Links to help you with your college search (after you've used PrepHQ and its links):       

College Personality Quiz (from U.S. News)

Colleges That Change Lives

Education Conservancy

Ohio Private Colleges and Universities

Ohio's 2-year colleges

The College Board    

Princeton Review  

360 views of campuses Take a virtual tour before you visit.                                         

Yahoo college search                                    

College View 

US Dept. of Education COOL search site           

MyCollegeOptions

College Net

US News

Know How 2 Go

Test-Optional Colleges listed by Fair Test.org

Other useful links:

AACSB-Accredited Undergraduate Schools of Business  (click on "educational institutions")

ABET - Accredited engineering programs

Jesuit Universities    (Xavier University and John Carroll University are the Jesuit Universities in Ohio.  There are about 28 others, including Boston College and Georgetown University.)

Colleges with Co-Op opportunities

Fashion and apparel industry information:  CareerThreads,

National Association of Schools or Art and Design member list of accredited schools

Massachusetts private colleges   Virtual tours, process applications, career planning.  Also: www.masscolleges.org

Canadian colleges and universities    

Index of 4-year colleges and universities  

Community Colleges Survey of Student Engagement

Cappex.com.  A slightly different approach to matching you with colleges.

Yahoo Education page

All About College

Application Process at Mariemont High School

I. Fill out the application online or on paper. 

    A.  ONLINE.  Using  the college's website or www.commonapp.org used by almost 300 colleges, about 80% of students submit their applications electronically. 

1.  Print out the "school report," "curriculum verification," "counselor report," etc. and give it to Ms. Elfers

2.  Request your high school transcript be mailed to the college.  Once you've requested one, that is entered in PrepHQ and you can monitor the date it is mailed from school.  There is a $2.00 charge for each transcript over three.  These charges will be billed to the student in May.

2.  Application fee:  pay with a credit card when you submit your application, or give a check to Ms. Elfers for mailing with the transcript. Some colleges waive the application fee if you apply online.

3.  Essay(s):  Submit electronically, or give paper copy to Ms. Elfers to include with your transcript mailing.

4.  Resume:  Same as essay

5.  Teacher recommendation:  IF RECOMMENDATIONS ARE REQUIRED, ask 1 or 2 teachers to write your recommendation.  Give them at least two weeks before the due date.  Do not ask more than two teachers.  Discuss any additional recommendations with Ms. Elfers.  Write a note for the teacher stating the college(s) it will be sent to and when you'd like to have it done.  Some teachers like to have a copy of your resume to give them reminders and to let them know what you've done outside their class.  Make yourself a note to give each teacher a thank you note later!!!

6.  If there is a form for the teachers to submit, give a clean copy to Ms. Elfers, as the Guidance Office formats letters for the teachers.

7.  Counselor recommendation.  Ms. Elfers will write a personalized letter of recommendation for every college-eligible student.  (There are a few exceptions for colleges who ask us not to send them.)

    B.  ON PAPER.  Acquire an application through the mail, from the Mariemont Guidance Office, downloaded from the college's website, or picked up from the admissions representatives when they visit Mariemont. If your college accepts the Common Application, you can use the paper copy or the electronic version to submit as many as you wish.  Complete everything you are responsible for, get the attachments and application fee together, and turn the entire package in to Ms. Elfers for mailing in one envelope.  (Those who prefer may mail parts separately on their own, but the transcript MUST be mailed from the school.

Give the entire application to Ms. Elfers for mailing, including all the items listed above (unless they aren't required):

II.  Check PrepHQ to learn when your transcript and application materials have been sent from the Guidance Office.

Factors to consider when choosing a college

Admission requirements

• What high school courses are required?

• What scores do entering students typically have?

• Is a certain grade point average or class rank required?

• What was the average GPA of accepted students last year?

• Will my activities and school involvement be considered?

• Is there an essay on the application?  How important is it in the admission decision?

• Are letters of recommendation required?  How many?  Interviews?

• Do certain majors have special requirements and special admission criteria?

• Are students accepted into particular departments, or to the college in general?

• What percent of applicants are accepted?

• What are the deadlines for admission and for scholarship consideration?

• Is there an Early Decision or Early Action option?  How do those affect the admission decision?  Are they binding?

Academics

• What is the average class size?  Largest?  Smallest?

• How many students in last year's freshman class returned for their sophomore year?

