September
I have reserved the lab for you to do research on colleges and make a plan for application. Use this time productively. Focus your energy on familiarizing yourself with the schools you are interested in and on making a “to do” list for yourself.
Create a free student account with College Board. This website is a good way to get organized and find important information.
-Start with the tab called “My Colleges.” Search for schools you are interested in and add them to your personal list. You can use the site to find important information and compare information about the schools on your list. Each school has an information profile that you can explore.
-Another useful tool is the tab called “My Majors & Careers.” You can do a personality profile or explore majors. You can create a list of majors and careers you’re interested in and the site will save the list for you.
-This site also has helpful tips on writing your application essay, requesting letters of recommendation, and many other things.
College Navigator is another great site for research! (Thanks LL)
How do I know what I will have to write my college application essay about? (Sample: UW Green Bay)
-Go outside of the College Board site to the web and look for the school’s website : (UWGB home)
-Find a link to the admissions page : (UWGB admissions)
Some schools also have admissions blogs with information, stories, and videos: (UWGB admissions blog)
-Look for links that say or suggest “apply” – keep in mind that you will be applying as an “undergraduate” and “new freshman” : (apply – UWGB new freshman)
-Many schools have online applications that may require you to create an online account to begin or even view the application. It is ok to create an account and get started. If you are not prepared to start that today (this means remembering an important login and password) then you want to look for a pdf or downloadable version of the application. Remember that today’s focus is the essay questions: (The UWGB application is the same application used for all UW system schools except UW-Madison. When I click the “Apply Now” link on the UWGB admissions page, it takes me to this UW system site. I do not want to register or login, so I use the link in the left column that says “download application” to get to the pdf of the application.) Every school’s website is set up differently so you need to be patient and explore.
-When you review the application look for three important things. 1) What are the essay prompts? 2) Do you need letters of reference? 3) When can you apply? (UW system questions – 50 “The University values an educational environment that provides all members of the campus community with opportunities to grow and develop intellectually, personally, culturally and socially. In order to give us a more complete picture of you as an individual, please tell us about the particular life experiences, perspectives, talents, commitments and/or interests you will bring to our campus. In other words, how will your presence enrich our community?” 51 “Tell us about your academic goals, circumstances that may have had an impact on your academic performance, and, in general, anything else you would like us to know in making an admission decision.”)
