Guidance Home

College Planning Timeline Jr/Sr

The College Application Process can be confusing. It is our hope that you will contact us as we attempt to guide you through the paper work over the next few months. We recommend that students and their parents/guardians meet with their guidance counselor during junior year to formulate a plan of action and keep in close contact during senior year. The following list provides you with some of the steps students and their parents/guardians will go through over the next few months.

Spring

1.Juniors should register to take the ACT or SAT in the spring. Many students will repeat these exams over the fall of their senior year. Practice tests and registration materials are in the guidance office. It is easiest to register on-line at www.Collegeboard.com or www.actstudent.org (Our high school code is 393515.)

2. Juniors should meet with their guidance counselors to discuss researching colleges. Parents are encouraged to call the counselor and attend an individual planning session.

3. 3. Students and parents should make college visits during the spring and summer of junior year and the fall of senior year. Students who currently don't have any specific colleges in mind should visit some local colleges. This often helps students to determine which characteristics are important to them and ultimately helps them to develop a final list of colleges.

Summer

1. Students can write or call colleges to request applications and catalogs. They can also be requested through the Internet.

2. Students should write a draft of their personal statement and begin essays over the summer. Also, do not throw away graded papers, some schools will ask for a graded assignment.

3. Students may want to take an ACT/SAT prep class to improve their scores.

4. Students should read their college applications to see if they need to take the subject tests, formerly called SAT II's.

Fall Sr.

1. Students, parents/guardians, and counselors should develop a final list of colleges by fall and determine if further ACT or SAT testing is needed.

2. Students applying for early action/decision must notify their counselors as soon as soon as they return to school in the fall. COUNSELORS AND TEACHERS NEED FOUR WEEKS NOTICE PRIOR TO THE APPLICATION DEADLINE.

3. Students must provide teachers who write letters of recommendation with application deadline dates. (Be sure to select teachers in major academic areas and interest areas.)

4. Students must provide their counselor with an activity sheet and a transcript release form. These forms are available on the Springfield Guidance website.

5. It is a good idea to have your applications in between Halloween and Thanksgiving. Early action/decision applications should be in by October. (Guidance department may take 2-3 weeks to get applications out depending on volume.)

6. Students who are hoping to play sports at the Division I or Division II levels must register with the NCAA clearinghouse. Students register at the start of their senior year at www.ncaa.org

7. Students should fill out an on-line form for each college that they apply to or bring their paper applications (including fee and essay) to their guidance counselor or Mrs. McGowen, the guidance secretary.

8. Counselors must be notified if a student applies online. Online forms are available in the guidance office and on the Springfield Guidance website.

9. Guidance counselors will review the applications and essays if the student provides them before they are mailed.

10. Parents and students are responsible for mailing financial aid forms.

-WORDS OF WISDOM-

1. Meet with your counselor early senior year.

2. Listen to the morning announcements and check the guidance website for updated scholarship information.

3. Save everything -- Create a folder for each college to which you apply.

4. Copy everything: applications, essays, financial aid forms, and tax forms.

5. The school code is 393515. Put this number on every ACT or SAT registration.

6. If you have a special talent -- music, drama, athletics, physics, creative writing -- pursue that interest with each college. This is not the time to be modest. If the admissions committee doesn't know about your talent, they can't possibly react to it.

7. Make appointments for interviews early. Missing school for college visits and interviews is not a good idea. Remember colleges review your grades throughout senior year.

8. Read the application requirements for each college thoroughly. Some have very specific requirements such as a required language or science, SAT II's, three years of science or a recommendation from a science or math teacher. Knowing about and adhering to these specific requirements is your responsibility.

9. Treat each application as if that school were your first choice. Many schools are paying heed to a student's level of interest. They want to admit students who want them.

10. File the FAFSA (financial aid form) as soon as possible after January 1. If necessary have your parents/guardians estimate their taxes. Register your PROFILE (financial aid form for some private colleges) in November/December.

11. Meet all deadlines. Or better yet, try to do things well before deadlines. Deadlines are a serious matter and in some cases financial aid, admission to some colleges, and assignments for SAT testing are done on a first come, first served basis. Submitting materials after deadlines can be costly.

