The document provides information to help students plan for applying to college, including an overview of application deadlines and processes, factors to consider when selecting colleges, resources for exploring college options, recommendations for campus visits and essays, requesting transcripts and test scores, applying for financial aid and scholarships, and contact information for the presenter. It outlines the different application deadlines, requirements, and tips for navigating the college admissions process successfully.

1. Planning for College
Michael Porter
UT Undergraduate Admissions

2. Employment Projections

3. Deadlines
Non Restrictive
•College will let you know
by a certain date
Regular
Decision
•College admits throughout
the admissions cycle
Rolling
Admission
•College will send you a
decision earlier
Early
Action
MAY 1ST CONFIRMATION DATE
Restrictive
• If admitted, you are
committed to that
school
• The school may
hold your
application for
regular decision
Early
Decision

4. VOLcabulary
Selectivity
• Selectivity is measured
by the percentage of
students who are
admitted. The lower the
percentage, the more
selective the school is.
Holistic Review
• Admissions officers
consider the whole
applicant, not just
empirical data like a GPA
or test scores.

5. Factors Affecting Your College Choice
• College environment
• Extracurricular opportunities
• Profession
• Major
• Geographic location
• Community
• College size
What are your top 4-6 criteria in selecting a college?

6. The Great
Sorting Game

7. College Exploration
• UT Undergraduate Admissions:
admissions.utk.edu
• TN Student Assistance Corporation:
tn.gov/collegepays
• College Navigator:
nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator
• College Score Card:
collegescorecard.ed.gov
• College Board:
bigfuture.collegeboard.org

8. Campus Visits
What To Do
• Research the school before to ask
insightful questions
• Request academic appointment if
available
• If not, contact a professor/department
• Search school’s event calendar in
preparation for your visit
• Attend an information session
What Not To Do
• Do the campus tour and jet
• Try to register last minute for peak
times (fall break and spring break)
• Two visits in the same day
• Skip the on campus meal
• Neglect getting the business cards
of people you meet

9. Career
• What Can I Do With
This Major:
career.utk.edu/explore
• Occupational
Outlook Handbook:
www.bls.gov/oco

10. Official High School Transcript
• Normally sent directly from the high school to
the college
• Schools typically get a school report listing
things like AP classes offered, how many
students in a class, etc.
• Colleges might require mid-year grades

11. Standardized Test Scores
• act.org (ACT) or collegeboard.org (SAT) to
request official copies
• Some schools are able to take ACT/SAT
scores from you transcript, but not all
• Senior year be sure to mark your top schools
to receive your scores on the test

12. Application Form
Common Application or school’s website
• Personal information
• Honors and awards
• Extracurricular
• Employment
• Summer activities
• Essays
• Disciplinary action
• Application fee or fee waiver
• Signature

13. College Application Tracker
College App Due
Date
Transcript
Sent
Test
Scores
Sent
Rec
Letters
Sent
Financial
Aid
(FAFSA)
Scholarship
Filled Out
UTK 11/1/17
10/20/17
- submitted
10/29/17 10/29/17 11/2/17 –
Mr. Kelly
11/3/17 –
Ms. Winny
10/1/2017 11/29/17
Vanderbilt
Pellissippi

14. Essay
Tell a Story
• don’t write what you think they want to hear
• show your personality
Proofread
• strategy: read essay from bottom to top
• no “thnx” or “B4”
• grammarly.com
Get a Second Opinion
• listen with an open mind
Stay Focused
• really read the essay prompt
• add substance to some of your achievements

15. Recommendations
Who
• Teachers
• core academic subjects
(history, math, science,
languages)
• teachers who know you
well
• recent years (junior and
senior)
• Guidance Counselors
Tips
• What are things you would
like your recommenders to
highlight?
• Why did you choose this
specific recommender?
• Give recommenders
PLENTY of time

16. Testing
• ACT
• SAT
• AP Exams
• IB Exams
• FREE TEST PREP
• Khan Academy,
khanacademy.org
• ACT, act.org
• SAT, satpractice.org

17. Scholarship and Financial Aid
• UT One Stop Express Student Services:
onestop.utk.edu
• Free Application for Federal Student Aid
(FAFSA): fafsa.gov
• Federal Student Aid: studentaid.ed.gov
• Form Your Future: formyourfuture.org
• The Smart Student Guide to Financial Aid:
finaid.org
• Fast Web: fastWeb.com
• Find Tuition: findtuition.com

18. Planning for College
Michael Porter // michaelp@utk.edu// 865-946-8687
Presentation available at tiny.utk.edu/ylk17