MONARCH HIGH SCHOOL COUNSELING DEPARTMENT
  • About Us
    • Counseling Staff
    • Monarch School Profile
  • Academic
    • 8th Grade Transition Information
    • Course Selection 2023-24 >
      • START HERE: Course Selection
      • Standard/Advanced/AP Classwork & Homework Expectations
      • Grade Point Average
      • Course Progression Sequence
    • Academic Programs >
      • Advanced Placement
      • CU Succeed
      • High School of Business
      • Additonal Academic Programs
      • Additional Credit Options
    • Graduation Requirements
    • Past Presentations >
      • Past Presentations
    • Financial Wellness Course (Formerly Money 101)
    • Summer Homework
    • NCAA Approved Courses
    • CTE Programs at BVSD
    • BVSD Summer School
    • BVSD Online Classes
    • Tutoring Resources
  • Post-Secondary
    • College >
      • Colorado Schools Middle 50% of Accepted Students Profile
      • ACT - SAT - PSAT Testing
      • College Search Tools
      • Essay Writing Tips
      • Letter of Rec & Transcript Requests >
        • Letters of Recommendation
        • Transcript Request
      • Paying For College >
        • Scholarships & Loans
        • FAFSA & CSS Profile
        • College Opportunity Fund (COF)
        • Financial Aid Presentations
        • FRCC’s University Transfer Track
      • NACAC Admission Trends
      • The Common Application Tips
      • College Reps in the PGC, Visiting a College & College Fairs
      • NCAA Athletes Division I & II
      • Online College - Resources
    • CU Boulder Average Admitted Student Profile By Program
    • Summer Enrichment Options
    • Gap Year & Study Abroad
    • Apprenticeships & Trades Programs
    • Military
  • Career
    • Career Exploration Resources
    • ICAP
  • Personal Support
    • Personal Support
    • Crisis Hotlines
    • Personal/Social Resources
    • Teen Topics
  • Alumni Transcripts

College Search Tools - click the headings for drop-down information


Using Naviance
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If you are having difficulties accessing Naviance -
see the Monarch counseling desk for help.
Transcript Request STEPS
Letters of Recomendation STEPS
Matching Common App with Naviance

