Decision and Admissions Plans

Early Decision
Some colleges allow well-qualified students to apply early in the fall of their senior year. If accepted, the student agrees to enroll and make no other applications to other universities despite future admissions or scholarship opportunities. Early decision commits a student to attend that university. Early decision is fine if you are absolutely sure about a particular school. In fact, it relieves the pressure of choosing other schools and taking additional standardized tests. However, if you are in doubt, do not apply for early decision.

Early Action
Early Action, like early decision, allows well-qualified students to apply in the fall of their senior year. The difference, however, with early action is the level of student commitment to the university. Students who apply for early action and are admitted to the university may make their final decision in the spring of their senior year. This, of course, buys time for students awaiting financial aid and scholarship offers.

Rolling Application
Universities who use rolling admission evaluate applications as they arrive. With rolling admission, students usually learn of their admissions status within 48 hours to two months depending upon the university. Rolling admission, however, is done on a first-come, first-serve basis. There are a limited number of openings for freshman in some universities. If you apply late, you may not be admitted to the university. With this type of admission plan, there are deadlines for housing, scholarships, and financial aid.

Open Admission
Any student who meets the minimum academic requirements will be admitted to the university. Open admission plans are common to some state universities and local community colleges. Until recently, most Louisiana schools took an open admissions approach. Many of Louisiana's colleges ad universities are beefing up their admissions standards and are becoming more selective.

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Applying for Admissions

Before entering any college, you must apply for admission. The English IV classroom has some applications for admission. However, you may have to write and request these forms. Make your requests early. The best time to request is the summer before your senior year. It is better to have the application on hand and then decide not to use it than to worry about getting it on time.

Many universities will accept the Common Application as opposed to a specific application. Additionally, some colleges now have online applications which means you can quickly submit you application rather than the long, tedious paper and pencil "snail mail" version.

In addition to submitting an application, you must either submit ACT or SAT scores to the college to which you are applying. Check to see which scores the college will accept. Some colleges will accept the test scores the Guidance Office send with your transcript. Other, however, will only accept official scores from the testing agency. See Application, Recommendation, Standardized Test Scores, and Transcript Guidelines for details.

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College Interviews

Some colleges do not give individual interviews, however, if a college does, it is to your advantage to arrange one. College use interviews to determine eligibility for admissions and scholarships. Therefore, a college interview is not only an opportunity to find out more about college, but is also a chance to sell yourself. To make your interview a positive experience, use the following guidelines:

1. Dress neatly and appropriately. Avoid wearing heavy cologne. Keep your jewelry simple - a watch and a single necklace. Dangling jewelry is a distraction. Wear a coat and tie. Polish your shoes and press your clothes. The more conservatively dressed, the better. Use the interviewer's name and greet him with a firm handshake. Remember this is a mutual selection process, and you are on exhibit during the interview.
2. Be friendly, relaxed, and courteous. Talk freely about your accomplishments, but avoid bragging. Take a resume and copies with you. Having a resume on hand can help highlight your accomplishments; moreover, it can ease your jitters because you have information in front of you.
3. Be prompt! If your interview is scheduled for 10:00a.m., arrive at least 10 to 15 minutes earlier. Do not be late. This is the cardinal rule of interviewing. A late arrival suggest that you seem to care very little about the interviewer's time. If you find that you will be unavoidably delayed, telephone and apologize in advance.
4. Be prepared! Avoid asking questions about topics you could have learned from reading the catalog. Your questions should show that you have some knowledge and interest in the school. Additionally, expect the interviewer(s) to ask you questions about the school. He or she may want to test your level of interest in the college.
5. Anticipate that the interviewer may ask some tough questions. Have your answers thought out in advance. There's no worse feeling during an interview than stalling for time while trying to devise a plausible answer to a tough question.
6. Take your parents. Your parents have considerable interest in your choice, too. In the actual interview, however, your parents should not be present. Admissions officers are evaluating you, not your parents.
7. Promptly send a thank you note to the person who interviewed you. This courtesy makes a lasting impression on the interviewer.

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What are Colleges Looking For?

Academic Ranking
In the admissions process, the most important factor is your academic record for grades 9 through 11, in particularly your grade point average, class rank, and schedule. Colleges are also interested in your senior year schedule and grade point average. Keep in mind that admissions offers are provisional. If you fail to maintain your grades, admission may be revoked, Some colleges will want your mid-year grades in addition to your final transcript.

Tests
Equally as important as academic ranking are your scores on the ACT, SAT I, or SAT II. Test scores are never the sole criterion used in admissions decisions; they are useful, however, in supporting your academic record.

Everything Else
In no particular order, colleges and universities consider extracurricular activities, personal interviews, recommendations, alumni connections, essays, and athletic abilities. Some of these variables are more important at some colleges that others.

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Application, Recommendations, Standardized
Test Scores, and Transcript Guidelines.

Applications
Once you have completed and proofed your application and have all the supporting documents, submit it to your counselor (She will not accept your application piecemail) Your application, recommendations, secondary school report and a transcript will then be forwarded to the university or college. Give your counselor the completed application at least two weeks in advance of the deadline.

Recommendations and Secondary School Reports
Submit all forms and requests at one time. It is much easier for your counselor to do several forms at one time for you than one each week. Watch your deadlines closely. Additionally, it is your responsibility to obtain recommendations from your teachers and ask them to forward the recommendation to your counselor. Give all paperwork to your counselor at least two weeks in advance of the deadline.

Standardized Test Scores
You are responsible for sending your official ACT or SAT scores to the the university. This can be done in two ways. Either fill in the college code on the actual test registration packet before you take the test, or obtain an Additional Score Report (ASR) from the Student Office and submit it directly to ETS or ACT. ASRs cost $7 per college it is being sent to. (Many colleges do not consider scores submitted by the high school as official.)

Transcripts
Transcripts are obtained from the counselors' office. In order for colleges to accept our transcripts as official, we cannot give them to you. They must be mailed directly.