Score Academy College Admissions Handbook for the Class of 2021 Judi Robinovitz, Certified Educational Planner 900 Broken Sound Parkway 3901 Design Center Drive 1035 S State Road 7 Boca Raton, FL 33487 Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410 Wellington, FL 33414 (561) 241-1610 (561) 626-2662 (561) 333-8882 5830 Coral Ridge Dr 2625 Weston Road Coral Springs, FL 33076 Weston, FL 33331 (954) 510-0600 (954) 510-0600 www.ScoreAtTheTop.com Accredited by Cognia & SACS © Judi Robinovitz • August, 2020 College Admissions Handbook for Score Academy Students Table of Contents How Colleges Make Decisions ..................................................................................................... 1 Developing Your College List........................................................................................................ 4 Top Colleges & Universities: What Does It Take To Get In? U.S. News College Rankings (Sept 2019) National Universities .......................................................................................................... 7 Liberal Arts Colleges ........................................................................................................... 8 Undergraduate Business .................................................................................................... 9 Undergraduate Engineering ............................................................................................. 14 The State University System of Florida Admission Statistics ......................................................................................................... 15 Honors Programs ............................................................................................................. 16 State Minimum Eligibility Scale ........................................................................................ 17 UF Profile of Admitted Freshmen .................................................................................... 18 FSU Profile of Admitted Freshmen .................................................................................. 19 UCF Profile of Admitted Freshmen .................................................................................. 20 Is Early Decision or Early Action for You? .................................................................................. 21 Letters of Recommendation ...................................................................................................... 25 Completing Your Applications ................................................................................................... 26 The Common Application .......................................................................................................... 30 The Coalition Application ........................................................................................................... 38 Your Application Essays ............................................................................................................. 41 The Common Application Essays (Personal Statement, Covid-19, Supplemental)........................ 43 The Coalition Application Essays (Personal Statement, Covid-19, Supplemental) ........................ 46 University of Florida: Essays & Application Process .......................................................... 47 Florida State University: Essays & Application Process ..................................................... 48 University of Central Florida: Essays & Application Process ............................................. 50 Essays for Florida’s Nine Other State Universities............................................................. 51 Linking Your SSAR to Your Application: UF, FSU, FAU, FL Poly, New College, FGCU, UNF ........ 53 SCORE ACADEMY Boca Raton ● Palm Beach Gardens Wellington Coral Springs Weston College Admissions Handbook for Score Academy Students Table of Contents (continued) Your Activity Résumé ................................................................................................................. 54 Effective College Visits (in person and virtual) .......................................................................... 57 The Information Session .................................................................................................... 58 The Campus Tour ............................................................................................................... 60 The Interview ..................................................................................................................... 61 The Virtual Interview ......................................................................................................... 64 Financial Aid & Scholarships ...................................................................................................... 65 Web Resources .......................................................................................................................... 69 Resource Books .......................................................................................................................... 72 Navigating College Websites ..................................................................................................... 74 Appendix .................................................................................................................................... 78 Senior-Year Application Timeline ................................................................ 79 Worksheet to Recalculate Your GPA ........................................................... 82 Colleges Accepting the Common Application ............................................. 83 Colleges Accepting the Coalition Application ............................................. 90 SAT Test Dates and Registration Deadlines ................................................. 92 ACT Test Dates and Registration Deadlines ................................................. 93 SAT/ACT Essay Required or Recommended ................................................ 94 SAT Subject Tests Required.......................................................................... 95 SAT Subject Tests Recommended ................................................................ 95 Worksheets for Your Activity Résumé ......................................................... 96 The information in this handbook was primarily complied in the early- and mid-summer of 2020, prior to the official start of the application season, August 1. Thus, some information may change during the 2020-2021 application cycle. SCORE ACADEMY Boca Raton ● Palm Beach Gardens Wellington Coral Springs Weston College Admissions Handbook for Score Academy Students How Colleges Make Decisions One of the most difficult things in the entire admissions process is waiting patiently once you have submitted your applications. Much of the students’ and parents’ anxiety stems from the sense that admissions decisions are unfathomable and arbitrary. While most college admissions officers are sensitive and humane, their professional loyalty lies with their own college and its various constituencies. They seek not only the best and brightest scholars, but also the most talented artists, athletes, and leaders. They want to balance their populations geographically and racially. They want to represent their alumni and their children. For these reasons, colleges may give preferential treatment in their admissions decisions to candidates who possess certain talents or who come from certain families or backgrounds. What this means is that the process is not always clear — that you might feel that someone else whose academic credentials appear weaker than yours has unfairly gained admission to a school to which you have been denied entrance. Generally, a college selection committee will evaluate a number of factors about you, listed below in order of importance. ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE Your entire high school academic record is the most important factor in the college admissions process. If your work does not reflect genuine effort, intellectual ability, and a real interest in learning, your record is a liability. Selective colleges are interested not just in strong grades, but in a challenging course load. They want to know that you have taken the most difficult courses that you are qualified to take and that you have met that challenge. STANDARDIZED TEST SCORES Your SAT or ACT scores tend to be the second most important factor in college admissions. Your chances for admissions are best if your score is well within the college’s published mid-50% range. SCORE ACADEMY Boca Raton ● Palm Beach Gardens Wellington Coral Springs Weston 1 College Admissions Handbook for Score Academy Students EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES, SUMMER ACTIVITIES, AND WORK EXPERIENCE Rather than looking for well-rounded students, colleges now seek angled students — students with a passionate involvement in a few activities, demonstrating leadership, initiative, creativity, service… and an angle. Extracurricular and summer activities as well as work experience will allow a college to see how productively you use your free time, how well you work with others, how much of yourself you are willing to give, and how well you challenge yourself. Depth, not breadth, of experience is most important. Create a detailed résumé to showcase your activities. COMMUNITY SERVICE Service should demonstrate genuine concern for other people. Commitment to one substantial project is far more meaningful than participation in several