Food for Thought - Articles
  • Six College Experiences that Determine Whether You Thrive as an Adult
  • Applying to college? HERE are 7 common mistakes (from the perspective of a college admissions counselor)
  • Yale Article: Advice on Putting Your Application Together
  • Does it matter where you go to college Article
  • Independent Admissions Counselor Katherine Cohen:​ 9 Things I wish people understood about getting into college
  • NPR enlightening Interview regarding the admissions process at a selective college
  • Peter Van Buskirk's blog: Best College Fit addresses a variety of topics and does an excellent job of answering many student and parent questions. ​Mr. Van Buskirk has spoken many times to the BVSD community​
Glossary of College application/Admission Terms
Admissions decisions
  • Admit — You're in! You are being offered admissions to the college to which you applied. Your high school will receive notification, too.
  • Admit/deny — You have been admitted but denied any financial aid. It is up to you to figure out how you are going to pay for school.
  • Deny — You are not in. The decision is made by the college or university admissions committee and is forwarded to you and your high school.
  • Wait list — You are not in yet but have been placed on a waiting list in case and opening becomes available. Schools rank their wait list in order of priority, and unfortunately, the more competitive schools have years when they never draw from their wait lists. After a certain time, a rejection notice is sent.
Advanced Placement (AP) courses — Based on the composite score on an AP test, which ranges from 0 to 5, a college may award college credit or advanced placement to a participating student. A score of a 4 or 5 on the AP test is usually required by colleges for credit or advanced placement in college courses. A 3 is sometimes acceptable in foreign languages and some other subject areas. Some colleges limit the number of AP credits that they will recognize. Check schools' policies on AP credits.
American College Testing (ACT) Program Assessment — An alternative to the SAT. The ACT tests English, mathematics, reading, and science reasoning. These subject test scores can be used in lieu of SAT II subject tests, which are required for admission to some of the more competitive colleges. The score is the average of all four tests; the maximum score is 36.
Award package — This is the way colleges and universities deliver their news about student eligibility for financial aid or grants. The most common packages include Pell Grants, Stafford Loans, and Work Study (see below).
Candidates Reply Date Agreement (CRDA) — If admitted to a college, a student does not have to reply until May 1. This allows time to hear from all the colleges to which the student applied before having to make a commitment to any of them. This is especially important because financial aid packages vary from one school to another, and the CRDA allows time to compare packages before deciding.
College-preparatory subjects — Courses taken in high school that are viewed by colleges and universities as a strong preparation for college work. The specific courses are usually in the five majors area of English, history, world languages, mathematics, and science. The courses may be regular, honors-level, or AP offerings, and the latter two categories are often weighted when calculated in the GPA.
College Scholarship Service (CSS) — When the federal government changed the FAFSA form several years ago, the College Board created this program to assist postsecondary institutions, state scholarship programs, and other organizations in measuring a family's financial strength and analyzing its ability to contribute to college costs. CSS processes the PROFILE financial form that students may use to apply for nonfederal aid. This form is submitted to some 300 private colleges and universities along with the FAFSA when seeking financial aid from these institutions. Participating colleges and universities indicate whether they require this form.
Common  Application — This  application form can save students hours of work. The Common Application is presently accepted by about 350  colleges. The colleges and universities that accept these standardized forms give them equal weight with their own application forms. Students complete the information on the standardized form and then submit it to any of the schools listed as accepting it. Some schools will require a supplementary form to be completed by the applicant. The Common Application is available at www.commonapp.org.
Cost of education — This includes tuition and fees, room and board, books and supplies, transportation, and miscellaneous expenses. A student's financial aid eligibility is the difference between the cost of education and the Expected Family Contribution as computed by the federal government using the FAFSA.
Course load — The number of course credit hours a student takes in each semester. Twelve credit hours is the minimum to be considered a full-time student. The average course load per semester is 16 credit hours.
Credit hours — The number of hours per week that courses meet are counted as equivalent credits for financial aid and used to determine you status as a full- or part-time student.
Deferred acceptance — the admissions decision is being moved to a later date.
Early Action (EA) — A student applies to a school early in the senior year, between October 30 and January 15, and requests an early application review and notification of admission. The answer usually takes three to four weeks after application. If accepted, the student is not obligated to attend that institution but can bank this admission and still apply to other colleges during the regular admission cycle.
