Build a balanced list of colleges and universities

• While you won’t finalize your college list until the fall, we encourage you to have a healthy list of schools in SCOIR.
• Ideally, your final list of colleges should include 2-3 Likely, 2-3 Possible schools, and 4-6 Reach and Far Reach schools. Please research (online and/or in-person) each of these schools carefully. We encourage you to add colleges that spark your interest to your list. 

When reviewing the list in SCOIR, please remember the terminology that we use to assess risk:

• Likely– predicts a solid chance of admission; in our experience at St. Anne’s-Belfield, approximately 93% of colleges designated as Likely result in admission. It is incredibly important to demonstrate interest in these schools. 
• Possible– predicts a reasonable chance of admission. Though approximately 80% of colleges designated as Possible result in admission, this is the broadest category, so Possible schools might trend towards the Likely or Reach categories.
• Reach– predicts a reasonable but unfavorable chance of admission; in our experience, fewer than 25% of colleges designated as Reach result in admission. 
• Far Reach– predicts an unfavorable chance of admission, with 5-10% of colleges in this category resulting in admission.

Students who have aspirations to play a Division I or II sport should create an NCAA Eligibility Center Academic and Athletics Certification account.

• As of 2023, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) for both Division I and II sports has eliminated standardized testing requirements for incoming freshmen student-athletes. It is important to note that some schools may still require standardized testing for scholarship eligibility and admission, so checking with individual schools and coaches on your list about their requirements is still necessary. Also note that this is separate from the NCAA minimum core-course GPA requirements that are still in place. Please review this Division I Academic Standards sheet and this Division II Academic Standards sheet for further information.

Research Colleges and Universities and the importance of demonstrated interest

• Use SCOIR as a resource in researching schools, visit colleges, and read through college websites and major/course descriptions
• Demonstrating interest can play a large role in the admissions process for many schools. Sign-up for virtual or in-person information sessions, put yourself on the mailing lists for schools of interest (and open their emails!), and register for interviews if they’re offered

Resources

Standardized testing and test-prep

• Fall registration for the SAT and ACT is open. Be sure to sign up early to secure a test date and location. 
• Take advantage of the many free test preparation resources available online. Test prep experts have shared that 20 hours of practice can result in a 115-point increase in SAT scores. Consistency and diligence are essential to successful test prep. 

Khan Academy

• Digital SAT Math 
• Digital SAT Reading and Writing 
• Free SAT Tutoring with Schoolhouse 

College Board

• SAT Practice on College Board’s Bluebook

ACT.ORG

• Free ACT Practice on ACT’s website

Kaplan Test Prep

• Free ACT Small Group Trial Classes

International Students

• TOEFL 
• Duolingo

Resources

• Test Calendar and free test prep resources

Financial Aid: FAFSA + CSS PROFILE 

• These two forms are critical to your financial aid process. All schools require the FAFSA; the CSS Profile is only required by some schools and scholarships.
• International students (any student who does not qualify as a US citizen) may have an opportunity to be considered for both merit and institutional need-based financial aid, depending on the college/university. Here is a list of financial aid for international undergraduate students for specific institutions that you should consider during your college research process.
• The submission window for the CSS Profile opens on October 1st. The FAFSA opens on/around October 1st. Please make sure you use the Net Price Calculator or similar tool (available on every college’s financial aid website) to estimate what you will need to pay for college.
  • If your child is planning to submit a binding early decision application, please speak with a financial aid officer at the relevant institution to ensure the college is affordable.

Input Your Financial Data to Receive an Estimate of College Costs

• Below are two frequently used financial aid calculators. They will give you a sense of how much financial aid you might qualify for and ensure the colleges on your list are a financial fit. 
  • Net Price Calculator or
  • MyIntuition 

Resume Work

• Return to the resume you’ve been working on:
  • Make updates to your resume, be sure it includes your summer experience(s), and share it with your counselor—this is a terrific way for us to learn about you. It also ensures that our letters of recommendation highlight things that are important to you. Please provide helpful supporting details about the activities in which you are involved or any awards received. You can also use this to complete the activities section of the Common Application.

Arts Portfolio

• Start building your Arts portfolio early. This is a time-consuming process.
• When the Common Application goes live on August 1, continue to research and confirm the requirements listed on the individual websites of the schools you are considering. 
• Spend the summer building your portfolio, as well as creating original work. Most colleges require 10-20 examples of your work.
• Review the requirements at each college you are considering so that you can tailor your pieces to match their requirements.
• Plan to get feedback on your work from your Arts mentors well before your deadlines.
• This fall, plan to attend a National Portfolio Day, an opportunity to have colleges review your portfolio for free. In collaboration with an admissions officer from an arts school, the College Counseling Office will also host a portfolio review session for interested students. Be on the lookout for more information about this.

Resources

Draft those essays!

• The Common Application has released its 2026 – 2027 essay prompts, so there is no reason why you cannot start working on your essays this summer.
• Remember that applications and essays are completely under your control. We encourage you to seek help and advice as needed, and we are happy to work with you on your writing and on any other part of the application. However, be careful asking for too many opinions on your work, as it can be easy for your writing to lose your voice. We strongly encourage you to work with your college counselor on your essay. We not only learn about what is important to you, but we can also be a valuable resource, giving you a sense of how Admissions Committees might receive your piece. A critical integrity point with colleges is that applications must represent your work. These applications and essays are labor-intensive; invest the time and energy in them now.

Need help with writing essays?

• Most of you participated in our College Counseling class in Mods 4 or 5 this past spring and practiced reflective writing. 
• Students who missed that opportunity or need additional support can refer to this Digital Workbook with writing exercises to help continue your preparation for reflective writing. We highly recommend referring to this workbook for more practice opportunities over the summer. 
• If you still need help, Ethan Sawyer, also known as the College Essay Guy, has additional impressive free resources that could help you with drafting your essays.

Begin to fill out the Common Application and/or Coalition Application

• The Common App will be live on August 1! If you need help getting started with the Common Application, be sure to read this guide that they have created. 
• Many schools that use the Common Application also require one or more supplements. Colleges tend to update these supplements on or around August 1st. Make sure you are responding to prompts for the 2026-27 admissions cycle. The Common App Worksheet provides all of the information you will need to complete the many sections of the Common Application.
• If any schools on your list do not use the Common Application, find their institution-specific application materials. Check the colleges’ websites for material availability and for essay topics.

How to Decide Whether to Apply Early Decision or Early Action

• Speak with your college counselor when you return to school to make sure you understand the limitations and the financial implications. 
• ED/EA deadlines fall as early as October 15th. Some colleges even begin accepting applications in September or earlier.
• Make sure you communicate with your college counselor if you have any early fall deadlines.

Create a spreadsheet of requirements and deadlines  

• Keep track of application deadlines, number of required recommendation letters, scholarship deadlines, portfolio requirements, etc., all in one organized spot.