College Connections Hawaii: 11th Grade Summer

11th Grade Summer

Select a short list (8-10) of colleges that you are interested in. Call or email the schools to request information and application materials.
If your SAT or ACT results are lower than you would like, sign up to take one or both tests again in the fall.
Enroll in a test preparation course to increase you chances of scoring well.
Draft an essay response. Look at several college application essay topics online. Start with a broad topic, which meets an essay requirement on the most of your applications, and start writing a 1-2 page essay.
Sign up for SAT Subject Tests, if recommended for your prospective colleges.
Visit as many of the colleges on your short list as possible, and a few others as well.
Ask specific questions of admissions representatives, faculty, students or recent alumni. Mainland campus visits are expensive, but they are the best way to get a feel for the place you will spend the next four years of your life.
Student and parents calculate their estimated EFC (Expected Family Contribution) for colleges using online calculators.