The Common Application has made the college and university application process much easier for many students. By permitting students to apply to multiple schools using a single application form, the Common Application streamlines the process and saves applicants loads of time.
The idea behind the Common Application is that students need to fill out only
one application for all of the schools they apply to. Although the application
was first accepted by only about 15 schools, today it is accepted by more than
500 colleges and universities in the United States. This means that you can fill
out one Common Application and use it for any of these schools.
It's important to remember that not all schools accept the common
application. Be sure to verify whether a school accepts it or not — never
assume! Also, never let a school’s stance on the Common Application determine
whether or not you apply there. If you use the Common Application or not, just make sure to find the school that's right for you and APPLY!
More Common Application Information:
Thursday, August 29, 2013
Start to Plan for Your Future with Family Connection
Welcome to Naviance Family Connection!
Family Connection is a tool that will help you set goals, and plan for and achieve future success in life! Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to discover:- who you are
- explore careers
- explore colleges
- establish a game plan
- build your resume
- apply to colleges
Ready, Set, Log On!
This month all students in grades 7-12 should log on to Family Connection.- Go to your campus website.
- Click on the FAMILY CONNECTION link.
- Enter your SBISD password provided by your school in the PASSWORD field.
- Click the LOG IN button.
ALL SENIORS: If you are a senior this year, in addition to logging on this month, you need to add colleges you will be applying to. The clock is ticking! Graduation will be here before you know it...are you ready for college or starting a career? Log on and kick start your plan today!
For High School SENIORS - How to Add Colleges:
- Click on COLLEGES Tab
- Click on COLLEGES I'M APPLYING TO
- Click on ADD COLLEGES TO THE LIST
- Add 3-5 colleges you plan to apply to
- Click on ADD Colleges
- Indicate you are applying via the COMMON APPLICATION by clicking on the PENCIL ICON under edit
- Choose YES to confirm the COMMON APP
- Click UPDATE APPLICATION (This will alert your guidance office to link the Common App to your Family Connection account.)
For more information, contact our Guidance and Counseling
Department. Or, visit the Naviance page on the SBISD website.
Please note: All
middle and high school campus websites have a link to your student's specific
Family Connections portal.
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
What I wish someone had told me about freshman year...
Now that I have entered my final year of college, I suppose I am expected to
look at the thousands of bright-eyed freshmen who have moved into their dorm
rooms for the first time with a certain degree of nostalgia and envy.
I’m supposed to tell them, “This will be the best year of your life” and “You have nothing to worry about” and “You are so lucky. I wish I could go back.”
The August before I moved away to college, which seems both like yesterday and eons ago, those were the things everyone told me.
No one ever said my first year would be difficult to adjust to, or that sometimes I would feel lost or anxious or lonely or homesick.
So, when I did inevitably feel all of those emotions, I kept them locked up inside of me like deep, dark secrets I was terrified of letting out. I felt guilty and defected.
I watched the sea of other freshmen students scream in Beaver Stadium with all the happiness in the world. I scrolled through the Facebook profiles of my friends from home, who suddenly had hundreds of pictures with their new college friends and statuses like, “Loving College!!” I walked through the Welcome Week fair where hundreds of smiling students stood behind booths for every club imaginable.
So, I too, plastered on a smile during that first month of college. When friends or family from home would ask how I was doing, I’d tell them, “I love it!” I went out to parties and laughed and pretended I was having the time of my life.
In reality, I felt like everyone around me somehow knew each other, and I would never find a close group of friends. I achingly missed my boyfriend who was three hours away. I was unsure about my major, and it caused a great amount of anxiety. And the feelings only intensified because I felt like I was walking around acting like a false, giddy version of myself. I didn’t know who I was anymore, and I wouldn’t let anyone else find out either.
But I didn’t dare let anyone see me that way, because I was sure that no one else felt like me.
Then one morning after returning back to school from a weekend at home, I finally told one of my roommates, “I’m really unhappy here.” I felt like a giant weight had been lifted from my chest.
She lay in bed while everyone else was asleep. “Me too,” she whispered.
And just like that, I suddenly wasn’t alone.
