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College Vigor is BLA's one-stop-shop for students as they prepare for the college admissions process, apply to college, apply for scholarships and financial aid, and navigate their time in high-school at BLA. Special Thanks to Idiris Egal '21 for the vision and hours dedicated to creating college vigor. It is a gift to dragons now and for years to come.
QUICK LINKS:
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Upcoming SAT Test Dates
May 3, 2025 - register here by 4/18 June 7, 2025 - register here by 5/22 August 23, 2025 |
Upcoming ACT Test Dates
April 5, 2025 June 14, 2025 |
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The Common Application opens on August 1st! Please head to the College Admissions page for helpful tips for writing college essays, and information on how to generate a polished personal statement that speaks to your character and values.
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Please look at the respective website for the application release as well as its deadline. Also, don't hesitate to visit the Scholarship page for more opportunities!
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The FAFSA is the official form that families must use to apply for federal financial aid to pay for college. It is also used by many states and individual colleges and universities in making their financial aid decisions.
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The College Board’s CSS Profile™ is an online application that collects information used by almost 400 colleges, universities, professional schools, and scholarship programs to award financial aid from sources outside of the federal government. After you submit your application, the College Board sends it to the colleges and scholarship programs you have chosen. NOT ALL COLLEGES and SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMS require the CSS Profile. Check with the ones you’re interested in to see if they require it.
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FAQ: SPOTLIGHT QUESTIONS
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HOW DO I APPLY TO COLLEGE?
Most high school students apply to college with a portal known as the Common App. This portal allows you to apply to a wide variety of schools, and most universities across the United States are affiliated with the Common Application. There is also a portal known as the coalition application, which is relatively new and is utilized by a number of colleges. But in reality, your safest bet would be applying with the Common Application due to its resources and its feasibility across many platforms. In addition, some students apply with the QuestBridge Application, which is geared towards low income students who demonstrate significant financial need. This application does not include all colleges and universities, so please make sure if you are interested in this program, you look at their college partners and decide whether or not this application program fits your interests and aspirations. Lastly, some universities require their own application such as MIT, and some school systems such as the UC System require seniors to apply to their respective universities through their own application portal.
SHOULd I STILL SUBMIT MY SAT/ACT SCORE IF A LOT OF SCHOOLS ARE BECOMING TEST OPTIONAL
In response to the widespread disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, many universities are adopting a test optional policy for the class of 2025. Therefore, applicants who are unable to complete an exam or who choose not to report exam scores will not be disadvantaged in the selection process. But if you are able to take the exam and you feel comfortable with that test score, you can definitely submit that as a helpful addition to your application.
How will covid-19 affect this year's application cycle?
This is a pressing question that is circling around the minds of numerous seniors across the globe. But please recognize this for the sake of your mental health, "all colleges will view your application within your own personal CONTEXT", and please do not hesitate to include information in the new COVID-19 section: To highlight any circumstances in your life that has affected you drastically; whether that be a death in your family, or a reduced income due to the economic repercussions of COVID-19. It is without a doubt that many universities will remain flexible with a variety of policies to ensure equity within this college admissions cycle, including an adoption of test optional policies, or extensions with certain deadlines("early action, or early decision, and etc".) for their respective institutions. Please try your best during this application season, and remember that college admissions is only one hurdle in your lives- it is not the end of the world!
How do colleges evaluate applicants?
In admissions processes within the United States, colleges evaluate applicants with a number of metrics, both qualitative and quantitative factors. The most important aspect of college admissions are usually your grades(strength of curriculum) as well as your SAT/ACT scores. But please recognize that due to COVID-19 and changes with grading scales and test optional policies, colleges will certainly be flexible with rapidly changing circumstances in your life, and will look at your application within your immediate context. Some other metrics that colleges use to evaluate applicants include extracurricular activities, personal statements & supplements, as well as recommendations provided by teachers and counselors. Many colleges have different requirements for their evaluation of high school students, but as the college becomes more selective as it relates to their baseline metrics of certain grading scales and standardized assessments scores, some of these institutions in reality practice holistic admissions which is defined as an emphasis on the individual and their own personal context, and it does not weigh one aspect of the process any more than the other.
How do I apply for financial aid?
There are two main types of financial aid, need-based financial aid and merit based scholarships. Need-based aid depends on financial need, the difference between college costs and your ability to pay for college. To apply for need-based financial aid, file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, otherwise known as the FAFSA. The FAFSA is used to apply for financial aid from the federal and state governments, as well as most colleges and universities. Your ability to pay for college is measured by these same financial aid application forms. Merit based scholarships is merely a financial award that students receive based on their academic success in high school, usually awarded for excellent grades, and ACT/SAT scores. But please understand that Merit-based scholarships are not only limited to a student's grades, but also consider factors such as leadership roles, extracurricular activities and school or community involvement. About 200 mostly private colleges use a supplemental form called the CSS Profile for awarding their own financial aid funds. These colleges must still use the FAFSA for federal and state aid. Furthermore, both the FAFSA and CSS Profile are released on October 1st!
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