12. Ask two academic teachers to write a letter of recommendation for you as soon as you have identified whom you will ask. This should be done as early as September, but no later than December. Give teachers a one-month notice at the minimum. Send a thank you note to all teachers who have written a letter of recommendation for you.

13. Visit the scholarships section of the guidance website for information on different scholarships.

14. If you are a student athlete and hope to play a sport on the college level, at a Division 1 or 2 school, you must register with the NCAA Clearinghouse during the fall of your senior year. These forms can be obtained from your guidance counselor.

TESTING . . .

ACT

The ACT is a curriculum-based test that is universally accepted for college admission. The ACT is not an aptitude or an IQ test. Instead, the questions on the ACT are directly related to what students have learned in high school courses in English, mathematics, and science. Because the ACT tests are based on what is taught in the high school curriculum, students are generally more comfortable with the ACT than they are with traditional aptitude tests or tests with narrower content.

The ACT test assesses high school students' general educational development and their ability to complete college-level work. The multiple-choice tests cover four skill areas: English, mathematics, reading, and science. The Writing Test, which is optional, measures skill in planning and writing a short essay. The test is just over 4 hours without the Writing Test, including administration instructions and breaks. Actual testing time is 2 hours and 55 minutes, broken down as follows: English: 45 minutes, Math: 60 minutes, Reading: 35 minutes and Science: 35 minutes. The ACT Writing Test adds 30additional minutes to the testing time. Many colleges will accept the ACT in place of the SAT Subject tests.

SAT REASONING TEST

The SAT is made up of three sections, critical reading, math, and writing. The critical reading questions measure your ability to understand what you read and the extent of your vocabulary. There are two 30-minute sections plus one 20-minute section. The mathematical questions measure your ability to solve problems involving arithmetic reasoning, algebra and geometry. There are two 25-minute sections plus one 20-minute section. Calculator use is permitted and there are some questions that do not include multiple answer choices. The writing section consists of one 25-minute multiple-choice section and one 25-minute essay. In the SAT there is also one 25-minute equating section of verbal or math that does not count toward your score. The total test time is 3 hours 45 minutes. SAT scores are to be used, together with your high school record and other information about your academic and personal background, in making decisions about your readiness to undertake successfully study at different colleges and universities. A detailed description of the Stand a complete sample test and answer key are included in Taking the SAT, which is available in the Guidance offices.

SAT SUBJECT TESTS

SAT Subject tests measure knowledge in a given subject area. When you register, you will be asked to indicate which specific Subject Test you plan to take on the test date you select. You may take one, two or three tests on any given test date; your testing fee will vary accordingly. Your selections at the time of registration are not binding; you may change your mind on the day of the test and select from any of the Subject Tests offered on that day. It is not recommended that you take more than two tests on a given day. If you wish to take an additional test (one that you have not already paid for), you may do so and you will be billed for the additional fee. Subject Tests are required by many of the more competitive schools for admission purposes, but a large number of colleges and universities do not require any of these tests. At some colleges, the scores from these exams are used to place entering students in particular freshman courses. Students should check with individual colleges to see which tests are required, if any, and speak to their guidance counselor to design a testing timetable.

***STHS hosts the ACTs and SATs tests throughout the school year. Check the Guidance page for the dates.

THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY TEST (ELPT)

The English Language Proficiency Test (ELPT) is designed to measure understanding of spoken and written standard American English and the ability to use English in the classroom and in daily life. It is offered only in November and January.

This test is designed for students who attend American high schools and have completed two to four years of English language instruction in an English as Second Language program or in English enrichment courses and/or for students whose best language is not English and/or who usually speak a language other than English at home or work.

GETTING STARTED

Many of you have already begun the college admission process by doing some of the following:

1. You took the ACT or SAT and/or subject tests in the spring of junior year.

2. You met with your counselor and developed an initial list of colleges to investigate.

3. You went to the SHS Library and visited the college/career web sites.

4. You visited colleges over the summer.

5. You sent for applications, catalogs, and view books.

6. You are currently working on your essays and applications.

IF YOU HAVEN'T DONE ANY OF THE TASKS LISTED ABOVE YOU NEED TO GET STARTED NOW!