Over the next few weeks we had long talks about how we had been feeling. She felt lonely and lost too in our big university. Later, I found myself in my dorm hallway while another friend cried in front of me about how homesick she was. Little by little I realized it was egotistical of me to think that my feelings were entirely my own. A lot of people felt a little bit like I was feeling.
Even the people I knew who seemed so well adjusted had days when they missed the comfort of old familiarities.
I finally stopped worrying that my peers would look at me strangely if I was having a bad day. I didn’t mope around in bed, but I also was honest with the people around me and was able to make stronger, more genuine friendships.
Looking back now, I can sigh with relief that things did get better. I hardly recognize the scared, anxious girl who sat in her first college class three years ago. But I also didn’t suddenly get “happy” overnight. It was a slow process of learning to be who I was when I was away from everything I knew, and learning to make choices and be content with them.
Freshmen, I’m not trying to scare you. For many, if not most of you, this will indeed be a great, worry-free year. But if you are like me and you hit some hurdles along the way, please know: You are not alone. Don’t expect everything to be shiny and picture perfect the second you walk on to campus. It takes time. And if you end up feeling sad, don’t feel guilty.
Things are going to go wrong. You’re going to run out of money. You’re going to break up with your significant other. You’re going to fail a test. You’re going to reassess your major and your goals. You’re going to miss your safety net from home. You’re not going to be able to juggle 20 activities at once. You’re going to make bad decisions. Everyone will. And no one is watching you with a judgmental eye.
That’s what I wish I could have told my 18-year-old self. And finally, everything, eventually, will be OK.
I’m supposed to tell them, “This will be the best year of your life” and “You have nothing to worry about” and “You are so lucky. I wish I could go back.”
The August before I moved away to college, which seems both like yesterday and eons ago, those were the things everyone told me.
No one ever said my first year would be difficult to adjust to, or that sometimes I would feel lost or anxious or lonely or homesick.
So, when I did inevitably feel all of those emotions, I kept them locked up inside of me like deep, dark secrets I was terrified of letting out. I felt guilty and defected.
I watched the sea of other freshmen students scream in Beaver Stadium with all the happiness in the world. I scrolled through the Facebook profiles of my friends from home, who suddenly had hundreds of pictures with their new college friends and statuses like, “Loving College!!” I walked through the Welcome Week fair where hundreds of smiling students stood behind booths for every club imaginable.
So, I too, plastered on a smile during that first month of college. When friends or family from home would ask how I was doing, I’d tell them, “I love it!” I went out to parties and laughed and pretended I was having the time of my life.
In reality, I felt like everyone around me somehow knew each other, and I would never find a close group of friends. I achingly missed my boyfriend who was three hours away. I was unsure about my major, and it caused a great amount of anxiety. And the feelings only intensified because I felt like I was walking around acting like a false, giddy version of myself. I didn’t know who I was anymore, and I wouldn’t let anyone else find out either.
But I didn’t dare let anyone see me that way, because I was sure that no one else felt like me.
Then one morning after returning back to school from a weekend at home, I finally told one of my roommates, “I’m really unhappy here.” I felt like a giant weight had been lifted from my chest.
She lay in bed while everyone else was asleep. “Me too,” she whispered.
And just like that, I suddenly wasn’t alone.
Over the next few weeks we had long talks about how we had been feeling. She felt lonely and lost too in our big university. Later, I found myself in my dorm hallway while another friend cried in front of me about how homesick she was. Little by little I realized it was egotistical of me to think that my feelings were entirely my own. A lot of people felt a little bit like I was feeling.
Even the people I knew who seemed so well adjusted had days when they missed the comfort of old familiarities.
I finally stopped worrying that my peers would look at me strangely if I was having a bad day. I didn’t mope around in bed, but I also was honest with the people around me and was able to make stronger, more genuine friendships.
Looking back now, I can sigh with relief that things did get better. I hardly recognize the scared, anxious girl who sat in her first college class three years ago. But I also didn’t suddenly get “happy” overnight. It was a slow process of learning to be who I was when I was away from everything I knew, and learning to make choices and be content with them.
