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Colleges - Four-Year Colleges

A bachelor's degree from a four year university can open doors, provide status, and prepare students for financially and emotionally rewarding careers. Colleges vary greatly in programs offered, costs, and admission requirements. Check with the college you plan to attend for specific requirements.

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Apply for admission to any Texas public university, as well as to participating community and private colleges. Texas Common Application

How Do I Find College Information?
Reference Materials - The Counseling Center and the library have several college reference books and handbooks. From these sources you can obtain information on college costs, housing, admission procedures, entrance tests required, major programs of study, and much more. Some references available are:

• The College Handbook
• Barron's Profiles of American Colleges
• Peterson's Guide
• Comparative Guide to American Colleges
• Minnie Steven's Piper Foundation Compendium of Texas College
• College Costs and Financial Aid Handbook
• Index of Majors and Graduate Degrees

College Catalogs
The college catalog in effect for the year you enter a university is your contact for graduation. Keep it and refer to it frequently. It is the best single source of information about a college. Your high school Counseling Center will have a file of many college catalogs. You may want to write for a catalog from colleges you are seriously considering.

What Do Colleges Look For?

• Academic Record
  The single most important credential in the applicants folder is the academic record, particularly the junior year and the first half of the senior year. Grades are important. In many cases you can help your college chances by making a strong effort to improve during this time, thereby indicating you are on the way up. In addition, the level of difficulty of your course curriculum taken through all four years receives close scrutiny by admissions officers. Your rank in class and GPA are major factors in being admitted to some colleges.
• College Entrance Examination Scores
  The SAT/ACT college entrance examinations are important even though not all colleges require them. The majority of schools pay close attention to the SAT/ACT because, when taken together with grades, they constitute a reliable predictor of academic achievement.
• Extra-curricular Activities
  Extra-curricular activities both at high school and in the community play an important role in the admissions process. Colleges frequently state that they look for students who will make a significant contribution to the college community. Because between 70% and 80% of all students can handle the academics, colleges often look for that extra dimension  musicians, editors, actors, photographers, athletes, leaders, volunteers and others with a developed and usable talent. Student with superior ability in these areas can expect to receive special review by faculty and careful consideration by the admissions office.
• Recommendations
  For most colleges, recommendations are an essential part of an applicants file. (The exception to this rule is large state universities, where written recommendations are often not given as much weight.) Recommendations describe not only achievements and skills, but also character, integrity and patterns of growth. Teachers reports also play an important role in the selection process, particularly when the teachers know the student well and are willing to detail potential in specific areas.
• Grade Point Average and Class Ranking
  Check with the Counseling & Guidance Office and you may also check the Educational Planning Guide.
• College Visits
  Seniors are encouraged to visit colleges they are considering. Two weeks prior to your intended visit contact the college admissions office in writing or by phone. A sample letter is included for your convenience.
  NOTE: These visits WILL count against total absences for Spring semester exam exemptions.
  

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