Register to take the SAT in October, November, and/or December or the ACT in September, October or December. See your counselor if you are unsure of which exams to take.

HOW TO REGISTER FOR THE SAT EXAMS

You can register for SATs by visiting the College Board site at http://www.collegeboard.org/

Or you can register for the ACTs at http://www.actstudent.org/

Your counselor and the guidance office have paper copies of the registration booklets, too. Follow the directions and mail it as soon as possible to make the deadlines and to get your first choice testing site The high school code is 393515 and needs to be entered./

If you have a documented disability, which allows you to take the SATs or ACTs with extended time, or specific aids, you or your parent/guardian need to contact your counselor as there is a specific form and process you need to follow.

HOW TO IDENTIFY AND RESEARCH COLLEGES

Meet with your counselor during the spring of your junior year to discuss your future plans. Your counselor can help you by suggesting colleges, or other post secondary training programs for you to research. Encourage your parents to contact your counselor and set up a time to discuss your plans. College Searches can be conducted via the internet. See Links at the top of the Guidance page.

Visit local colleges and then plan some out of state visits over the week-ends in the Fall.

HOW DO I GET APPLICATIONS, CATALOGS, AND VIEWBOOKS?

The Guidance Office has College Handbooks, which have the addresses and phone numbers of each college. You can call or write to them requesting these materials. You can also use the INTERNET to review most of these materials and you can download many applications. Talk to your guidance counselor about the Common Application (www.commonapp.org) as it allows you to use one application for many schools.

SHOULD I APPLY FOR EARLY ACTION?

Traditionally, the Early Application option was often used by very strong candidates who were specifically interested in a particular college. More recently, more colleges have begun accepting students on an Early Action basis. Your guidance counselor can give you some insight and feedback regarding whether Early Action or Early Decision is an option you might want to consider pursuing at a specific college.

Generally, there are two different options in the Early Application process:

1. Early Decision: When a student applies to a college as an Early Decision candidate it is understood that, if accepted, the student is committed and bound to attend that school.

2. Early Action: As with Early Decision, if a student applies as an Early Action candidate he/she will be notified by early usually by December 15. Unlike Early Decision, a student admitted under Early Action is not obligated or committed to attend that college. The student may either accept the offer of admission, or choose to wait until May 1 to decide while also applying to other colleges as part of the regular decision process.

Additional Important Early Decision Information:

1. A student can usually only apply to one college early when they are applying Early Decision.

2. Applications are due at the college by November 1 and students will be notified by December 15 of the college's decision at that time.

3. A college may choose to "defer" your early application and reconsider it again during the regular decision process.

4. Students must notify their guidance counselor by October 1 of their intent to apply early.

HOW TO GET LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION

Each student should fill out activity sheet and give a copy of it to their Guidance Counselor as well as to two academic teachers. Generally, colleges prefer to have letters from teachers from your Junior and Senior years. Select teachers who know you well and have positive things to say about you as a learner in their classes. Ask your teachers early, and provide them with at least one month to complete this letter. Once you receive your applications, you will need to look through them to see if they want a letter from a specific academic teacher. You will also need to look through the applications for any forms the colleges may want your counselor and teachers to complete. You must give your counselor any Secondary School Report Forms that are enclosed with your application. Please fill out the top portion with your name and address.
The above tasks Should Be Done By Mid-November!

Early Decision/Action Candidates need to see their counselor ASAP.

DO I NEED TO SEND MY SAT SCORES TO COLLEGES?

We do not list your SAT or ACT scores on your transcript. To send official scores to colleges you can:

Place the college code number for each school on your SAT or ACT Registration. Please note that the first four reports are free, but there is a fee for every additional report.

If you need to send your scores to additional colleges you can do that on the SAT or ACT websites.

Of particular interest: Penn State and other Ivy league schools request your official SAT scores directly from the College Board. **Penn Statte will only look at one SAT score from junior year.

HOW DO I GET FINANCIAL AID FORMS?

The guidance office has the PROFILE and FAFSA forms. STHS holds a Financial Aid Night in November. You should attend this information session with your parent/guardian for specific information.

WHAT WILL I NEED TO FILE FOR FINANCIAL AID?