Freshmen, I’m not trying to scare you. For many, if not most of you, this will indeed be a great, worry-free year. But if you are like me and you hit some hurdles along the way, please know: You are not alone. Don’t expect everything to be shiny and picture perfect the second you walk on to campus. It takes time. And if you end up feeling sad, don’t feel guilty.
Things are going to go wrong. You’re going to run out of money. You’re going to break up with your significant other. You’re going to fail a test. You’re going to reassess your major and your goals. You’re going to miss your safety net from home. You’re not going to be able to juggle 20 activities at once. You’re going to make bad decisions. Everyone will. And no one is watching you with a judgmental eye.
That’s what I wish I could have told my 18-year-old self. And finally, everything, eventually, will be OK.
About the Author: Lauren Ingeno is a senior at Penn State and was a Summer 2012
USA TODAY Collegiate Correspondent.
Mistake I made as a Freshman that I Would DO AGAIN
It’s freshman year. All your possessions are unpacked, you’re officially moved in and ready to take new classes, meet new people and live the college life you’ve always dreamed of.
The way you think college will go is never the way college will go, but that’s the beauty of it. Mistakes happen, and even though they were embarrassing or mind-wrecking at the time, there are some that aren’t just unique to you.
All of us go through the same experiences and they are just a natural part of this time in our lives. As a senior, there are a few mistakes I made as a freshman that I would do over in a heartbeat — if not simply to restart the four greatest years of my life once again.
1. Missing a big party
There’s no denying this: when you’re in college, the only reason you need to party is the simple fact that you’re in college. The minute I realized my daily 8 a.m. economics class would detain me from ever attending weekday parties, I was convinced my future collegiate social life was doomed. But three years and many parties — and even more missed parties — later, I realize there will always be a next one.
2. Doing poorly on an exam
Failing teaches you more than just the simple fact you don’t know the material. It demonstrates to you the kind of effort you will need to achieve your goals and gives you a reason to work harder for what you want most.
While the definition of failure differs from person to person, the first time I did poorly on an exam I had a mental breakdown. But as I went further into my college career, I learned more about the dos and don’ts of college exams (insider tip: talk to your professors, they’re here to help you). As it turns out, the tests got easier. I just needed the first failure to get me going.
3. Going in with the wrong major
The best part about college is that life changes from day to day and year to year. It’s a time in our lives when we’re encouraged to make mistakes and figure out what we’re really passionate about. I changed my major halfway through my sophomore year and haven’t looked back since. Early exposure to classes I didn’t like helped me figure out what career I actually want to have, and changing majors isn’t that dramatic — it’s worth a semester of confusion for a lifetime of happiness and fulfillment. If you do it for yourself and your life now, you won’t have regrets later.
4. Changing friends
As a senior now, some of the friends I have are the very same ones I hung out with my freshman year — but a good majority of them are not.
If you find your group of friends your first year and continue through the rest of college and life together, congratulations! But if not, don’t worry. There are so many people on most college campuses that you have the chance to make new friends every day. Eventually you will find the people you’ll stay in touch with until old age, but don’t feel tied to one group. Personality change is a trademark of college — let your friends change with you.
5. Being scared
I’ll admit it: I was scared out of my mind when I first went to college.
And why shouldn’t I have been? It’s a big change in our lives, one of the first biggest changes we’ll have. If you’re a little nervous about moving, making new friends and experiencing life truly on your own for the first time, that’s OK. Soon, the days will become easier, you will settle into a routine, and you will understand why everyone loves this amazing, one-of-a-kind time in our lives. Good luck!
The way you think college will go is never the way college will go, but that’s the beauty of it. Mistakes happen, and even though they were embarrassing or mind-wrecking at the time, there are some that aren’t just unique to you.
All of us go through the same experiences and they are just a natural part of this time in our lives. As a senior, there are a few mistakes I made as a freshman that I would do over in a heartbeat — if not simply to restart the four greatest years of my life once again.
1. Missing a big party
There’s no denying this: when you’re in college, the only reason you need to party is the simple fact that you’re in college. The minute I realized my daily 8 a.m. economics class would detain me from ever attending weekday parties, I was convinced my future collegiate social life was doomed. But three years and many parties — and even more missed parties — later, I realize there will always be a next one.
