Zillah High School

Guidance Website
Post Secondary Placement
Applying to Colleges & Schools
 

 

 

 
 
 
Application Procedures
Most colleges have electronic on line applications and prefer you apply on line. They will still accept a paper forms, but it is less efficient.  You may use computers in the ZHS Library or the Guidance Center to apply to colleges on line if you do not have this service at home.  You usually find APPLY links on the college's main page or on the ADMISSIONS page.  The ZHS Colleges & Schools page has links to assist you.
 
Apply to more than one school or program.  This keeps your options open, usually until the May 1st decision day.
 
Apply to colleges and schools of interest as early as possible.  Here are a couple of important dates
 
November 1: Washington Independent (private) Colleges & Universities
                       All Out of State Colleges & Universities  (2 or 4 year)
    
December 1: Washington Public (state) 4 year Colleges & Universities
                       Washington and Technical Community Colleges
                        Independent (private) Technical Colleges & Schools
                        Specialty Schools.
 
February 1: Apprenticeship Programs. 
 
Please note that apprenticeship program application deadlines can vary based on skill/trade demands, training slots opened, but it is recommended that ZHS students interested in securing placement apply before February 1.
 
March 1: Military Enlistment
 
Please note that ZHS students age 17 with parent permission and age 18 on their own initiative may sign up for the Delayed Entry Program (DEP) to secure training and/or station guarantees. This can be done as early as the junior year of high school if the student qualifies.  Contact local recruiters for options; however if the military enlistment is your top option, complete all of your requirements prior to March 1.  The ZHS Military Careers page  may be of help in research, decision making, and for recruiter contacts.
 
Tips on Completing the Application
  • Apply Early. Qualified students who miss deadlines run the risk of not being offered admission.
  • Many colleges offer the best options and choices for housing and financial aid for those who apply early. Those qualified that first apply are made offers first.  Those less qualified or who are admitted later will have fewer choices.
  • Take your time with the application process. Start early and go slow to better present yourself to the admissions office. (Don't wait to the last minute and rush the application at the deadline)
  • Read through the entire application first, then plan out your answers and responses.
  • Most will ask for essays about yourself, your goals, and the reasons you wish to attend college. Work that you completed in PEARLS such as Long and Short Term Goals and your Personal Statements should be excellent resources for your application.
  • Do a good job of selling yourself in the essay.  Make the essay tell your unique story.

We Admit Newsletter

 

I am including an article from "We Admit" the Western Washington University Department of admissions newsletter.  It is in regards to the WWU Fall 2008 Freshman Application Review.  I think it is valuable information that all students and their parents should read.

 

May 2008 We Admit: With 9,500 applications for 2,650 freshman enrollment spaces (compared with 8,850 applications for 2,600 spaces in 2007), we sadly were forced to deny admission to many applicants who would have gained admission in the past. Yet, at the same time, we had the pleasure of admitting an incredibly impressive, motivated, and humbling group of students. While cumulative academic achievement and willingness to take the “route of rigor” secured an admission space for many applicants, our comprehensive review process also identified many applicants whose "numbers" didn't tell the whole story. There is nothing like reading an application and thinking, “Wow, I’d love to be in class with this student!”

 

True to what we've said for years, the most significant factor considered when reviewing applications was cumulative academic performance - including grade point average, nature and difficulty of courses, grade trends, and a student's willingness to take advantage of available academic opportunities. Leadership, contributions to the community, individual circumstances, and distinctive attributes were additionally considered. Although standardized test scores are considered, they rarely are the decisive factor.