Along with the forms you receive from PROFILE and FAFSA forms, you will need a copy of federal and state tax returns that you and your parents/guardians have filed. If you or your parents are unable to do this by early February, you may want to consider estimating them.

WHERE CAN I GO TO GET HELP WITH THESE FORMS?

If your parents have someone who completes their tax forms, that person can help you with your financial aid forms. For more info check out www.fafsa.ed.gov/ or www.pheaamentor.org/

DEVELOPING A COLLEGE LIST

There are many factors to consider when you are compiling a college list. You should consider some of the following and then meet with your counselor.

FACTORS

Location - States that you are willing to consider
Size - Small (up to 3,000) Medium (3,000-10,000) Large (10,000+)
Type- Public, Private, Religious Affiliations, Historically Black, Career/Vocational
Majors offered - Liberal Arts, Business, Technical, Science, Math, etc.
Student Body - male, female, coed, racial diversity, etc.
Special Programs - programs for learning-disabled students, tutoring labs, etc.
Extracurricular Activities - clubs, teams, sports, etc.
Financial Considerations - All students should have at least one school that would be affordable should they not receive enough financial aid.
Admission Chances - Students should have one or two colleges from each of the following: REACH, PROBABLE MATCH, SAFETY.

After you have determined the characteristics you are looking for in a college, you will need to meet with your counselor who can help you to develop a list of colleges for you to research. Initially, you may have 20 colleges on your list, but you will need to refine it to a final list of approximately 10 colleges.

Even if you are an outstanding student, you may not be offered admission to all of the schools to which you apply. Many selective colleges deny more students than they accept, therefore it is important for your final list to contain schools from each of the categories which we will define as reach, probable or match, and safety colleges. Keep in mind that this is not an exact science, but it is our best guess based upon graduates from STHS who were admitted to specific colleges in the previous years.

Reach: TThese are colleges where the percentage of admitted students is very small, such as Ivy League Schools and highly selective colleges. A reach also refers to schools where your credentials aren't as strong as those they have admitted in the past from STHS or aren't as strong as the last freshmen class admitted. Statistics on admitted freshman classes are outlined in The College Handbook.

Probable/Match: Your credentials for admission are similar to those admitted from STHS in previous years and are similar to the previous freshmen class as outlined in the College Handbook.

Safety: These are schools where your credentials are stronger than most and we are fairly confident that you will be admitted. Community Colleges are a safety for most seniors.

THE COLLEGE APPLICATION PROCESS

-APPLICATION STRATEGY-

Students generally apply to six or eight colleges or universities. This number varies from person to person. What is critical in developing a college list, however, is that the final list includes schools in each of the following categories: Reach, Match/Probable, and Safety.

Reach - A student's top choice college. A reach refers to colleges that generally accept students with higher GPA's and College Board scores than those of the applicant. It is fine in this group to include one or two "long shots."

Match - This category refers to colleges that generally accept half or more of the students with Probable GPA's and College Board scores that are similar to those of the applicant. Match/Probable colleges are those at which the probability of admission is even to slightly better than even.

Safety - This category refers to colleges that almost always accept students with GPA's and College Board scores that are comparable to those of the candidate. Safety colleges are those with a high likelihood to be certain acceptances for the applicant.

Most students consider applying to two or more reaches, two or more match/probable, and two or more safeties. When students are deciding upon safety colleges, they should make sure that they would be happy to attend these colleges. Students need to give careful consideration to these decisions.

-THE APPLICATION PACKAGE: PUTTING IT TOGETHER-

There are two parts to the application package: the student portion and the high school portion. The student should fill out his/her portion of the application and mail it to the college. The school's portion of the application, or transcript package, is mailed from the Guidance Counselor's office. The transcript package can include:

1. A transcript of high school courses with grades, level designations, and unweighed grade point averages.
2. STHS School Profile, which includes descriptive and other statistical information about the community, school, and class.
3. Two academic teacher recommendations. (if required)
4. A counselor statement.
5. An optional character reference from someone who knows the student outside of school such as a coach, activity advisor, or employer.
6. An optional extra-curricular resume.
7. Secondary School Report and Teacher Evaluation Forms for the college's application.