Early Decision (ED) — Sometimes confused with Early Action, the Early Decision plan allows students to apply to an institution early in the senior year, also between October 30 and January 15, and request an early notification of admission. The student and guidance counselor sign a contract with the school at the time of application that indicates that if accepted, the student is obligated to attend that institution. Some colleges and universities offer both ED and EA options.
Expected Family Contribution (EFC) — The amount of financial support a family is expected to contribute toward a child's college education. This amount is part of the formula used by the federal government to determine financial aid eligibility using the FAFSA form.
Federal Pell Grant Program — This is a federally sponsored and administered program that provides grants based on need to undergraduate students. Congress annually sets the appropriation; award amounts vary based on need, and the maximum award for 2010-11 is $5,550. This is "free" money because it does not need to be repaid.
Federal Perkins Loan Program — This is a federally run program based on need and administered by a college's financial aid office. This program offers low-interest loans for undergraduate study. Repayment does not begin until 9 months after the borrower drops to less than halftime enrollment status. The maximum loan amount is $5,500 per year.
Federal Stafford Loan — This federal program provides low-interest loans for undergraduate and graduate students. The maximum annual loan amount depends on the student’s grade level. Fixed interest rates will not exceed 6.8%. Repayment does not begin until 6 months after the borrower drops to less than halftime enrollment status. Several repayment options are available.
Federal Work-Study Program (FSW) — A federally financed program that arranges for students to combine employment and college study; the employment may be an integral part of the academic program (as in cooperative education or internships) or simply a means of paying for college.
Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) — This is the federal government's instrument for calculating need-based aid. It is available from high school guidance departments, college financial aid offices, and the Internet (www.fafsa.gov). The form should be completed and mailed as soon after January 1 as possible.
Gap — The difference between the amount of a financial aid package and the cost of attending a college or university. The student and his/her family are expected to fill the gap.
Grants/scholarships — These are financial awards that are usually dispensed by the financial aid offices of colleges and universities. The awards may be need- or merit-based. Most are need-based. Merit-based awards may be awarded on the basis of excellence in academics, leadership, volunteerism, athletic ability, or special talent.
Honors program — Honors programs offer an enriched, top-quality educational experience that often includes small class size, custom-designed courses, mentoring, enriched individualized learning, hands-on research, and publishing opportunities. A handpicked faculty guides students through the program. Honors programs are a great way to attend a large school that offers enhanced social and recreational opportunities while receiving an Ivy League-like education at a reduced cost.
Merit awards, merit-based scholarships — More "free" money, these awards are based on excellence in academics, leadership, volunteerism, athletic ability, and other areas determined by the granting organization, which can be a college or university, an organization, or an individual. They are not based on financial need.
Need blind — Admissions decisions made without reference to a student's financial aid request, that is, an applicant's financial need is not known to the committee at the time of decision.
Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) — Each branch of the military sponsors an ROTC program. In exchange for a certain number of years on active duty, students can have their college education paid for up to a certain amount by the armed forces.
Residency requirement — The term has more than one meaning. It can refer to the fact that a college may require a specific number of course to be taken on campus to receive a degree from the school, or the phrase can mean the time, by law, that is required for a person to reside in the state to be considered eligible for in-state tuition at one of its public colleges or universities.
Rolling admissions — There is no deadline for filing a college application. This concept is used most often by state universities. Responses are received within three to four weeks. If admitted, a student is not required to confirm, in most cases, until May 1. Out-of-state residents applying to state universities should apply as early as possible.
Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) I: Reasoning Test — Also known as "board scores" because the test was developed by the College Board. This test concentrates on verbal and mathematical reasoning abilities and is given throughout the academic year at test centers. The maximum combined score for both sections is 1600.
SAT II Subject Tests — These subject-specific exams are given on the same test dates and in the same centers as the SAT I. More emphasis has been placed on these tests in recent years, not only because they are used for admission purposes, but also for placement and exemption decisions.
Student Aid Report (SAR) — Report of the government's review of a student's FAFSA. The SAR is sent to the student and released electronically to the schools that the student listed. The SAR does not supply a real money figure for aid but indicates whether the student is eligible.
Waiver to view recommendations — The form many high schools ask their students to sign by which they agree not to review their teachers' recommendation letters before they are sent to colleges.
College ADMISSION Options
​Web Resources - Planning, Finding, & Choosing a College
BIG FUTURE(collegeboard).org
U.S. Dept of Ed - College Scorecard Site