 

Although we have worked hard to inform students of the priorities in our review process - and we know that you have repeated our message - it appears that some still do not understand how much they are in the driver's seat when it comes to preparation for college. Areas where students hurt themselves this year include:

 

  • Little or no academic coursework beyond core, even though options were available. Far too many capable students mistakenly assumed that simply meeting core requirements was sufficient or that their senior year was not important.
  • Failing to fulfill Western's unique Chemistry/Physics requirement
  • On-going struggles in math. With math being the #1 stumbling block for freshmen at Western, math preparation is a huge area of concern for our faculty.
  • Sporadic or negative grade trends, frequently followed by an across the board drop in curricular rigor
  • Inability to help us understand one's academic record or academic choices
  • Poor presentation; not taking the time to put the best foot forward; missing deadlines; failing to follow up on requests for additional information.
  • Personal statement/essay that did not highlight personal strengths, individual distinctions or otherwise help the student to come alive for the admissions committee

 

Distinguishing factors that had a positive impact include:

 

  • Taking a full academic load through senior year, including math through pre-calc or calculus; 4 or 5 years of the same foreign language; and 4 years of science - including chemistry and physics. While advanced classes such as AP, honors, Running Start, and IB are outstanding options for many students, taking a full schedule of "regular" classes can be equally impressive in the application review.
  • Perseverance in the face of significant hardship
  • Potential contributions to the Western community such as multiculturalism, exceptional talent, leadership, "heart", etc.
  • Well-written personal statement that helps us get to know what is important to a student and/or to understand academic choices and personal circumstances. While many students share highlights of their lives, it is particularly helpful when a student explains the relevance of those experiences.
  • "Risk-taking" - such as going on exchange, standing up for one's beliefs, accepting new challenges, etc.
  • Sustained involvement rather than occasional or one-time participation in extracurricular activities. Students who list activities that occurred for one hour or one-half day generally loose credibility in the review process.

Essays

Most four year colleges and universities require some sort of essay as part of the application.  Many of them call it the "Personal Statement" section of your application.  As part of PEARLS we have developed a process to help you develop the Personal Statement which can be found on this CD. 

Your application essay is not only a chance to show the college how clearly you can communicate and how you can think, it's also your chance to tell the college something about yourself that other parts of the application did not cover. Don't blow off this part of the application; it's one of your best opportunities to show a college who you are and what makes you special. Here are a few tips for producing a good essay:

  • Draw up an outline for your essay showing how you're going to organize each paragraph.
  • Focus on your strengths, especially in character. Talk about the personality traits that make you a good candidate for college and provide examples from your life.
  • Write multiple drafts. Take a little while between rewriting each draft so you can approach the essay with a fresh eye each time.
  • Edit your essay very carefully. It should be free of any spelling, punctuation, or grammatical mistakes.
  • Have a teacher, a counselor, a parent, or another student read your essay. They might have valuable insight into how to make your essay better.
  • Make your essay fun to read. Admissions officers have to read a lot of essays. If you can write one that's fun to read it will only reflect better on you. This doesn't mean you should be irreverent, it means you don't have to be excessively formal in your writing.
  • Do a little research. Talk to the admissions office at the college and find out what they are looking for in an essay.
 
Letters of Recommendation
 
Some colleges require up to three letters of recommendation, others may not. Letters can help the colleges you are applying to have a stronger idea about who you are as a person. They should highlight your strengths and help make the case for why you'll be an excellent addition to the college's student body. As part of the PEARLS process we have required you to obtain at least three letters for your portfolio. These might be helpful in your college application process. In our PEARLS "letters" section of this CD we go into detail on how to obtain great letters for your use.  We also have a Data Sheet to give to letter writers.  Here are a few things to consider when asking someone to write a letter of recommendation for you:
  • Think about who should write a recommendation for you. Teachers are an obvious choice, as they probably have the best idea of your academic abilities. At least one of your letters, if not all of them, should be from a teacher. Of course, don't feel like you can't ask other people to write a letter for you just because your relationship isn't strictly academic in nature. For example, if you do volunteer work you might ask your supervisor to write you a letter. Colleges want to know you're a person with varied interests and this is a good place to demonstrate that.
  • If you need three letters of recommendation, ask for four. Someone may forget and you don't want to be caught at the deadline without what you need.
  • Pick someone who knows you and likes you. You might have a passing acquaintance with someone important from whom it would seem quite impressive to receive a letter of recommendation. This is not always the best option. What's most important is that the person who is writing the letter knows you well and can provide a detailed account of your strengths. Ask your writer, “Can you write a strong letter for me?” This will help you make sure that you're getting a good letter to pass on to colleges.
  • Give your writer plenty of time. Remember, your teachers have full lives too, and they can't always write you a letter at the drop of a hat. Ask for letters at least one month before they are due, so they have plenty of time to complete them.
  • Adults forget things too. So check up with your writers from time to time and make sure they've either finished the letter or remember that they told you they would do it.
  • Make sure your writers know to whom they should send the letters. Provide addressed envelopes for their convenience.
  • Get some extra copies of letters that you can put in your scholarship folder. If your writer doesn't feel comfortable providing you with copies, it might be a good indicator that they are not writing you a strong letter.