-APPLICATION OPTIONS-

Electronic Application / On-line Applications

All colleges and universities are accepting electronic applications. In the electronic application process, students apply on-line. (On-line applicants should print a copy and give it to their counselor so they can send supporting materials such as transcripts, etc.)

Common Application

The Common Application greatly simplifies the college application process for students by allowing them to use one form to apply to many schools. The Common Application is accepted by over 150 colleges. A student fills out the application once and sends photocopies to each of his/her colleges. The Common Application is available in the Career Center or the Guidance offices.
www.commonapp.org

HELPFUL HINTS FOR MAKING GOOD USE OF A CAMPUS VISIT

On most campuses the tour guide is a student selected by the college for his or her ability to project a positive image of the institution to the prospective candidate. Some are a bit short on candor and somewhat hesitant to contradict the catalog or admissions officer. Others are very honest and open about their own experiences

Remember a guide may be down on a particular college because he or she just flunked an exam. If you have a negative experience, try to meet other students before leaving campus. (Visit the student center, the athletic fields, lobby of a dorm or the cafeteria.)

SOME QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT ASK YOUR CAMPUS GUIDE:

1. How large are all of your classes?
2. Who teaches you in these courses? (Graduate assistants or professors?)
3. Does this school have a core curriculum? How restrictive is it? Is there a foreign language requirement?
4. How adequate is the library? Are you able to get the books you need when you want them?
5. When do you have to declare your major? What are the most popular majors?
6 Tell me about housing. Are some dorms much better than others? Do many live off campus? If so, why?
7. Do students seem to work primarily for grades? How competitive is the student body? What is the attitude towards working hard?
8. Have you been in any faculty homes since you've been here? How available are your professors?
9. Can you tell me anything first-hand about the (French, English, history) department?
10. What's the biggest issue in local campus politics?
11. What are the big issues in national or intentional politics? Are students politically active? Aware?
12. What percentage of students study abroad at some time?
13. What impact do fraternities have here? Athletics?
14. What are weekends like? Are there alternatives to the typical party scene?
15. How active is student government? What activities are popular?
16. Are the Arts supported here? Are the courses oversubscribed? Which areas are strong?
17. What do you think is the greatest shortcoming of this college? What do students complain about?
18. What do you like best about your experience and education here?
19. Where do students come from? Is this a diverse community?
20. If you could attend another college now, where would you go? Why?
21. Why did you choose this school? What others did you apply to?
22. What kinds of kids do you think are happiest here? Which ones are least happy?

OTHER SUGGESTIONS

l. Spend the night in the dorm and sit in on several classes.
2. Pick up a copy of the latest campus newspaper.
3. Read the course catalogue and check out the list of faculty, their degrees and the courses they teach. Meet with the department chairperson of a possible major (or faculty department major).
4. Meet a coach if you are interested in a sport.
5. Meet an activity head if you have a particular interest you want to pursue in college.
6. Or meet with a Dept. Chairperson or any faculty member.
7. Talk to everyone you happen to meet on campus about his or her experiences at the college.
8. Go to the financial aid office and ask questions.
9. Find out about the quality of the Career Placement Services office (The % job placement of grads through career center).

-COLLEGE INTERVIEWS-

The emphasis on college interviews has decreased during the past few years, so you will need to inquire about the interviewing policy of each school. The policy will probably be one of the following:

1. No interviews -- group information sessions only
2. Alumni interviews only -- off-campus;
3. Interviews are optional and informational only
4. Interviews are encouraged and do become a part of the student's application folder.

If the college does offer an on-campus interview and you are able to visit, please take advantage of the opportunity. It may be very helpful to you. Don't be surprised if the interviewer spends much of the time selling you on his or her school. Interviews can be, in part, a marketing device.

We have provided the kinds of questions you might be asked. Think about these. If you have thought these through, you should be well prepared for any question.

