13 min read
Considering Scoir for Your High School? Here’s What You Need to Know
Hey there, counselors! 👋
Scoir is free for your students and for you. We also offer Advanced Solutions to help you better guide your students.
Access resources in the areas of test prep, essay support, and financial aid to better navigate every part of the admissions process.
We offer a flat 50% discount for each student who receives free or reduced lunch in your school or district.
Enjoy Career Readiness Early Access for grades 6-8, built to help you guide students and track progress in the early years of career learnings and activities.
Career development (certifications, courses & curriculum) for changemakers.
Our pricing is fair for schools of all sizes, transparent, and rewards those schools expanding access to underserved students.
Check out content and practical guides to help inform your enrollment strategies and programs.
3 min read
Erin Barnes : February 02, 2024
February of senior year of high school can be a quiet, yet intense time if you’re a college-bound student. At this point, your difficult application work is behind you, and you’re left with little to do but wait for the final piece of the puzzle to appear.
First thing’s first, if you’ve submitted all of your college applications, take time to celebrate and relax. You deserve it! The application process can be incredibly intimidating and stressful.
Below are a few words from former Dean of Admission and Scoir's Strategic Advisor, Peter Van Buskirk, on what to focus on in February. We've also listed out the February of senior year checklist below.
Now, let’s look ahead to a few items that you should continue monitoring during the month of February:
Most schools will send some type of confirmation to acknowledge that they’ve received your application. Make sure you’ve received confirmations for each application!
At this point, you should have completed your FAFSA and received your Student Aid Report (SAR). Take the time to review the SAR carefully and address any discrepancies.
It's not too late to apply for many scholarships! Now that you've reviewed your SAR with your parents/guardians and mentors, it's time to revisit scholarship opportunities.
Check out the article A Successful Strategy for Applying to College Scholarships for inspo.
At this point, it’s never a bad idea to meet with your counselor for one more check in before graduation. They can help ensure you’re on track for graduation and send any first semester grades to colleges as needed. Colleges are still watching, so please do your best to keep those grades up!
Whoever took the time to write a recommendation letter for you deserves a thank you note! Take the time to handwrite and drop off letters to these people in your downtime. It will mean tons!
As you move through the winter months and into early spring, emotions can run high. Make the most of your time with the people who matter most to you, and do what you love! 💙
So, what happens to your application when it reaches the admission office?
Who reads it? What do they think? How will they decide?
Colleges that practice rolling admission make decisions on applications as they arrive in their complete form. Starting in September—and sometimes earlier—they admit qualified candidates until their classes are full. This process can extend well into the following summer.
Different schools will review your application differently. An objective review involves screening candidates based on a formula of test results and GPA scores. Many state universities practice objective review of applicants.
Often, after the objective review, applicants are reviewed more subjectively or holistically by members of the admission committee.
Holistic reviews aim to answer the question: “What does our college gain by admitting this student?” A handful of other factors are taken into consideration, such as:
Committee members, or readers, can include part-time staff, specialists in particular majors, subgroups of students (international students, for example), and members of the admission staff. The staff member who recruits in your area is almost certainly going to be an interested participant as well.
Readers meet to discuss the difficult decisions. Applications are usually reviewed by at least 2 readers before any decisions are made. In some cases, faculty members are invited to read applications from students interested in their respective academic disciplines. This is more likely at universities that are comprised of colleges or academic programs, to which you apply directly.
As March of your senior year approaches, it's important to take care of yourself. While it's true that most of the difficult application work is behind you, there's still plenty of adventure ahead of you. In a few short weeks, your future after high school will start to gain clarity, and you'll be engulfed in planning next steps.
So, as you wait for application results, the next few weeks may feel long, but we encourage you to remain present. Focus on your family and friends, finishing your classes strong, and on all the things that bring you joy in this moment!
This article was originally published on February 8, 2021. It was updated on February 2, 2024 for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
13 min read
Hey there, counselors! 👋
4 min read
When I was a teen, I struggled with debilitating test anxiety. I had trouble sleeping because I kept worrying about the test. I'd worry about getting...
2 min read
In the past few years, colleges and universities across the United States have reconsidered their testing policies, with most going test-optional. ...