Applying to College
What is the Common Application?
The Common Application, or Common App for short, is an undergraduate college application. Almost 900 universities accept the Common App, so you will most likely need to fill it out. Visit their website for a helpful guide through the Common App. While looking through the Common App, notice the video tutorial options. You can watch these helpful demonstrations if you need help or guidance.
Early Decision, Early Action, and Regular Decision
Early Decision (ED): Applications are due earlier, usually months earlier, than the regular decision deadline. You will hear back from colleges much sooner. ED is binding; if you are accepted, you must attend the college. You can only apply ED to one school.
Early Action (EA): The only difference between Early Decision and Early Action is that Early Action is not binding. Usually, EA is not restrictive; you can apply EA to more than one school. However, some colleges may only offer Restrictive Early Action, which means you are not allowed to apply EA to another school.
Regular decision (RD): This is when applications are due. Typically, you will not hear from colleges until March and April.
Which deadline is right for you?
The advantage of applying early is that you hear back from colleges sooner. It is a great relief if you are accepted early.You should apply ED if you have a first choice and have the financial ability to attend, regardless of any financial package you think they will offer you. Remember, ED is a binding decision. It might be best for you to consider EA if you would like to consider financial packages and aren’t sure about which school you want to attend. You should apply RD if you think your senior year grades will significantly help your application or if you would like to improve your test scores.
Personal statement
Your personal statement is an opportunity for colleges to get to know you beyond your statistics and activities. What would you like admission officers to know that they don’t already, and how will they learn this information?
Essay Tips
Try this exercise if you are stuck and don’t know what to write about. Imagine there is a box in front of you containing objects that represent you or are things you value. What would be in there? For example, if someone liked to paint, a couple items to include would be art brushes and acrylic paint. After you list what’s inside your box, think about how any of the items can be a potential essay topic. What has painting taught you? How can you relate painting to a valuable life lesson? Why do you like to paint?
Be yourself. If someone you knew picked up your essay off the street, would they be able to tell it was your’s? Don’t try to use fancy words to impress admission officers. They can tell when you use a thesaurus and when it is your true writing voice.
Be unique. What is special about you? Why should colleges pick you out of the thousands of applicants? If possible, try not to choose a cliché topic. Aim to write an essay that admission officers will remember, and make it personal!
Write multiple drafts. Don’t settle for the first topic you wrote about. Explore other topics, and ask a teacher to look at your essays.
Most importantly, do not procrastinate!
Helpful Resource:
Check out University HQ’s College Planning Guide as a helpful resource for everything you need to know about applying here!
What should you look for in a college?
Location: In which state is the college located in? What does the surrounding area look like? Is the university located in a city, the suburbs, or a rural setting? Are there stores and restaurants nearby?
Size: How many undergraduate students attend the college? What is the student to faculty ratio? What is the average class size? Do you prefer small classes or large classes?
Acceptance rate: Is this school considered a safety, solid, or reach option for you? Be sure to apply to a variety and not only reach schools!
Public VS Private: Is it a public or private university? Public schools are usually larger and usually have a more affordable tuition for in-state students.
Cost: How much will it cost to attend this college? This can include tuition, room and board, fees, books, transportation costs, etc. Most colleges have a net price calculator on their website that you can use to estimate the cost.
Programs & majors: Does the university offer the major(s) you might be interested in? Does the school offer special programs? For example, Chapman offers a Pre-Pharmacy program for students in which they can earn their Doctor of Pharmacy in just 5 years. Typically, it will take 8 years.
Religious affiliation: If the university is private, it might have a religious affiliation. Are there any religion class requirements? Are there any mandatory religious services you must attend?
Check out University HQ’s School Profile Program to search a college by degree type, major, location, and more: https://universityhq.org/
Learn More
College is Within Reach Hawai‘i
Check out this local website for college options in Hawai‘i.
https://collegeiswithinreachhawaii.com/
YouVisit: Virtual College Tours
Visit this website to take a virtual, 360 degrees tour of college campuses. All you need to do is sign in through an email or Facebook account to gain access to countless public and private college tours in the US.
https://www.youvisit.com/collegesearch
Hawai‘i Career Explorer
This website is helpful for students to get to know themselves a little bit more before becoming adults. With fun and insightful quizzes, the UH Career Explorer can provide information geared towards the individual. Be sure to check out the Lifestyle Quiz, RIASEC Test, and Interest to Occupations page!
https://uhcc.hawaii.edu/career_explorer/
CollegeBoard: Big Future
CollegeBoard’s Big Future website is helpful for researching universities and creating your list of colleges you are interested in. You can compare colleges, and you can even research majors and careers.
https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/
University HQ
University HQ’s website is an all-in-one source for information on colleges, entrance requirements, and career paths. It provides search engines to search a college based on your preferences, resources for paying for college, information about different, non-college career/life paths, and more.