-SAMPLE QUESTIONS FROM COLLEGE ADMISSIONS INTERVIEWERS:

1. How do you like STHS? What has been the most positive experience you have had? The most negative? What would you like to change about STHS?
2. What is your role in the school community? What would your teachers say about you as a person? As a student?
3. What is the most significant contribution you've made to your school?
4. What are you looking for in a college? How did you become interested in ____?
5. What are some of your goals -- personal and career -- for the future?
6. Tell me about a particular class or assignment in which you found yourself most stimulated intellectually.
7. What is your reason for participating in athletics (or student government, or the newspaper, etc.)? What are the satisfactions?
8. Since you are interested in science, math (where appropriate), why are you interested in a liberal arts college rather than a more technical institution?
9. How and in what ways do you expect, plan, and hope, to transfer your secondary school contributions, achievements, activities to the college level?
10. What has been your favorite subject in high school? Why?
11. What might you study in college?
12. What books or authors have made a lasting impression on your way of thinking? Have you read deeply into any one author or field?
13. What events, if any, would you deem critical in your life thus far? Who has most influenced you?
14. What pressures do you feel operating on you at STHS to conform? Describe ways in which you "go your own way."
15. How have you spent your summers?
16. What are your reactions to current events, e.g. AIDS, Eastern Europe?
17. Describe something that you have really become indignant over in the past year?
18. How would you describe yourself as a person?
19. Have you ever thought of not going to college? What would you do?
20. How do you spend your free time?
21. Why do you think you are a good match for this college?
22. Many qualified students apply to our school. What characteristics single you out from others?
23. Do you have any questions? (Have some in mind.)

-FINANCIAL AID-

For many families, a significant factor in the college process centers around financial aid. In the next few pages, we would like to identify some of the key pieces of applying, explain how colleges factor financial aid into admissions and award packages, and describe how the typical financial aid package might be developed. These policies will vary from school to school, so we urge you to read the materials provided by each college and to contact their offices if you have questions.

APPLYING FOR FINANCIAL AID

Each school will have specific requirements for financial aid. The two most commonly used forms are FAFSA and Profile. All colleges require FAFSA, www.fafsa.ed.gov/. There are also many schools that include their own financial aid form as part of the application packet. So, you may have one, two, or even three aid application forms for any one school.

I. FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)

These forms become available between November and December of the student's senior year. All students applying for any Federal financial aid must file this form as soon as possible after January 1. There is no cost to file this form. Analysis of the data on this form will determine eligibility for Pell Grants, Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (SEOG), Stafford Loans (both subsidized and non-subsidized), Perkins Loans, Work Study and other federal and state programs. Many states will also require the FAFSA to award state grants to students. Since federal aid is a key part to most awards, it is critical that this is filed in a timely manner.

II. CSS Financial Aid PROFILE

A few schools require PROFILE in addition to FAFSA. Those schools requiring PROFILE will indicate this in all of their literature. These forms are available in the guidance office. Information obtained by PROFILE will be used to determine a student's eligibility for a college/university's own funds. Students should complete a PROFILE registration form in early fall by mail, fax, or via computer. Students will answer a core of questions and indicate colleges to which they will apply. They will pay an initial registration fee and additional costs per college. Within several weeks, students can expect to receive a PROFILE packet, containing college-specific forms if required.

As supplements to the FAFSA and PROFILE, some families will be asked to submit the following:

Divorced-Separated Parent's Statement: A supplement to the PROFILE for the non-custodial parent requested by many colleges. Copies of the completed form should be sent directly to the colleges' financial aid offices.

III. Financial Aid Forms Specific to an Individual College

In some cases, a college will provide a short financial aid form as part of their own application. This must be completed and returned to the individual college.

-HANDY WEBSITES FOR COLLEGE AND FINANCIAL AID INFO-

Check out the list of links at our links page.

-ATHLETICS AND THE COLLEGE PROCESS-

We write these next few pages for those at STHS who are thinking about continuing with athletics in college and might be considered a "recruitable" athlete. If you are contacted by college coaches, on either the Division I level or the Division II level, you can feel fairly confident that you may have the ability to compete in college at some level. If you have not heard from any coaches, but hope to continue in college with a sport, or perhaps begin a new one that we do not offer at STHS, we suggest the following:

I ) Self-Assessment: Take the time to be honest with yourself about your abilities and potential. If you have never been a starter at STHS in your sport, can you really play on the college level? How good is the program at the schools you are looking at? Do they welcome all to the program, with potential for development, or only those they recruit?

