The College Application Process- The Basics

Applying to College is FAST:

F ees
A pplication
S end Scores
T ranscript

FEES: You will pay the application fee or submit a fee waiver (if you qualify - see the information about Application fee waivers below) at the end of your application.  Most community colleges, such as Houston Community College, do not charge an application fee.  Fees per application can range from $25.00- $90.00.

APPLICATION: Students applying to a state intuition will use the Apply Texas application found online at applytexas.org. This includes junior colleges. Private and prestigious universities utilize the Common Application found on commonapp.org.  Both applications become available online for students on July 1, 2020. Some students may choose to apply directly to the university through the university website, but students should be aware that they will not be able to copy an application this way. By using Apply Texas or the Common Application, students can easily copy their application information over to another application. The only advantage students have in applying directly through the university is that sometimes a fee waiver is offered. The application includes student demographic information, course history, residency questions, extracurricular and volunteerism, talents awards & honors, employment information, and an essay or two if the college requires.

Note: If a student is using the common application, they must link their common app account to Naviance. See info in the “How To” section. Students using the common app must also request letters of recommendation & the common app form to be prepared by their counselors and teachers. See more info under letters of recommendation.

SEND SCORES: Send SAT or ACT official scores to the colleges you are applying to.  If you have not taken one of the exams yet, the college you are applying to cannot consider your application until you have at least one set of scores from one of the tests. Junior colleges are the exception to this rule. Junior colleges do not require the SAT or ACT, but they require a placement test called the TSI.
SAT sign up, send scores, & testing dates: https://www.collegeboard.org/
ACT sign up, send scores, & testing dates: www.actstudent.org

 Fee Waivers: To be eligible for fee waivers, students must be on free and reduced lunch. If you know you are eligible, but you are not on free and reduced lunch, you may go to the front office and see Samantha Drake to obtain the form to be placed on free and reduced lunch. Dulles High School gives 2 waivers for the general SAT test. Then, we will give 2 more for SAT subject tests. Students should see their counselor for fee waivers so their counselors can verify they are on free and reduced lunch. After a student uses one waiver to take the SAT test, College Board places electronic waivers in their College Board account for students to use to apply to college. Students are only given 4 fee waivers in their College Board account to apply to college.

******See the Application Checklist on the following page as a reference for all the deadlines you need to set for yourself senior year. Begin planning now. Do not wait. *****