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Academics and School Life  College Counseling FAQ
College Application Process
What is The Meadows School code?
The CEEB code or The Meadows School code required on college applications is 290116.
What is the School address and telephone number that I list on my applications?
Students should complete their applications using the following school information:
The Meadows School
8601 Scholar Lane
Las Vegas, NV 89128
Telephone: (702) 254-1610
Fax: (702) 254-3852
When are my applications due in the College Counseling Office?
Students who are applying Early Decision or Early Action must submit their completed applications to the College Counseling Office by October 18, 2006. Students who are applying regular decision must submit their completed applications to the College Counseling Office by December 4, 2006. Applications are processed so they meet all college deadlines, and priority is not given to rolling applications that come in after the College Counseling Office deadline.
If I have applied Early Decision or Early Action, when do I have to submit my other applications?
Students who have applied under an Early Decision, Single-Choice Early Action, or Early Action plan must tell the College Counseling Office which regular decision applications they are completing, but the students themselves will mail those applications, if necessary, by the individual deadlines. The College Counseling Office will send their parts out by December 18, 2006. That way, if the student has not learned the ED/EA decision prior to the winter break, they will be in control of whether applications need to be sent and will not squander monies on applications that are not needed.
How do my college applications get processed?
When students submit their applications to the College Counseling Office, they do so using the application folder along with the Application Checklist for each school. Applications are then packaged with a transcript, school profile, and the counselor's letter of summary and report. Teacher recommendations and the student portions with essays are submitted independently. The counselor will do a quick review of each application to confirm that the student has signed it.
Should I send supplemental materials or extra recommendation letters?
In some rare instances, an additional letter of recommendation from an employer, coach, or volunteer coordinator can add one more dimension to a student's overall application. However, the "juice" recommendations from congressmen, senators, or other people in prominent positions who do not know the student well can be a nuisance in an application folder. If the additional letter does not add a compelling factor beyond those already known, it's too much information. Some colleges encourage students to submit slides of their artwork or tapes of their musical performances to be shared with the faculty in those departments, while other colleges actively discourage the submission of those materials. Students risk losing authorsihp of their application when they submit more information than is recommended. When considering sending additional materials, students should first call the college admission office to determine what is appropriate for that school.
Can I apply online?
More and more colleges are encouraging online applications, and some will even waive the application fee if students apply online. The Meadows College Counseling office encourages students to apply to colleges electronically, but the students must bear the responsibility of telling their counselor where they have applied and when. In all instances official transcripts must be sent from The Meadows School independently of the student. Completion of the Application Checklist assists you in this task. Although The Meadows publishes a standardized Secondary School Report form that is sent with every application, students submitting ED and some EA applications will need to give their counselor the ED form from the college signed by the student, parent, and counselor. Transcript and recommendation mailings for students who have applied online will not be given priority over those applications that were submitted in paper form. Application materials will be packaged and mailed on a first-in, first-out basis based on their submission to the College Counseling Office.
What is the Common Application?
The Common Application is a college application prepared by the College Board to which hundreds of colleges subscribe, currently 278 for 2005-2006. Students completing the Common Application need only complete the application once. It is then photocopied and sent to each applicable college. Not every college accepts the Common Application.
What should I be aware of when I complete the Common Application?
The most common mistake made with the Common Application is that many colleges require supplemental forms in addition to the Common Application, and students often miss that fact when submitting an application. Information about whether or not a supplement is required and how students may find the supplement is contained in the Common Application web site at www.commonapp.org.
How many colleges should I apply to?
Use common sense, generally, eight is sufficient. Always keep in mind why you are applying. A good rule of thumb: two "anchor" schools where you and your counselor are confident of acceptance; two or three that are 50/50 "ball park;" and two or three in the "dream" category. Don't be led astray by prestige or a school's popularity with other members of your class. Be interested in what is appropriate for you! Be interested in the match!
I received a letter, phone call, or e-mail from a college saying something in my application is missing. What should I do?
Your application will likely arrive at the admission office in stages. For instance, your section of the application–the biographical data, test information, resume, essays, and short answers–will arrive independent from the teacher recommendations and the college counseling sections because these are sent separately. One or two of these sections may arrive after your section is received and checked for completion by the date entry operator.
Many students who complete the Common Application overlook the requirement of a supplementary form. If a student receives an e-mail or letter indicating their application is incomplete, the first step should be to call the college and ask a member of the admissions office to pull the application file physically to check its contents. Most often, this step confirms that the missing article crossed in the mail and the college has all it needs. If you confirm that some piece of information is truly missing, the student should notify the College Counseling Office to send a duplicate of the missing credential. Students should not be unduly concerned about this, but they should act quickly to complete their applications if they have yet to do so.
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