Other Related Counseling Center Pages
Need a letter of recommendation? Print the Letter
of Recommendation file. It will help both you
and the person writing your letter. You will need Adobe
Acrobat Reader to view and print this file.
- Get an application form from the
college, university or technical school or pick
up an application form from the counselor.
- Complete the student section of the
form and attach a check for the application fee
made out to the college, university or technical
school.
- Your counselor or the registrar
will completethe rest of the form provide you
with an official transcript with test scores
attached.
- You then will mail the application,
check and transcript to the college. Make sure to
make a copy of the application and record the
date it was sent.
- Many community colleges do not have
application fees. These applications can also be
sent by the student.
Colleges and universities outside of Oregon have
a variety of application procedures to follow.
Essays, recommendations and interviews are
frequently required. Your counselor will need to
complete some portion of the application form and
official transcripts will need to be sent. The
procedure is explained in the packet provided by
the college and is usually due earlier than
Oregon schools. Public and private vocational
schools will have unique applications, too.
To assist in the selection of the right school
for you, the Library has ExPAN and CIS on
computer as well as a wide variety of hard copy
information on colleges, universities and
technical schools through out Oregon and the
United States.
THE ARLINGTON
HIGH SCHOOL CODE IS
Starting Your Essay
- 1. Make certain you understand the question or
the topic. Your essay should answer the question
or speak directly to the given topic.
- 2. List all ideas. Be creative. Brainstorm
without censoring.
- 3. Sort through ideas and prioritize. You cannot
tell them everything, Be selective.
- 4. Choose information and ideas which are not
reflected in other parts of your application.
This is your chance to supplement your
application with information you want them to
know.
- 5. Be persuasive in showing the reader you are
deserving of admission. Remember your audience.
Writing the Draft--Apply what you have learned in
English class
- 1. Develop paragraphs, one idea at a time, with
topic sentences, using examples or giving
convincing reasons.
- 2. Make transitions between paragraphs.
- 3. Select action verbs and avoid the passive
voice.
- 4. Use concrete examples. Often examples of
behavior demonstrate an idea better than an
adjective.
- 5. Develop exact, concrete language. Avoid vague
references, wordy usage or cliches.
Editing Your Draft
- 1. Does your introduction capture the reader's
attention?
- 2. Are you consistent in your verb tense?
- 3. Are you clear and coherent?
- 4. Are you concise enough to adhere to the limits
in length?
- 5. Have you checked for grammatical and spelling
errors?
- 6. Does the essay present you as you wish to be
seen?
- 7. Did another person review your essay for
possible mistakes?
- 8. Would you remember your essay if you read one
hundred others?
- 9. Does your closing paragraph present you as you
wish to be remembered?
Completing Your Essay
- 1. Some applications list a preference for typed
or handwritten work. Regardless of the
preference, the application should be neat and
legible.
- 2. Keep a copy for your records.
- 3. Follow this link
to read one student's college application essay.
Back to the table of contents
In some instances where you have a desire to attend a
particular college, an advantage may be gained by
applying "early." A small group of schools
offers this opportunity, especially to those who are
highly qualified. A question to ask yourself is: "Do
I look as good on paper now as I will in January?
If you are considering this process you should see
your counselor early in the senior year and take all
tests required by that college. The completed application
needs to be completed and returned to the Registrars
office two weeks before the deadline. These applications
and recommendations must be mailed by either November 1
or November 15, depending on the college (consult your
catalog). Notification of acceptance, deferral, or denial
will be received about December 15.
"Early action" is a program for those of you
who choose to send in an early application to one
college. If admitted, you are under no obligation to
matriculate and may apply to other colleges under their
regular admissions. If the student is deferred, you may
be reconsidered later for admissions. If accepted, the
you will not have to reply until May 1st.
"Early decision" involves the same
procedures as early action, but with "early
decision" you are honor bound to attend the
institution if accepted. A few colleges offer this
option.
Back to the table of contents
How to Get the Most from a Campus Visit
- 1. Visit on weekdays so you see the day-to-day
campus life and visit with students, the
administrative staff and faculty.
- 2. If possible, write or call the admissions
office two weeks in advance ( the Counseling
Center can assist you in making contact ),
informing them of the day and time of your
arrival on campus and requesting appointments and
activities which you would like arranged for you
(such as those listed below).
- 3. If you would like to get an idea of what
college classes might be like, ask if you could
visit a class or two. In your letter, you should
indicate the kind of classes which you might be
interested in observing.