2. Doing poorly on an exam
Failing teaches you more than just the simple fact you don’t know the material. It demonstrates to you the kind of effort you will need to achieve your goals and gives you a reason to work harder for what you want most.
While the definition of failure differs from person to person, the first time I did poorly on an exam I had a mental breakdown. But as I went further into my college career, I learned more about the dos and don’ts of college exams (insider tip: talk to your professors, they’re here to help you). As it turns out, the tests got easier. I just needed the first failure to get me going.
3. Going in with the wrong major
The best part about college is that life changes from day to day and year to year. It’s a time in our lives when we’re encouraged to make mistakes and figure out what we’re really passionate about. I changed my major halfway through my sophomore year and haven’t looked back since. Early exposure to classes I didn’t like helped me figure out what career I actually want to have, and changing majors isn’t that dramatic — it’s worth a semester of confusion for a lifetime of happiness and fulfillment. If you do it for yourself and your life now, you won’t have regrets later.
4. Changing friends
As a senior now, some of the friends I have are the very same ones I hung out with my freshman year — but a good majority of them are not.
If you find your group of friends your first year and continue through the rest of college and life together, congratulations! But if not, don’t worry. There are so many people on most college campuses that you have the chance to make new friends every day. Eventually you will find the people you’ll stay in touch with until old age, but don’t feel tied to one group. Personality change is a trademark of college — let your friends change with you.
5. Being scared
I’ll admit it: I was scared out of my mind when I first went to college.
And why shouldn’t I have been? It’s a big change in our lives, one of the first biggest changes we’ll have. If you’re a little nervous about moving, making new friends and experiencing life truly on your own for the first time, that’s OK. Soon, the days will become easier, you will settle into a routine, and you will understand why everyone loves this amazing, one-of-a-kind time in our lives. Good luck!
About the Author: Claudia Tran is a pre-law senior at the University of Missouri
studying psychology and sociology. She enjoys reading on the lawn of her
sorority house, rooting for Kansas City sports teams and regularly quoting the
television show Friends.
Tuesday, August 27, 2013
Coast-to-Coast College Tour
Coast-to-Coast is a joint travel partnership between Dartmouth College, Northwestern University, Princeton University, University of California-Berkeley, and Vanderbilt University.
In cities across the country, admissions representatives from each institution help prospective students and their families navigate the seemingly complex selective admissions process while further introducing participants to the defining characteristics of each school.Register Now >>
The TOP MISTAKES When Filling Out College Applications - AVOID THEM
11 College Application Mistakes to Avoid
1. Inappropriate e-mail address. Because a lot of colleges communicate via e-mail now, it’s important that you have a professional-sounding e-mail address. Saucybellybutton@e-mail.com is probably not how you want to present yourself to admission officers. There are a ton of e-mail programs out there that offer free e-mail accounts (gmail, hotmail, yahoo, etc.). Create your own super secret account that you use only for college communication. Just be sure to check it frequently.
2. Naming the wrong school. It’s HARD keeping track of all of these darn schools. No matter how much research you may have done trying to figure out which schools are right for you, human error can ruin the party in one fell swoop. Make sure to check and double-check that the college you name in your application is the college that will receive the application.
3. Forgetting a section. The application is a long document with lots of sections to it. Be sure that you don’t miss any questions or required information. You don’t want to miss an opportunity to talk about yourself! Every inch of space on the application is prime real estate.
4. Waiting until the last minute to ask teachers to write letters of recommendation. Yikes! Asking a teacher to write a letter of recommendation on your behalf is a scary thing, no matter how well your teacher knows you. But just know that your teachers are wise and wonderful and want to help you. Be sure to give them as much time as possible to complete your recommendations. More time generally means a better constructed, more polished rec letter. And your teacher will be grateful.
5. Not double-checking deadlines. Deadlines vary! Make sure you know exactly when a college must receive all pieces of your application. A deadline is a deadline is a deadline.
6. Disobeying word limits or character limits. Make sure you read the fine print and all of the directions in an application. Since a lot of colleges use online applications, they often impose a strict character limit (kind of like your Facebook status does). This means that if your essay or response is longer than asked for, it might get chopped off or it might not appear at all.
