Today's potential college students are fortunate to have the Internet to aid them in the college application process. You can apply online by entering your information onto an online application. In addition, you can usually save your progress and come back to the online application at a later time. Regardless of the medium, paper or electronic, you choose to fill out your college application, the fees, questions and requirements are the same.
Application Fees
According to the professionals at collegeboard.com, colleges and universities generally charge you for processing the application. A non-refundable application fee is charged to you regardless of whether you are accepted or rejected. The range is usually between $25 and $60 per application. In some rare cases, the college in question doesn't charge an application fee at all. If you qualify as a low-income family, you could be entitled to a fee waiver. To know whether you qualify or not, you'll need to contact the admissions offices at the colleges you're applying to.
Personal Information
The application will ask for general information such as name, address and phone number. Online college applications also have the benefit of a checklist that is always visible somewhere on the screen. This checklist does four things: leads you through the application process, let you know where you in the application process, tells you how much you have left and notifies you of any information that may be required in the future. Don't worry that you might skip over an important question because online applications double-check your responses to make sure you haven't skipped any required fields.
Deadlines
Applying to your desired colleges early is a good rule of thumb; however, this is not a guarantee that you will be admitted. Find out your schools' deadlines either through talking with an admission representative, checking the schools Web site or any other means. Rewards for early application submission vary by school and by year. They may depend upon the applicant pools at the schools to which you are applying.
Additional Requirements
The application is not the only thing required of you. The college or university you are applying to might require the following pieces of information:
- Admission Test Scores (ACT and SATs)
- Audition/Portfolio
- High school transcript
- Interview
- Letters of recommendation
- Personal Statement/Essay
See Additional Admissions Requirements (Beyond the Application) for detailed information concerning the above list.