- 4. If you are unfamiliar with the institution or
its programs, request a general interview with an
admissions counselor. College personnel are happy
to talk with you and tell you about their school.
Make the most of this and other appointments by
asking questions. If you tend to be shy, prepare
some questions in advance. If you don't
understand something, don't be afraid to ask why
or request further information. This is also a
good time to check into special programs in which
you may have an interest, such as honors, credit
by exam, clubs, sports, AP or minority programs.
- 5. In addition, if you have a specific question
about a particular program or major, request an
appointment with an appropriate faculty advisor.
- 6. Request a tour of the campus, including the
dormitories.
- 7. If you have any questions about financial aid,
check with the financial aid office during your
campus visit.
- 8. If you would like to stay for two days,
lodging arrangements are often available for
visitors. Inexpensive housing can be arranged in
dormitories, fraternities, or sororities.
- 9. Ask if you can buy lunch in a dormitory. It's
fashionable for students to complain about dorm
food; however, it is usually pretty good. Taste
for yourself.
- 10. Have fun-- and if you do encounter a problem,
don't be afraid to ask for help.
Back to the table of contents
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts
three-quarters of the new jobs created from now through
1995 will be in services such as communication, trade,
and transportation. Some occupations which will
experience the largest growth are truck drivers, nursing
aides, automotive mechanics, carpenters, electronic
technicians, maintenance personnel, and electricians. The
need for skilled workers trained in these and other trade
and technical fields should remain high through the
mid-1990's.
The selection of a trade school is just as important
as the selection of a college. The thousands of dollars
and hours you spend to receive training should be seen as
an investment. Therefore seek as much information as
possible before making a decision.
The first step in choosing a trade or technical school
is to visit the Career Center to see which schools offer
training in your fields of interest. If catalogs are not
available in the Career Center write directly to the
trade or technical school. Questions you should ask about
the institution include:
- 1. Is the school licensed by the state's
post-secondary school licensing agency?
- 2. Is the school accredited? Accreditation
represents a standard of quality that has been
determined by a neutral agency.
- 3. Are the courses offered up-to-date,
well-rounded, and of high quality? Will they
prepare you for your field? How long will
training take?
- 4. Do the teachers have professional experience
in the field?
- 5. What type of facilities and equipment does the
school offer? Is the equipment current with what
is being used in the field?
- 6. Does the school have a laboratory or shop to
duplicate a real work environment?
- 7. Does the school offer regular job placement
assistance? Does it help graduates find jobs? At
what types of jobs are graduates placed?
- 8. What is the total cost of tuition, supplies,
and fees? Can you realistically afford the
school?
- 9. What kinds of financial aid are available
through the school to meet your financial need?
Pell Grants? Stafford Loans? Scholarships?, etc.
Finally, visit the school when classes are in session.
Talk to students. to see if they are happy with their
training? Look around at the buildings and equipment to
see if they compare with the catalog description? If
possible, talk to graduates and find what they think of
the school.
Back to the table of contents
Regardless of where you enroll, your expenses include
both direct educational expenses and living expenses and
usually consist of five parts:
- tuition and fees
- books and supplies
- room and board
- personal expenses
- transportation
Many students have additional expenses not covered
under any of these categories, such as costs arising from
medical care or a disability. Be sure to include these
extra expenses in estimating the costs of attending the
particular college you're considering.
Room and board expenses change from year to year, but
vary according to the residence hall, choice of single or
double rooms, or off-campus living.
If you live at home and commute, you will need to
substitute approximately $3500 to $5000 for
transportation, meals, etc., in the place of room and
board.
Usually costs to attend are paid at the beginning of
each quarter or semester. Some institutions also allow
you to pay in installments. See the individual
institutional catalogs for payment policies and options
on tuition and room and board expenses. Catalogs are
available to you in the Career Center.
Housing: Students should apply for housing as soon as
they make a decision about the college they are
attending. Some campuses are very short on housing. Check
your college catalogue for more information.
Colleges and universities have residence halls
available, and many colleges require entering freshmen to
live in college-approved housing.
Students may also live in sororities or fraternities.
Cooperatives, where the residents of a house share chores
and maintenance, is another option when available.
Lastly, other students choose to live off campus in
apartments, houses, or whatever living situation they
find satisfactory.
Back to the table of contents
Other Related Counseling Center Pages
For more information on college costs, financial aid and
scholarships visit the Financial
Aid information page.
To get more information on post secondary education and
careers stop by the Careers
and Education page.
Back to the table of contents
Return to the AHS
Counseling Center Homepage