7. Not answering the question. Try to answer the question or address the essay prompt as directly and completely as you can. Don’t lead the college admission officers on a wild goose chase. Make it easy for them to get the information they ask for.
8. Assuming the biographical information part isn’t important. The first questions in the application about where you were born, how many siblings you have, and what your parents do are really important in helping the admission officers figure out who you are. Don’t skimp on the details. Do it up!
9. Leaving information about yourself out. Don’t leave information out simply because you feel it’s not important. It’s better to err on the side of sharing too much, rather than too little. For example, if you make dinner every night for your family, the admission officers want to know about it. If you help your parents with their business (even if you don’t get paid), that’s vital 411.
10. Forgetting to check for spelling mistakes, grammatical errors, and factual errors. Ouch! Nothing spells “buzz kill” like a misspelled word. How could such a little mistake be such a game changer? Competition is tight. There are thousands of other applicants who have nicely polished applications. You don’t want to be the one who misspelled.
11. Treating your application like your Facebook page or a text message. Beware of being too casual in your college application. It’s important that everything is polished and revised. When you're filling out your application, don't use texting abbreviations and lowercase letters. Beware of rushing your writing and just clicking "send." Completing an application takes time. Be sure to read through it a couple of times before clicking "submit."
College Myth #2: I tanked my freshman and sophomore years...I can't get into college.
What was it – trouble making the adjustment from junior high to high school? Problems at home? Going through an “I don’t care about anything” phase? Dog ate your homework… every day for two years?
Whatever the reason, it isn’t the end of the world.
Sure, an admissions office would prefer to look over your records and see four spotless years. However, there aren’t many students who make it through their entire high school career without at least a little hiccup, and it is much better for your “off” years to have come earlier rather than later. Way better. In some venues, just showing this kind of improvement actually helps ya.
Colleges know that there is a learning curve, and that it takes some kids longer than others to settle into the high school lifestyle and begin to either take things seriously or figure out a system of completing homework and studying for tests that produces sufficient results.
If you got C’s as a freshman and B’s as a sophomore, but A-’s as a junior and A’s as a senior, that’s an awfully promising trend, don’t you think?
An admissions office is probably going to overlook your shaky start out of the gate as long as you were able to pick it up down the homestretch and nose out most of the other horses before reaching the finish line.
However, don’t go thinking you can just blow off your first two years of high school and you’ll be fine. Even if you are a smart kid and a basically solid student, you can engrain in yourself some pretty bad study habits in two years’ time, and it may be impossible to reverse them before it’s too late.
Not to mention that you’d be playing catch-up to most of your peers who actually put in a good deal of effort during that span, and you may have more trouble than anticipated comprehending the material.
The best plan is to strive to do your best for all four years, but not to despair and lose all hope should you bring home a couple C’s on your first report card. Learn from your mistakes, and turn those C’s into B’s, and then into A’s.
Sure, an admissions office would prefer to look over your records and see four spotless years. However, there aren’t many students who make it through their entire high school career without at least a little hiccup, and it is much better for your “off” years to have come earlier rather than later. Way better. In some venues, just showing this kind of improvement actually helps ya.
Colleges know that there is a learning curve, and that it takes some kids longer than others to settle into the high school lifestyle and begin to either take things seriously or figure out a system of completing homework and studying for tests that produces sufficient results.
If you got C’s as a freshman and B’s as a sophomore, but A-’s as a junior and A’s as a senior, that’s an awfully promising trend, don’t you think?
An admissions office is probably going to overlook your shaky start out of the gate as long as you were able to pick it up down the homestretch and nose out most of the other horses before reaching the finish line.
However, don’t go thinking you can just blow off your first two years of high school and you’ll be fine. Even if you are a smart kid and a basically solid student, you can engrain in yourself some pretty bad study habits in two years’ time, and it may be impossible to reverse them before it’s too late.
Not to mention that you’d be playing catch-up to most of your peers who actually put in a good deal of effort during that span, and you may have more trouble than anticipated comprehending the material.
The best plan is to strive to do your best for all four years, but not to despair and lose all hope should you bring home a couple C’s on your first report card. Learn from your mistakes, and turn those C’s into B’s, and then into A’s.
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