Applying to College
Please note major change for this year only
FAFSA Application opens December 1, 2024 – follow the financial aid deadlines of the colleges you are applying to!
Use the resources linked below to explore and learn about career trends and options, college majors, timelines, college application tools, letters of recommendation, and so much more.
Upcoming College Fairs:
- Everett College Fair – WSU Everett – Spring 2025
- Seattle College Fair – Seattle University – Spring 2025
- Seattle National College Fair – Seattle Convention Center – October 25-26, 2024
Be sure to check in with our College and Career Center for updates related to College Applications and visits.
- Application Forms
- Application Links
- Articles of Interest
- College Panning Resources
- Counselor Presentations
- Financial Aid
- Letters of Recommendation
- Requesting a Transcript
Application Forms
College Application Forms
Below are some of the most commonly used forms and documents used by students, counselors, and teachers in the college application process.
- Class of 2025 School Profile – Students may refer to this document when filling out college applications. It provides information on class size, ranking, etc. This document is updated yearly.
- Counselor LOR Questionnaire – To be used when a student needs a letter of recommendation from a counselor. See the Letter of Recommendation page for more detailed information.
- BSD FERPA Waiver – Must be on file in order for schools to submit student documents to colleges. This FERPA Waiver is different than the Common App FERPA.
- How to complete the FERPA Waiver in the Common App and match it to Naviance – Video explanation of how to set up Common App account, complete FERPA Waiver and then “match” it to Naviance. The “match” step must happen before counselors can submit documents to colleges.
- Letter of Recommendation Packet – This is the complete letter of recommendation packet that students must fill out and return to their counselor when they need a letter of recommendation for a private college. The packet needs to be completed and turned in at least three weeks prior to the application deadline. See the Letter of Recommendation page for more detailed information.
- Sample Resumes – Samples are provided for students to use when they need to create their own resume.
- Teacher feedback – When a student needs a letter of recommendation from a counselor, they must give this form to two to three teachers to fill out and return to the counselor (it is also in the LOR packet above). See the Letter of Recommendation page for more detailed information.
Application Links
College Application Websites
Below are two of the most commonly used college application portals. We prefer that students use Common Application over Coalition. Colleges and Universities typically have their own application portals on their websites. Not all universities use Common App or Coalition.
Articles of Interest
Below are links to some informative and thought-provoking articles, podcasts, and webinars that we came across and thought families and students might enjoy.
- The Truth About College Admission podcast – Helps students and the adults who support them cut through the noise around searching for, applying to, and deciding on a college. In each episode, you can expect guests who are national experts working in the field of college admission and enrollment who will give you honest takes, helpful perspective, and in many cases some much needed levity and solace
- College Became the Default – Thought-provoking article about the American education system by John McWhorter, opinion writer for the NY Times
- ARROW: How College Decisions are Made – Video starts at 14 minutes in. Information on admission types, acceptance profiles, types of reviews, deadline types, personal and supplemental information, recommendations, demonstrated interest, etc.
- How to Calculate the ROI of your College Choice – Takes students through the steps of determining how much a college is going to cost. Article by Robert Farrington, Senior contributor to Forbes
- Finding Colleges that are Affordable – Blog by college advisors Jennie Kent and Jeff Levy, about finding a college that is a financial fit.
- Trade Schools vs Traditional College What You Should Know – Robert Farrington, Senior Contributor at Forbes suggests that “it’s time to change the narrative, and for more reasons than one. Not only does trade school help students land a job faster, it also costs significantly less than traditional college. Plus, jobs in the trades are booming in general, whereas many other industries are over saturated with new graduates looking for work.”
- No Such Thing as a “Good” College – A reminder “that college rankings are subjective, and that their future success and happiness isn’t contingent on where they go to school.”
- There’s Only One College Ranking List That Matters – Frank Bruni, author of “Where You Go Is Not Who You’ll Be,” a book about college admissions, writes about the NY Times ranking tool which allows students to choose what is important to them in a college and provides an interactive interface. Link to the “Build Your Own Rankings” tool is in the article.
- Lord of the Rankings – A podcast by Malcom Gladwell (Revisionist History). “For 30 years, US News & World Report has been using a secret formula to rank the best colleges and universities in the United States. As a public service to our listeners, we hack the algorithm and discover the dirty little secret of the rankings game.”
- ‘Breaking Ranks’ With ‘U.S. News’ – Review by Scott Jaschik of the book, Breaking Ranks, How the Ranking Industry Rules Higher Education and What to Do About It.