​Few, if any, websites address only one topic, so they are listed by their primary emphasis.
  • Nearly all websites include tabs for “additional resources” or “links” to related web resources.
  • Caveat emptor (buyer beware) applies even to free websites: All websites express a point of view, service, or product orientation and rely upon financial support from sponsors.
  • Some additional websites are listed for special interests and situations such as those considering a “gap year,” international students, and those who plan to attend a community college.
  • Lots of information regarding test preparation services and loans.
Discuss plans and information needs with counselors and other parents including parent volunteers in the Monarch Post Grad Center (PGC). Be sure to explore and utilize the tools embedded in the Naviance system available to all Monarch students. In addition to on-line tools, there are excellent guidebooks and college directories, many available to you in the PGC.

Planning for College
CollegeAnswer   www.collegeanswer.com
Provided by SallieMae, leading national commercial provider of student loans and college savings plans, this site offers free tools for preparation and saving, planning, paying, and managing loans, but also includes tools for deciding on your college, and even help with assessing your personality, interests, and skills to help choose a career direction.
​InLikeMe  http://inlikeme.com/
InLikeMe is centered at the intersection of college planning, selection, admissions testing and financial aid with a focus on helping you find your “right fit” schools and develop a strategy to get admitted.

Finding a College
Finding college information is easy thanks to the many college-search engine tools. Use these tools to find a wide range of information such as: admission requirements and statistics, graduation rates, course offerings, application forms and filing dates. You can even tour the campus and find student ratings and opinions about colleges and universities you may be considering.
College Data   www.collegedata.com  
Search over 2,000 colleges to find the schools that match your preferences and get all the details on admission, financial aid, academics and campus life in our college profiles.
College Insight     www.college-insight.org  
Provides easy-to-use college profiles and powerful research tools that include information about affordability, student debt, and diversity. 
Kiplinger’s Best College Values   http://www.kiplinger.com/reports/best-college-values  
Focus is on value and ranks U.S. colleges and universities in three separate lists: public universities, private universities, and liberal arts colleges. Users can query, view and sort the schools on each list by various financial and quality measures. 
U-CAN Network   www.ucan-network.org  
The University and College Accountability Network provides charts and concise information in a common format on more than 700 private institutions including admissions and enrollment stats, demographics, graduation rates, popular majors, faculty information, class size, tuition and fee trends, costs, financial aid, campus housing, student life, and campus safety. 
Unigo    www.unigo.com  
Offers “insider” reviews, videos and photos by actual students attending the college as well as institution-specific stats and rankings as well as forums that focus on specific topics and colleges. Unigo’s partnership with The Wall Street Journal provides additional content focused on getting accepted, choosing schools and paying for college. 
U.S. News and World Report http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges
Beyond its rankings, this site offers a plethora of college data and guidance. In addition to ranking national universities and liberal arts colleges, you’ll find an assortment of interesting lists including: A+ Options for B Students, Learning Communities, Up-and-Coming Colleges, Internships-Co-ops, Study Abroad, Best Undergrad Teaching and Writing Programs. 
College Resources for LGBTQ Students http://www.thebestcolleges.org/resources/lqbtq-student-guide/
The team at TheBestColleges.org is committed to raising awareness for all the ways in which LGBTQ students can fully take advantage of these resources. 


Choosing a College
College Board    www.collegeboard.com     
Search and “College MatchMaker" tools allow you to query a database of more than 3500 schools. The site also contains useful student aid and entrance exam information. Your answers to questions about what you are looking for in a college; major, size, location, extracurricular activities, tuition, generate a list of schools that meet your criteria. There are links and comparison tools to learn more about individual colleges. If you register, the site will save your search and colleges that interest you. 
College Navigator   http://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator
A free consumer information resource provided by the U.S. Department of Education. The site has tools and search options that make it quick and easy to gather and compare data about most U.S. colleges and universities. The College Navigator site also has useful links to Federal government sites for financial aid and career planning. 
​Common Data Set - Google: Common Data Set and Name of Institution 
(For example, “Common Data Set Vanderbilt”) The Common Data Set refers to the source data that colleges and universities provide annually in a standardized format, for use in college guides and other venues. Analyzing the data can provide insight about admissions, merit aid and more.
Princeton Review   www.princetonreview.com/com.aspx 
Princeton Review College Search is similar to the College Board’s Matchmaker, but it searches in a different way. Instead of giving you a list of schools that meet exact criteria, it gives you a list of schools that meet the majority of your criteria. The list is divided between good match, reach, and safety schools. To make the most of this site, you should provide your un-weighted GPA and any ACT/SAT scores you have. If you register with this site, it will save your search and related information. Princeton Review offers a variety of SAT/ACT test preparation classes and online resources.
Campus Explorer   www.campusexplorer.com 
This is another college search site. It includes 8,000 schools, including 2-year, 4-year and online opportunities.
College Confidential   www.collegeconfidential.com 
This site has gathered all of the best college admissions content on the Web together in one place, including articles and advice on choosing a college, getting into college, paying for college and college life. There are also forums for parents and students regarding questions that come up while navigating the college selection and admissions process, plus a feature (CampusVibe) where students (and parents) share opinions about colleges with videos, photos and visit reports.       
College Results Online    http://www.collegeresults.org 
College Results Online (CRO) is an interactive, user-friendly Web tool designed to provide policymakers, counselors, parents, students, and others with information about college graduation rates for nearly any four-year college or university in the country.