2) Talk with others: Talk to your coach at STHS, your counselor, or former STHS students who were similar to you in ability. Ask for their help in aiding you in your self-assessment.

If you feel that you might be of interest to some college coaches after completing these initial steps, we recommend you do the following:

1) Talk to your coach at STHS about the kinds of schools you are considering. Discuss other programs that might be of interest to you. Ask if he or she will contact these schools on your behalf. If you are in a sport where college coaches request videos or film of your play, start to discuss what you might send.

2) When communicating with the admission offices at these colleges, be sure to inform them that you are a varsity athlete and the sport(s) you play. They will often pass this information on to the respective coach.

3) Contact the college coaches directly. Let them know of your interest in applying to their school and your intention to participate in their program. You might want to consider sending an athletic resume (see sample) or setting up a visit to meet with the coach.

Depending on your ability, you may be of interest to some college coaches and not to others. Do your best to be realistic in your self-assessment of your athletic talent and the teams for which you are most likely to play. Remember that, while you may be good enough to play on a particular college's team, your athletic talent may not be of a caliber to play a role in the admission committee's decision making. Coaches have varying ranges of ability to support you in the admission process, so it is important to understand their system.

Watch out for coaches' tactics. Remember that your interests and a coach's interests don't always overlap to your advantage. A coach's goal is to build the best team possible. Typically, a coach is allowed to present to the admissions committee a list of his or her most desired candidates from among the applicant pool. There is no guarantee that the admissions committee will admit all candidates on a coach's list nor follow his order of preference; academic and personal factors have to be taken into consideration. For this reason, coaches often create their lists by striking a balance between applicant's athletic ability and academic credentials, while factoring in a student's enthusiasm (or lack of interest) in attending that college.

It is not unusual for a coach to ask you to state which college is your first choice. After all, in choosing which athletes to support in the admission process, a coach does not want to waste energy or a high position on his or her list on a candidate who is not likely to enroll. We do not want you to lie to coaches. Nor do we want your honesty to put you at a disadvantage in the admissions process. If coaches start asking you to commit, it is of critical importance that you discuss this with your guidance counselor and parent/guardian before responding.

Indeed, it is important that you keep us posted throughout the process about all communications with college coaches. Our work as your advocate is strengthened if we know which college coaches seem most interested in you. If coaches make unfounded promises to you or ask you to commit when you are not ready to do so, we can often intervene to your advantage by contacting admission officers.

NCAA CLEARINGHOUSE

The NCAA has established a Clearinghouse for both recruiting and eligibility purposes for student-athletes in Division I and II. This does not apply to Division III applicants. All students with an interest in Division I or II programs, but especially those interested in making official visits (expenses paid) to colleges in the fall of their senior year, should pick up Clearinghouse forms at the guidance office at the beginning of their senior year, submitting the top (white) form to the clearinghouse, and leaving the other sheets (pink and yellow) with our office. The second (yellow) sheet will be sent with your junior year transcript for initial certification. The third (pink) sheet will be sent upon graduation to establish college eligibility. If you ever attended another high school, you must submit a copy of the form to that school as well. You will be officially certified upon graduation from STHS.

The Clearinghouse certifies that you have completed a core of courses that is different from STHS ' s graduation requirements, including two years of natural or physical science. Also, be aware that not all STHS courses have been approved by the NCAA. You need to check with your counselor each year to determine that you are taking approved courses.

www.ncaa.org

-SAMPLE LETTER TO COACH/SPECIAL INTEREST PERSON-

Dear Coach:

I am a junior/senior at Springfield Township High School and have heard about the ______________________ team at your school. Would you please send me some literature regarding your program? I am planning to visit your campus this summer and will call you when my visiting arrangements are settled. I hope I have an opportunity to meet with you this summer.

I have participated in the _________________ program at STHS since my freshman year, earning All-League honors in the Suburban I. I have also competed in the Keystone Games, and compete during the summer with the state select team. Both of my coaches would be happy to discuss my experience with you.

I have enclosed a brief resume of my achievements.

Sincerely,

Your Name
Address
Phone Number

Revised 3/3/08