College Rep Visits
LFHS is excited to have college admission representatives back in the building to meet with our students. We have already welcomed 115 admission counselors, and have approximately 85 more who are scheduled between now and the end of November. Juniors and seniors must sign up through Naviance at least 24 hours in advance to meet with a college representative.
Campus Visits
The best way to determine if a college is a good fit for a student is to visit the campus. Scheduling the visit through the admissions office a few weeks in advance will ensure the date and time will be available to meet with a college admission counselor in person and participate in a student-led tour. When possible, take advantage of some dates when LFHS is not in session (such as Columbus Day or after teacher conferences) to start visiting campuses.
Requesting Transcripts
Seniors need to request transcripts through Naviance to be sent to the colleges they are applying to. Counselors request 10 school days to process the transcript requests.
Sending Test Scores
If seniors are using test scores as part of their applications, they will need to request official scores directly from the testing agency. Some colleges allow students to self-report their scores through the application itself, but may still require the official scores to be sent directly from the testing agency (ACT or College Board). Many colleges are now test-optional, which means that students do not need to report test scores as part of the admission process. Be sure to read through each school’s policy regarding test score reporting. This information can be found on the school’s admission page.
Financial Aid
Families that need financial assistance to offset the cost of attending college are encouraged to fill out the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). This form is available online for seniors and their parents and is found at https://studentaid.ed.gov.
The earlier this form is completed, the better! For families that may need help completing the form, a virtual FAFSA completion workshop is scheduled for November 3rd from 5:30pm-8:00pm. Financial aid experts from the Illinois Student Assistance Commission will be available to answer questions. Income and tax information from 2020 will be required to fill out the FAFSA.
FAFSA Requirement
Completing the FAFSA form, or signing a waiver to indicate that the FAFSA will not be completed, is a graduation requirement.
4-Year Plan
Test-Optional Info from Colleges
Scott Siegel - Indiana University
IU Bloomington has a test-optional admissions policy, which allows students to choose at the point of application whether to have SAT or ACT test scores considered as part of their application review. If a student applies without a test score, you will be given full admission consideration. We will continue to look at all factors of your application, with the greatest emphasis placed on your grades earned in academic coursework; as well as performance in honors, dual-credit, and Advanced Placement courses; your IU-specific essay; extracurricular activities; and other achievements. We were preparing for 15% of our applicant pool being TO, not half! We did pivot and awarded the majority of merit based funds for Fall 2021 without test score consideration.
Fall 2021 Applicants – 53% Test Inclusive, 47% Test Optional
Fall 2021 Admits – 55% Test Inclusive, 45% Test Optional
Heather Chase - Miami University
Miami is literally test optional for EVERYTHING – admission to all majors, Honors programs, and merit scholarships. We review applications holistically, so there are truly about a dozen points we're looking at on each application – transcripts, courses, grades in courses, grade trends, high school overall, recommendation letters, extracurricular activities, essays... the list could go on! Without test scores, there is still plenty of information for us to make an informed admission decision. Test scores did not "help" students gain entry to selective majors (business majors & nursing) or Honors, nor did test scores help students earn more merit money. Continuing this year, Miami's merit awards are based solely on students' weighted GPA at the time of application.
Fall 2021 applicants – 60% of our applicants submitted test scores; 40% did not.
Fall 2021 admits – 60% had test scores on file, 40% did not.
Scott Carlson - University of Illinois
When we say we are Test Optional we truly do mean it. This past year we made sure to just review all students with exactly what they reported in their application and at the end of the cycle we looked at all of our admits. Half of our admits happened to apply with a test score and the other half did not. This goes to show there is no advantage or disadvantage to going either way. We encourage you to report your test scores if you feel they accurately represent your ability. If you decide to apply without test scores you are still eligible for admission to all of our majors and you will still be fully reviewed for all of our merit-based scholarships and Honors programs. In lieu of a test score, we review strength of your academic record, college to which you are applying, why you are applying to a particular program, achievements outside the classroom, and academic rigor.
Megan Lakatos - University of Michigan
For the 2021-22 application cycle, we are maintaining our test-flexible admissions policy, which allows students to complete their U-M application with or without standardized test scores. If a student has not been able to test or does not feel that their score is an accurate reflection of their academic performance, they may choose to apply to U-M as a test-flexible candidate. On the other hand, if a student would like to submit scores, they can do so by either sending an official score report or self-reporting their scores on the application or through the Enrollment Connect Portal. If multiple scores are submitted, we will use the highest composite or highest superscore in the review process. Additionally, any applicant (regardless of test-flexible status) may choose to submit AP or IB exam scores for consideration. All applicants will be granted a fair holistic review that considers academic success and rigor of curriculum, extracurricular participation and leadership, engagement in the classroom setting, personal background, and overall interest in the University of Michigan. Please check the 2021-22 Application Changes site for more info.
