Your College may require you to send some or all of the required items listed below. Check with your prospective college to find out if it prefers to receive all materials at once or if you can send items separately. 

The General Application: Is all information accurate and legible? Don’t leave questions blank unless the application allows you to.

Academic Transcripts: make sure they are sealed.

Letters of Recommendation: Do you have the number of recommendations required? Also, check with the admissions office if they need to be sealed.

Work Samples/Portfolios: Include your name, contact information and the project title on every item. Send copies, not originals.

Application Essays: Make sure your name, social security number, date of birth, contact information and essay title are on each page.

Reply Cards:  Include these for your prospective college to mail back to as receipt of delivery. They should be stamped and self-addressed.

SAT/ACT Scores: If you need to send test scores to additional schools, contact the testing company immediately. Delivery takes about 7-10 days.

Signatures: Before mailing, verify that all necessary forms have been signed.

Fast Tip: Keep track of your applications by sending them with a certificate of mailing via the U.S. Postal Service.

Obtaining Letters of Recommendations

A little courtesy can go a long way when requesting letters of recommendation. 

• Provide enough time for you teachers (or others) to write the letters

• Make a formal request

• Supply the person who will be writing the recommendation with as much information as possible. This includes contact info and any materials they may need to complete the recommendation (transcripts, essays, lists of activities, special projects, due dates and any other helpful materials)

• Send a thank-you letter to the person writing the recommendation

• Include a self-addressed stamped envelope for their convenience

Common Application Errors

"I'll start the application next week."

Don’t run out of time to complete the application. Give yourself at least two weeks to find mistakes.

"I already ran a spell-check on my computer."

Words may be spelled correctly but used incorrectly. Ask a guidance counselor, teacher or family member to proofread the application and catch any errors or poor phrasing.

"One copy is enough."

Print out any online forms and keep copies of all paperwork.

Some other useful websites include