next year, so many colleges have an essay question that’s some version of, “Why Us?” If you take good notes now, you’ll have something to refer back to instead of starting your research from scratch in the thick of application season!

SENIORS

Alright, Seniors! It’s your time to shine! In less than a year, you won’t have to think about Common App essays, SAT scores, or application portals ever again! But for now, keep your head in the game. You can do it!

1 - Use Your Resources

Yes, it’s your college application. That means no one can want it more than you and no one will work as hard as you. But you are not in this alone! You have a support system at school in your teachers and school counselor. And while we love working one-on-one with students (you can schedule a consultation here if you want to work with us!), we also have a range of free online resources:

2 - Don’t Procrastinate

It doesn’t matter which college deadline you decide is right for you, don’t wait until the last minute to start on those applications. Not only do you want to give yourself plenty of time to thoughtfully fill out all of the questions and respond to all essay prompts (including some that might unexpectedly pop up depending on how you answer certain questions—surprise!), but application deadlines rarely come at convenient times. Fall deadlines are in the middle of the semester (hello, midterms!) and are staggered every two weeks for a little over a month, so if you procrastinate, you may not come up for air for a while! Regular decision deadlines begin the first week of January, many on New Year’s Day. Do you want to spend your New Year’s Eve working on a college application?

3 - Look to Past Seniors For Perspective

Emotions run high during the college application process. When you’re living it day to day, an acceptance can feel like the highest high while a denial can feel like the lowest low. Older friends, family members, and acquaintances can give you some much-needed perspective. Maybe you know a current college student who had their heart completely set on a college during their senior year… and it didn’t work out. It may have felt like the end of the world at the time—like that was the only college for them. But they went with their second choice, showed up for orientation, and by the time Fall Break rolled around, hadn’t given that other school another thought. Because they love their college that much. Trust that there’s no such thing as one perfect college, and things tend to work out the way they’re supposed to!

Accepting Your Acceptance

As we’re nearing the May 1 deadline, many students are making their final decision about where they plan to attend college. It’s an exciting time, and there are many rites of passage that go along with making a decision from joining a Class of 202# group chat to outfitting the whole family in t-shirts emblazoned with the new college’s name.

But amid all the fun and exciting ways to declare your new allegiance to the world, don’t forget about the logistics that need to be taken care of in order to ensure you have a spot in your college’s incoming class.

To help, we’ve made a checklist to walk students through how to accept their acceptance.

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