- A ‘Fit’ over Rankings – White Paper on college admissions from Challenge Success, a non profit affiliated with Stanford Graduate School of Education. “This paper reviews and synthesizes key research in order to address many of the important questions and concerns we hear from students, parents, and schools about the college admissions process: What do college rankings really measure? Are students who attend more selective colleges better off later in life? What is “fit” and why does it matter?”
- The Misguided War on the SAT – “Colleges have fled standardized tests, on the theory that they hurt diversity. That’s not what the research shows.”
College Panning Resources
College Application Overview
Steps – Use this overview to help you work through the steps in the college application process. Information about how to request transcripts, letters of recommendation, the FERPA waiver, college essays, etc., all in one resource!
Naviance – Our primary college research platform. Students can utilize their career interest and personality survey data to find “good match” schools. Utilize Naviance “Super Match” to identify colleges by major, region, cost, and many other factors.
Admissions in Washington:
- Guaranteed Admissions Program – Qualify with 3.0 GPA & CADRs
- Open Admission – Washington’s 2 yr CC & Tech colleges are open access
- Test Optional – Washington’s 4 year public colleges are all test optional
2-Year College/Transfer:
- What you need to know
- Washington 45
- Types of Transfer Degrees & Certificates
- 2-Year Colleges in Washington
- Find a Program (search by interest)
Search Careers & Majors:
Washington Career Bridge – Explore careers, view employment trends, find education.
Occupational Outlook Handbook – Research careers by fastest growing, pay, field of degree, projections, etc.
My Next Move – Search by careers by industry, careers by key word, or by interests. Sponsored by US Dept of Labor.
me3 Major & Career Quiz – Explore majors and careers that fit your interests and passions. Then chart an academic pathway to find a degree program that leads to a career so you can design the future you want. The results you see are the careers with scores that are most similar to your individual results. Especially helpful if undecided.
Roadtrip Nation – Career exploration that starts with you and your interests. Numerous video interviews and more.
Train for a Job – Information from the State Board of Community & Technical Colleges on job training options.
Apprenticeships – Search for apprenticeship jobs or programs as an excellent alternative to college.
Choosing a College Major – Resource from Big Picture on choosing a major that is right for you.
Choose a Major, Step by Step – Steps from the CollegeEssayGuy.
Choosing a Major – A resource from Forbes on choosing the right college major.
Get Organized:
- College Research Worksheet– Use to help you track college research & list
- College Application Checklist – NHS checklist and timeline for 11th and 12th grades
- College Application Organizer – Ex. of a handy tool that tracks college applications
- College Guidance Network – Student resources featuring nationally recognized experts and experienced professionals who offer insights on essential college and career planning topics
- Organize Awards and Activities – Sample resume
- Build Your Own College Rankings – Tool from NY Times
- Opportunities Guide & Workbook – Helps students choose the right college, understand admission requirements, identify types of financial aid and more. Highly recommended
- Scoir – Planning, search, applications
Search Colleges:
Federal College Scorecard – Search and compare colleges: their fields of study, costs, admissions, results, and more.
Big Future/CollegeBoard – Search based on majors, location, affordability, admissions, etc.
Appily – Search engine with a variety of variables.
College Navigator – Search tool run by the Federal Government.
Historically Black Colleges & Universities – Official list of HBCUs.
Princeton Review – Search engine with a variety of filterable criteria.
Peterson’s College Search Tool – Search by major, location, or key word.
Big Ed. Consulting – Handy charts to compare colleges by: Need-based & merit aid, ED & RD acceptance rates, and fin. aid for international non-citizens.
Choosing the Right College, Focus on Data – How to choose the right college, according to a professor and academic advisor with 40 years of experience.
Counselor Presentations
Counselor Lessons & Presentations
The following lessons and presentations are all related to post high school planning and college admissions. Most are updated yearly.
- Spring Junior Year- College Application Overview
- Fall Senior Year – The Senior Year Lesson
- Junior Parent Night Spring Lesson
- Paying for College
- BSD College Conference
Be sure to check in with our College & Career Center for updates related to College Applications & visits.
Financial Aid
Financial Aid & Scholarships
Below is a small sampling of financial aid resources available online. In addition to the resources below, you will find scholarships on college and university websites, and a scholarship list in Naviance. Be sure to pay attention to the financial aid deadlines for each individual college and utilize their financial aid offices for support.