• What was the GPA for the freshman class last year?

• What is the college's procedure for student orientation, class placement, and scheduling?  

• What services does the school offer for the student who is undecided about a major?

• What are the most popular majors?

• How many students graduate within 5 years?  4 years?

• Are students taught by full-time faculty, graduate assistants, part-time faculty, etc?

• What services are provided at no additional cost (career services, tutoring, counseling, etc.)?

• Is there an honors program?  What are the qualifications for entry?

Student life

• What is the average age of the student body?

• What is the female/male ratio?

• What percent of students reside on campus?

• What percent of students are from out of state?

• What options are available for residence hall life?

• What are some of the social activities available?

• What percent of students go home on weekends?

• What are some of the rules that govern campus life?

• How safe is the campus?  What provisions are made to protect students?

• Where do the majority of students come from?

• Are there sororities and fraternities on campus?  What percent join?

• Are the Greek organizations exclusive or may everyone/anyone join?

• What athletic programs are available?  Intramurals?  Club sports?

• Is housing available all four years?  Required of first-year students?

• Is a car permitted on campus the first year?

College characteristics

• Where is the college located (city, suburb, rural, small town, etc.)?

• Do you like the surrounding community?

• What is the current undergraduate enrollment?

• What special or unique or well-known programs are offered?

• Are there general "core" education requirements?

• What is the academic calendar?  (Semester, trimester, quarter)

• Any special winter, summer, study abroad programs?

Costs

• What are the tuition costs?  Room and board?  Other fees? Computer fee?  Recreation fee?  Activity fee?

• How much did costs increase from last year?

• Is there a difference in costs for in-state and out-of-state students?

• When do accepted students have to make deposits?

• When should a student commit to attending?

• What billing plans are available?

Financial aid

• What percent of students receive financial aid based on financial need?  

• What percent receive scholarships for academic merit?  athletics?  special talents?

• How are independent scholarships treated in the financial aid award?  Deducted from loans?  Deducted from institutional aid?  Used for EFC?

• What percentage of "need" is met?

• What are the scholarship application requirements and deadlines?

• Are campus jobs available?  Even if one is not in a work-study program?

• What are the off-campus job opportunities?

• Is the CSS Profile need analysis form required?

• How long does it take to receive my financial aid award after the FAFSA has been submitted?

Academic preparation

The best overall preparation is to enroll in the most challenging curriculum you can manage, with consistent day-to-day effort and involvement.  Specifically, colleges generally want to see the following as minimum preparation::

4 credits each of English, math, science, and social studies,  2 credits of  foreign language, 1 credit fine arts.

Many colleges suggest some summer reading to be done the summer before a fall college enrollment. Usually the motive is some multicultural theme before everyone arrives on campus.   Here are some of the books required at a few colleges:

1.  The Sunflower: On the Possibilities and Limits of Forgiveness, by Simon Wiesenthal.   (Wheaton College) A group of essays based on months in a WWII German concentration camp.

2.  There Ain't No Children Here:  The Story of Two Boys Growing Up in the Other America.  (Catholic University and Univ. of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)

3.  My Antonio.  (Valparaiso University)

4.  Into the Wild.  A recent college graduate starves to death in the woods of Alaska.

5.  The Color of Water:  A Black Man's Tribute to His While Mother, James McBride.  (Northern Kentucky University)

What do colleges look for?

• Grades in college prep courses (GPA)

• Admission test scores (ACT and/or SAT)

• Strength of high school curriculum

• Class rank

• Extracurricular activities

• Essay

• Teacher recommendations

• Counselor recommendation

• Community service

• Special considerations (special talents, athletics, etc.)

Admission Reps visiting MHS

(These are listed on PrepHQ and if students have listed colleges of interest on the PrepHQ account, they will receive an email notice of the college's visit.)

Senior Year Planning Calendar

September

• Be sure you can access PrepHQ

• Complete your Community Service so that it can be listed on your transcript as "passed"

• Check your credits to make sure you’re on target to meet graduation requirements

• Narrow your college list to a manageable number

• Plan visits to those you missed last summer

• Attend college open houses and college fairs in the area

• Plan to take or retake the ACT and SAT

• Plan to take the SAT Subject tests, if necessary

• Develop a list of questions to ask when you speak with college admissions counselors

• Get a good start on your first semester grades

Junior Year Planning Calendar