Interviews

Some colleges include interviews as part of the application process.  Interviews are a great way for colleges and universities to get to know you, but also for you to get a feel for the university. Interviews will usually last between 30 and 60 minutes. These interviews can strongly increase your odds of acceptance if you do a few simple things:

  • Dress professionally.
  • Make sure you arrive on time.
  • Conduct yourself in a respectable and confident manner.
  • Be yourself. These colleges are interested in the kind of person you are. Show them.
  • Emphasize your outside activities. Tell your interviewer about the groups you volunteer for,  the sports you play, clubs and other school activities, or community and church activities.
  • Ask questions about the school. Show your interviewer how interested you are in the college they represent and that you have done some research and have some knowledge of their college.
  • The interview can be a time to explain any inconsistencies in your academic record. For example, if your studies suffered one year because of personal problems, it might be good to explain why to your interviewer.

Acceptance

A joy filled experience is receiving notification of acceptance to college. To confirm your acceptance and your intention to enroll at that college, you will be asked to submit a deposit which will be credited to your tuition bill.  Normally you will have until May 1 of your senior year to confirm with the tuition deposit. 

If you have applied to more than one college as we have recommended you may find that each college notifies students in a different time frame.

Common admission approaches are Rolling Admissions, Batch or Pooled and Open Admissions.

With Rolling Admissions, qualified students are sent letters of acceptance as they apply.  Often this is a two to three week process following the opening date to accept applications.  In this case if the college begins reading applications on December 1, sometime between December 15 and January 15 they would make a decision on the application.  They continue to accept students until they hit their target or quota for admissions.  Students who apply after this target has been reached will often be either denied or put on a wait list.  Because students usually apply to more than once college and therefore have multiple acceptance letters, the college can not offer further admission to qualified candidates until after the May 1, confirmation date.  After May 1 if there are any seats available, students on the waiting list will be invited to confirm there intent to attend.

With Batch or Polled Admissions, colleges read applications and rank qualified applicants into various pools.  The top candidates fall into pool one, those slightly less stellar into pool two and so one.  During the pooling they usually only keep a certain number or percentage of applications in a pool. If a more qualified application is received that applicant goes into the appropriate pool and "bumps" another applicant into a lower pool.  Colleges that batch/pool will announce target dates for letters of admission to be sent.  They send letters to the top candidates to cover their target or quota usually between January 15 and February 15.  Students in other pools are then wait listed.  The process to move from the wait list to the admission offer is then similar to the rolling admission described above.

Community and Technical Colleges usually have what is called an "Open Enrollment" which means they are open year round for application and will continue to take applications until their target/quota number is reached.  Application to acceptance turnaround is generally two to three weeks.

Once you get a letter of admission/acceptance, this should be copied and placed in your PEARLS portfolio to document your 13th year plan under C-4. 

From the time you receive acceptance letters until May 1 decision day, you will research further the school choices and particularly examine the financial aid situation.  You may have two or three colleges that you can attend, but the dollars out of pocket to attend on school may be less than the others.  Your family will have to determine how that plays out.  We have placed an entire section on financial aid here on the CD for your review.