Financial Aid Resources:
- 12th Yr Campaign Financial Aid Information & Filing Events – Sign up
- FAFSA YouTube Channel – How to fill out FAFSA playlist
- FAFSA – Reporting Parent Information
- FAFSA Help – Answers to common FAFSA questions
- FAFSA & CSS Profile – 21 tips
- WASFA Help – Apply if undocumented or don’t qualify for federal financial aid due to immigration status
- Financial Aid 101
- Applying for Financial Aid: Should We or Shouldn’t We? – Brief guide
- Guide to Financial Aid Terms
- PNACAC Offer Letter Comparison – Digital worksheet to help students compare costs at each college they’ve been admitted to. Printable worksheet.
- Budgeting for College
- How the Average Family Pays for College
- Demystifying Financial Aid Offers – Assisting students in understanding financial aid offers by Palmer Muntz
- Financial Aid Calculator – Calculates potential awards from the Washington College Grant and Pell Grant Programs
- Financial Aid at Independent Colleges of Washington – Campus specific financial aid links
- WSAC Wash St Loan Education Site – Modules with information on specific topics
- 12th Yr Financial Aid Padlet – Many great resources
- Domestic Undergrad Need-Based & Merit Aid (2022) – Survey of several universities; useful for fin aid planning
- Financial Aid for International Non-Citizens (2022) – Survey of several universities
Scholarships:
- Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) – Nonresident tuition savings for Western students
- GearUp Wa Resources – Links to scholarship banks & listings
- WashBoard – Scholarship search engine for Washington residents
- QuestBridge – High achieving, low income (start process in 11th grade)
- Washington College Grant – For eligible Washington residents, including undocumented students
- WAVE Scholarship – Seniors must have completed, or be in the process of completing, their second course in a single CTE pathway.
- Big Future – College Board search engine.
- Schoolhouse Connection Scholarship – For youth with experiences of homelessness in the last 6 yrs
- Bellevue PTSA Scholarships – BSD PTSA offers 12 – $1000 scholarships to seniors from ea. high school
- The Gates Scholarship – A highly selective, last-dollar scholarship for outstanding, minority, high school seniors from low-income households
- Amazon Future Engineer Scholarship – 400 students win up to $40,000 for college and internship opportunities at Amazon.
- Bold.org – First generation and underrepresented minority scholarships
- Immigrants Rising – Scholarships and fellowships not requiring proof of citizenship or legal permanent residency
- Hispanic Scholarship Fund – Scholarships & other resources for families
- Thedream.us – Scholarships open to immigrant students with or without DACA or TPS
- Study Abroad – U.S. Department of State offers merit-based scholarships for students to study abroad from three weeks to an academic year
Letters of Recommendation
Requesting Letters of Recommendation
Some colleges require letters of recommendation from counselors and/or teachers.
- Please VERIFY which colleges NEED a letter of recommendation before requesting a letter from a teacher
- Letters of Recommendation are more often required for smaller, private colleges, however some public universities also require them
- UW and University of California System do NOT require LORs
Teacher LORs – As soon as you determine that you will need a letter from a teacher, please:
- Talk with a teacher who you feel can write a solid letter for you. ASK the teacher if they are WILLING TO write a letter and WHAT THEY NEED from you to do so. This could be in the spring of 11th grade or the fall of 12th
- ONLY ask 1-2 teachers. Do NOT ask extra teachers
- Consider asking a teacher in the SUBJECT of your intended major
- AFTER the teacher agrees to write your letter, ADD them to NAVIANCE as a recommender
- Be courteous and THANKFUL of the teachers’ time to write for you
Counselor LORs – If you need a LOR from a counselor please follow these steps:
- List your colleges in Naviance and VERIFY that you need a counselor LOR
- Complete the LOR Packet and turn in to the counseling center 3-4 weeks before your FIRST deadline
- MATCH Common App and Naviance – Instruction Video
Requesting a Transcript
How to Request a Transcript
Transcripts for College Applications
- Turn in a signed FERPA Waiver form . All students who wish to release your records including transcripts and recommendations to college(s) must sign and turn in this waiver. Please email the form to counseling secretary, Ms. Mai-Tram Huynh at huynhm@bsd405.org or bring in a paper copy.
- If you are applying to a Common App School, you will also need to complete the FERPA electronically on Common App. Watch this Common App Account Matching video for instructions on how to fill out the Common App FERPA and how to match it to your Naviance Account.
Transcripts for Coaches, scholarships, NCAA, etc.
- Please email counseling secretary, Ms. Mai-Tram Huynh at huynhm@bsd405.org.
Former Students
- If you are no longer enrolled in the district, please contact Student Records to request your transcript.