Transitioning to College
Books for the College Process
​College Search/Match
College Board College Handbook
Princeton Review's The Best 368 Colleges
Best Buys in College Education
America's Best Value Colleges
Fiske Guide to Colleges
Colorado Collegiate Handbook
Colleges That Change Lives
America's Best Colleges for B Students
Looking Beyond the Ivy League: Finding the College That's Right for You
The Hidden Ivies
The Student's Guide to Colleges
The Insider's Guide to the Colleges: Students on Campus Tell You What You Really Want to Know           
Cool Colleges for the Hyper-Intelligent, Self-Directed, Late-Blooming, and Just Plain Different
Colleges for Students with Learning Disabilities or ADHD
Rugg's Recommendations on the Co11ges (search by major)
College Board Book of Majors
 
College Admissions
Winning the College Admissions Game
The New Rules of College Admissions
Get Into Any College
 
Be sure to check out all the books in the Post Grad Center and do a Google or Amazon search for dozens of other great resources!

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Disclaimer: The Boulder Valley School District does not endorse organizations & individuals listed (other than BVSD programs). Individuals & organizations have not been screened in any way. The Boulder Valley School District assumes no responsibility for the actions or abilities of any groups or individuals listed herein.
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  • About Us
    • Counseling Staff
    • Monarch School Profile
  • Academic
    • 8th Grade Transition Information
    • Course Selection 2023-24 >
      • START HERE: Course Selection
      • Standard/Advanced/AP Classwork & Homework Expectations
      • Grade Point Average
      • Course Progression Sequence
    • Academic Programs >
      • Advanced Placement
      • CU Succeed
      • High School of Business
      • Additonal Academic Programs
      • Additional Credit Options
    • Graduation Requirements
    • Past Presentations >
      • Past Presentations
    • Financial Wellness Course (Formerly Money 101)
    • Summer Homework
    • NCAA Approved Courses
    • CTE Programs at BVSD
    • BVSD Summer School
    • BVSD Online Classes
    • Tutoring Resources
  • Post-Secondary
    • College >
      • Colorado Schools Middle 50% of Accepted Students Profile
      • ACT - SAT - PSAT Testing
      • College Search Tools
      • Essay Writing Tips
      • Letter of Rec & Transcript Requests >
        • Letters of Recommendation
        • Transcript Request
      • Paying For College >
        • Scholarships & Loans
        • FAFSA & CSS Profile
        • College Opportunity Fund (COF)
        • Financial Aid Presentations
        • FRCC’s University Transfer Track
      • NACAC Admission Trends
      • The Common Application Tips
      • College Reps in the PGC, Visiting a College & College Fairs
      • NCAA Athletes Division I & II
      • Online College - Resources
    • CU Boulder Average Admitted Student Profile By Program
    • Summer Enrichment Options
    • Gap Year & Study Abroad
    • Apprenticeships & Trades Programs
    • Military
  • Career
    • Career Exploration Resources
    • ICAP
  • Personal Support
    • Personal Support
    • Crisis Hotlines
    • Personal/Social Resources
    • Teen Topics
  • Alumni Transcripts