 
The Wait List

Most ZHS student can expect January 1 through April 1 to bring at least one piece of good news; that they have been accepted to a college of their choice. Although the acceptance rates at the top schools have dropped steadily in recent years as applicant pools have grown, the majority of colleges and universities continue to admit the majority of their applicants. Seniors who applied to a sensible range of schools that fit their interest, abilities and preparation should find themselves with at least one admissions offer in hand.

That's small comfort for someone who has been "Wait Listed "or denied at their top-choice schools. For these applicants, it may be time to make some difficult decisions.  These decisions about Wait List status can be even harder to accept than denials are because they deliver the same disappointment of a rejection but not the closure. If you receive a waitlist decision from your colleges, give yourself the time you need to get over your disappointment and then decide what you're going to do next. If you decide to accept the school's waitlist offer, you'll need to be realistic about your chances of eventually receiving admission.  You can get a better idea of your chances of moving off the waitlist by contacting the admissions office and asking these questions:
  • Is the waitlist ranked? I
  • f it is, where am I listed on it?
  • How many applicants have you admitted from the waitlist in recent years?
  • Do you think this year will be similar?
  • Can I submit additional application materials or test scores?
  • What is the deadline for additional submissions?
 
Denied Admission

 

If you were denied admission from one of your colleges,  ideally you applied to more than one school and did receive acceptances other colleges.   Still a student can feel devastated if they are denied admission to a college or program. Being turned down by a college can be one of life's cruelest experiences. You might cry, be angry, get embarrassed, feel bitter and all that can be happening in the course of one evening! If this happens, what is next? 
 
First don't take it personally. Realize you're feeling the worst right now. The hour, the day, the week after getting the denied letter is when the pain is the greatest. It only hurts as long as you let it and the bad feelings fade with each passing day.  This is not a rejection of you as a person but more of an issue of circumstance.  Some tips:

  • Coast a bit. After you get the news, allow yourself time to take it easy. Talk to your parents, close friends, and high school staff. Get back in your daily routine, and make sure you get some exercise.  Do not go into seclusion. 

  • Try not to feel rejected. In most top ranked schools they do a selection process not an admissions process. Even qualified students can be denied based on space available.

  • No blames. Some students instantly blame their situation on others or ZHS as a smaller rural high school.  Every experience you had, every choice you made has brought you to this point in your life.  Have no regrets on the past, rather move on an think about the next step.

  • Feel proud of your effort. Hockey superstar Wayne Gretsky said "You miss 100% of the shots you never take." Unlike others who sit on the sidelines of life, you gave it your best shot. Resolve that this setback will not affect your willingness to aim high.

  • Realize you're not alone. Many people do not get into their first choice college, including many top achievers and people who are very successful and/or famous in later life.

  • Think about options. Take a good look at the schools that have said "Yes" to you. These schools are eager to have you on campus, and they should be your new focus. There's a place for everybody, and chance for everyone to succeed, it just may not have been your first choice destination.

  • Don't quit.  What ever you do, don't quit.  Look at the alternative ways you can still reach your post secondary education and career goals.

Once you get over the initial shock, it may help to analyze the reason for denial.  Common reasons are:

  • late or incomplete applications

  • closed admissions; no more space available for the term

  • missing core class preparation

  • profile does not match student body population on campus (courses, grades, GPA, test scores)

If you still are interested in this college and are not clear as to why you were denied admission you should contact the Office of Admissions and ask questions in a business like manner.  Why was admission denied and what do they recommend you do prior to re-application?
 
There is as "Alternative Admissions" processes in most colleges where 10% of the students admitted maybe admitted under special conditions.  If you have an extenuating circumstance that perhaps was not addressed in the admission process and you feel you still could be successful at that college request alternative admission review.
 
Final thoughts on denials. Look at other pathways to reach your career and future goals.  Do not take a temporary set back as the final answer.  Find the level that you fit in for post secondary, develop your skills at that level and continue working hard to achieve our goals.  You are never finished with your dreams, goals, or ambitions until you decide to quit.

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